This introduction surveys pivotal moments in German queer print culture, tracing the role of written media in shaping queer collective identity and memory. From early periodicals like Der Eigene to postwar homophile journals and commercial publications such as du&ich and Siegessäule, queer men’s media provided communication networks that fostered community. Similarly, magazines for queer women, like Die Freundin and ukz, played crucial roles in consolidating lesbian, trans*, and non-binary identities, though often within constrained contexts. Singular works, including The Well of Loneliness and Josef Kohout’s memoirs, offer intimate perspectives on individual queer experiences. Together, these media construct an emotional geography that dismantles isolation and imagines a broader queer readership. While historians have analysed these sources for their roles in social movements and print capitalism, this chapter centres the form and reading of these texts, moving beyond a normative focus on male gay magazines. It explores how diverse publications shape visibility for non-male, non-heteronormative identities and link historical actors across media. By contextualizing these interdisciplinary queer readings, it opens new avenues and perspectives for scholars within the archive, challenging conventional queer genealogies and enabling a richer understanding of queer history.