meta: past lives, hitler, heels

This is going to sound insane. I know. Stay with me.
The first time I wore heels—Halloween costume, years ago—it felt like riding a bike after a long winter. My body already knew how to walk in them. Perfectly. There’s more to muscle memory than we understand.
[side note: I am fairly certain that I was a hell-fire & damnation baptist preacher in a little church in the middle of Delaware during the Civil War, sympathetic to the cause of the North & the Underground Railroad – but that is another journey and another topic for another time]
 
TL;DR: I’ve seen enough to believe reincarnation is a legit possibility. 
 
Paul Duane, progressive house DJ, podcaster, filmmaker and photographer, walking in a suit, pantyhose and heels.
That was my second reason to visit Berlin.
The first? Music.
Berlin is a global hub for electronic music and club culture.
Here’s how it went down:
Saturday: landed in Berlin Sat evening & navigated the train and subway system like a local—despite speaking zero German. Checked into my Bohemian district hotel and grabbed my first meal: currywurst on a street corner, so good – soon to be served at Café Duane.
Mission for the night: Tresor.
Berlin’s legendary techno cathedral. Not just a club—it’s a record label, a movement. Founded right after the fall of the Berlin Wall, housed in a decommissioned power plant, it’s been a cultural engine longer than many of its patrons have been alive.
I suited up: nylons, heels, blazer.
Tresor has a strict no-phone policy. I’ll tell you more someday. For now it will suffice to say — after that night, I see the world through different eyes.
Sunday: recovery with Jägerschnitzel & the best Hefeweizen of my life.
 
 
Monday hit like a freight train. 
 
I spent hours at the Topography of Terror museum, walking the very ground where Hitler rose to power. It shook me. It clarified something I’ve wrestled with since the last election: Both U.S. parties are flirting with fascism in equal measure – just in slightly different costumes. Each side cries “Hitler” at the other, and I get why. I’m out. I’m back to championing a third path. Full stop.
 
 
 

Many years ago, I found this photo of a brave young jewish boy staring down Heinrich Himmler – second only to Hitler himself in the madness and mindless slaughter of WWII Germany. I’ve always been moved my his face. His steely, fearless stare into the eyes of one of the most horrifying monsters the human species has ever known. 

This is our battlecry, fellow Soul Anarchists. 
Soul Anarchy is not a fashion statement. It is not a logo. It is not a trendy notion of “living your best life”. 

The Soul Anarchist movement is a jail break. 

A rebellion in modern times. 

You WILL be receiving an invitation to marching orders soon, fellow Soul Anarchist. 

FUCK. 
Berlin can be so heavy – AND yet – life must continue. Every city whispers something – and to me – Berlin whispers – 
 
This is the art of being mindful of what happened in the past – and honoring the forward flow of life. We cannot move forward by staring in the rear view mirror – and – we can never ignore it. 
 
En route to more history, I made a pilgrimage to my favorite hosiery brand the German brand FALKE: The Audi of hosiery. Treated myself to a few of my favorites.
Falke is the Audi of hosiery. They are vastly more expensive than the stuff you ladies grew up being forced to wear to church when you were a little girl. 
….and, the experience is vastly different.
Your tricycle vs 2026 Audi A4.
A few blocks away:
Holocaust Memorial.
Reichstag.
Victory Column.
Brandenburg Gate.
The whole time I was listening for echos, familiar ghosts…
 
One last dinner: currywurst, a beer, and a Coke. I perched facing the Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Tower framed perfectly between its pillars, dusk settling like a veil. (Side note: this little food stand sells currywurst with a bottle of Dom Perignon: next time, with someone special.)
As I lifted my Coke for one last swig, I saw the name printed on the label: Paula. The feminine version of my own.
So Berlin, is this your way of saying I was right about why I’m so good at walking in heels?
 
Final stop: a rooftop bar with Burning Man vibes, way out on the edge of town. Gorgeous view of the city at night. I ordered a beer. The bartender’s shirt read: “I’m as female as I want to be.”
Call it coincidence. I call it synchronicity. A wink from the Universe.
I know I’ve probably lost some of you on this reincarnation thing, that’s fine. I never expect anyone to believe or agree with me – but ONLY to believe that I truly have these thoughts. That’s it. And no, this isn’t code for “I’m taking a long trip to Thailand soon to get a “medical procedure” done.”
 
I can hold space for what was, and love what IS, at the same time.
That’s what Berlin whispers.
That’s what the Chaosphere represents: different versions of reality, unrelated, coexisting in one mind, in one time, in one place.

What a fucking gorgeous piece of humanity, that Berlin. I cannot wait to come back. This time I will speak more of her language and will return like a lover after a long separation. 

I’ll come back and play some music. 
You’ll show me things most people never get to see. 
I’ll stay longer next time. 

If you enjoyed that – you’ll happy to know that I’m releasing a book soon.
Join my mailing list to get special updates. 

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp

Please check your spam folder for the confirmation email.
Add paul@paulduane.net to your white list / contact list to ensure smooth delivery. 

Facebook Youtube Instagram Mixcloud Tiktok X-twitter