The International Zone
Interzone is based on Tangier, Morocco's International Zone — a city that existed outside the laws of any nation, and became, for a time, the freest place on earth.
Tangier existed in some form as an international territory from 1912 to 1956 — though it wasn't until 1923 that the European powers formally agreed to designate it a self-governed neutral zone. Due to its importance as a trading port, many nations had vied for control. Eventually they settled on shared governance: a city that belonged to no one, and therefore to everyone.
This important status — both as a port city and a diplomatic neutral zone — allowed an open society to flourish. One that blended every culture passing through it, free from the judgment of the outside world. It was returned to Morocco in 1956.
That bohemian atmosphere quickly drew writers, artists, and musicians. William Burroughs wrote Naked Lunch there. Paul Bowles never left. Allen Ginsberg passed through. The city gained a reputation for hedonism and became a destination for travelers seeking the things illegal or frowned upon elsewhere.
Its tolerance also made it a haven for gay men at a time when very few places on earth offered the same. In Tangier, you could be anyone. That was the point.