A negative turn

• • After the Nazis’ rise to power in 1933, the LGBT community in Germany faced severe persecution, with their organizations outlawed, and Paragraph 175 expanded in 1935.
  • The “gay Holocaust” or “Homocaust” is an often neglected aspect of Nazi atrocities, where individuals with same-sex attractions were considered “degenerate” and encountered intense homophobia.
  • Gay prisoners in concentration camps endured horrific medical experiments, aiming to “cure” their homosexuality.
  • Research suggests up to 15,000 people with same-sex attractions were sent to concentration camps, with a potential death toll of up to 60%.

Liberal for Queer

Since women were typically never permitted to hold positions of authority and influence, the Third Reich did not actively target lesbians as a threat to societal order. This is not to suggest that lesbians led idyllic lives under the Third Reich; there are records of some lesbian prisoners in concentration camps, and openly gay women would not have had it easy in the Third Reich’s sociocultural environment.

Reluctant Acknowledgment

• • The LGBT community is less acknowledged in Holocaust memorials and government policies compared to other oppressed groups.
  • Dachau camp sculpture lacks the pink triangle for individuals with same-sex attractions, excluded in 1968 from “acknowledged” persecuted groups.
  • Similar exclusions at other memorials highlight ongoing persecution and marginalization of the LGBT community.
  • Exclusion from memorials was common, reflecting ongoing mistreatment.
  • Homosexual survivors faced societal mistreatment, being treated as regular criminals.
  • Many with same-sex attractions were imprisoned and died before government recognition of their suffering.
  • In 2002, the German government agreed to compensate those harmed by paragraph 175.
  • Compensation was officially extended to post-World War II charges only two years ago.

East and West

• • Contrary to popular belief, the East German government was relatively more liberal regarding LGBT rights, despite censorship and widespread surveillance by the Stasi.
  • The East German administration removed the Nazi alterations to paragraph 175, unlike their West German counterparts.
  • Between 1949 and 1968, East Germany convicted almost 4,000 men under the Act, while West Germany convicted around 50,000 men for homosexuality between 1949 and 1969.
  • In West Germany, 3,500 men were found guilty before the statute was eventually repealed in 1994, even after the removal of Nazi amendments in 1969.

Eastern Equality?

• • East Germany’s LGBT advancements didn’t eradicate homophobia but addressed past persecution and gained support from some opposing socialism.
  • It wasn’t a haven for individuals with same-sex attractions, as depicted in the documentary “Out in East Berlin.”
  • Homophobia persisted despite legislative changes, and the Stasi monitored LGBT activities.

Political Development LGBTQ+ Rights in Germany

• • Progress towards promoting gay rights in Germany is relatively recent.
  • Bitterness surrounds the 2017 decision to legalize same-sex unions due to Angela Merkel’s opposition.
  • Berlin’s first openly gay mayor, Klaus Wowereit, was well-known.
  • The conservative CSU and CDU have often been hesitant towards liberal legislation.
  • Challenges persist for homosexual couples seeking to adopt.
  • Attacks against gay couples in Germany are on the rise, highlighting ongoing dangers for the LGBTQ+ community.

Future Liberation in LGBTQ+ Rights in Germany

• • Germany’s LGBTQ+ history offers valuable lessons, showing that progress is not always linear and can be reversed, especially during economic downturns.
  • Many countries still forbid homosexuality, highlighting the importance of Pride’s colourful protest and celebration.
  • Germany’s Pride events aim to raise awareness of the ongoing fight for rights, both within and beyond the country.