User:Dennis van Vreden/annotationParagraph175

Paragraph 175, (a documentary made in 2000)

Annotation by Dennis van Vreden

“An unnatural sex act commited between persons of the male sex or by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights may also be imposed.” Paragraph 175, German Penal Code, 1871

Historian Klaus Müller interviews survivors of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals because of the German Penal Code of 1871, Paragraph 175. [ Source: IMDB ]

Rupert Everett - Narrator (voice) Klaus Müller - Historian Karl Gorath Pierre Seel Heinz F Annette Eick Albrecht Becker Gad Beck Heinz Dörmer

Paragraph 175 was adopted in 1871, shortly after Germany was unified. Beginning in the 1890s, sexual reformers fought against the “disgraceful paragraph,”[1] and soon won the support of August Bebel, head of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). But a petition in the Reichstag to abolish Paragraph 175 foundered in 1898. In 1907, a Reichstag Committee decided to broaden the paragraph to make lesbian sexual acts punishable as well, but that legislation languished for ten years and was finally dropped in 1917. In 1929, another Reichstag Committee decided to repeal Paragraph 175 with the votes of the Social Democrats, the Communist Party (KPD) and the German Democratic Party (DDP); however, the rise of the Nazi Party prevented the implementation of the repeal. Although modified at various times, the paragraph remained part of German law until 1994. In 1935, the Nazis broadened the law so that the courts could pursue any “lewd act” whatsoever, even one involving no physical contact, such as masturbating next to each other. Convictions multiplied by a factor of ten to about 8,000 per year. Furthermore, the Gestapo could transport suspected offenders to concentration camps without any legal justification at all (even if they had been acquitted or already served their sentence in jail). Thus, between 5,000 and 15,000 homosexual men were forced into concentration camps, where they were identified by the pink triangle. The majority of them died there. While the Nazi persecution of homosexuals is reasonably well-known today, far less attention had been given to the continuation of this persecution in post-war Germany. In 1945, when concentration camps were liberated, homosexual prisoners were not freed but were instead made to serve out their sentence under Paragraph 175. In 1950, East Germany abolished Nazi amendments to Paragraph 175, whereas West Germany kept them and even had them confirmed by its Constitutional Court. About 100,000 men were implicated in legal proceedings from 1945 to 1969, and about 50,000 were convicted (if they had not committed suicide before, as many did). In 1969, the government eased Paragraph 175 to an age of consent of 21. It was lowered to 18 in 1973, and finally the paragraph was repealed and the age of consent lowered to 14, the same that is in force for heterosexual acts, in 1994. East Germany had already reformed its more lenient version of the paragraph in 1968, and repealed it in 1988. [ Source: Wikipedia ]

Klaus (Historian) tells about never having heard of the gay persecution during the war, mentioning his grandfathers being gay. Seeking out the few (7) survivors to ask them humbly to please share their stories because it is important to share, even though it seems too little to late. Klaus (German) tries to interview Pierre Seel (French), but he is hesitant to sit down and talk about his past with a German; He says he vowed to never touch or talk to anyone German. That we would never understand his situation.

[ Pierre Seel (still fighting for recognition) published a book about his time in the camps as well ]

The documentary shows the thriving city of Berlin as the gay Walhalla of the world after the first World War. Showing how free people were in Berlin, and what the community looked like (that would be completely wiped out under Hitlers reign). Annette Eick then says in her interview that she wasn’t used to the big lesbian scene but soon met a woman who eventually saved her life by giving her a permit to leave Germany.

Berlin had ignored the Paragraph 175, but when it was still there, there would always be the fear. Magnus Herschfeld, socialist, jew, homosexual, was close to repelling the law, but then the national-socialist party took over. Gad Beck (Jewish) then shares his first sexual experience with another man.

Heinz Dörmer then shows his appartment and the bedroom where everything took place with the boys. He was a boy scout and often had relations (since he was 12) with fellow boy scouts and leaders and later became the regional leader right before they were arrested. The Hitler Youth fought them with weapons and in bigger numbers than them and arrested them. Nazi Germany wanted the youth to be Arian, ‘purified’.

[ German Youth Movement, celebrating nature, friendship and the human body. Some were abstinent, others gloried in sexuality. ]

Gad Beck explains that within 4 months his entire classroom was filled with children in brown uniforms. Refusing to sit next to him, making him sit alone within two months. Everyone of his classmates had withdrawn from him.

Pierre Seel remembers hearing a speech on the radio where Hitler asked whether the people wanted butter or guns. And the people shouted out loudly:”GUNS!” That was the moment they got scared.

[ I assume this is the moment where before they would laugh at Hitler, thinking he would never be supported by anyone, a silly little man. And then they realized people were actually following and believing him ]

Albrecht Becker then explains that when Hitler came to power, his second man Ernst Rohm was well known for his homosexuality. Therefore homosexuals in Germany weren’t afraid of persecution since Hitler’s government included homosexuals.

The documentary quotes Adolf Hitler (even mentions that Hitler was the exception to the Nazi party, cause the Party always condemned homosexuality): “[The SA] is not an instition for the moral education of genteel young ladies, but a formation of seasoned fighters.

...private life cannot be an object of scrutiny unless it conflicts with basic principles of National Socialist ideology.”

Gad Beck explains the shift in the carefree gay bars. Everyone was suspecting to be caught and arrested. Within a month all gay bars were closed.

When the Reichstag burned down, (hitler blaming the communists and vice versa), rumors were being spread that it was Ernst Rohm’s secret lover.

With that opportunity Hitler got more power from the government and built the first concentration camp in Dakau.

Within a month all the Jewish economy was shut down, and shortly after Dr. Herschfeld’s research about sexuality was destroyed. Herschfeld himself escaped, but died in exile. His work and books was burned by the Nazi’s in massive bonfires throughout Germany together with books from the Jewish intellectuals and Leftists.

In 1933 the Nazi Party became the only legal Party.

Gad Beck explains that his family thought of escaping to Shanghai, but it would’ve cost a 1000 dollars each.

Later when Hitler found that Rohm had gained too much power, he got Rohm’s executed together with another 300 suspected enemies of the Reich. This first massacre by the Nazi’s was called the Night of the long knives.

After that, Hitler blamed Rohm’s homosexuality to be the threat, denouncing homosexuals. But when the papers started calling the Nazi Party to be homosexual, the Nazi’s then ordered in persecution for all homosexuals. Gestapo offices would creat a special department for this persecution.

Heinrich Himmler (Reichsfuhrer SS): “...roughly 7-8% of men in Germany are homosexual. If that is how things remain, our nation will fall to pieces because of that plague.”

“Those who practice homosexuality deprive Germany of the children they owe her.”

Lesbians were spared. Women were seen of vessels of reproduction. They considered them to be ‘curable’. When Annette Eick got arrested with her family while singing Hebrew songs in the country, the wife of a German policeman left the door open for them to escape. Her family’s farm was burned down, but she still found her passport in the middle of the destroyed farm. As soon as she rode her bike the postman stopped her and gave her the letter with the English papers to get out of Germany.

The documentary makes clear that even though lesbians were spared, their social world was destroyed. Some lesbians went into exile and some married homosexual men.

Heinz F. explains that the police stood at his door one day showing him he was suspected to be homosexual, immediately sending him to the Dachau him without trial where he stayed for 18 months.

Pierre Seel blames the people (not the Nazi’s) for seeking them out, mentioning the lists of homosexuals that the Gestapo had. They knew how they lived, where they went and what they did.

In May 1941, Pierre was arrested with 12 others and sent to a camp in Schirmeck (near the French-German border) explaining that drunks would also go there. As well as communists and people of the resistance.

Gossip about homosexuality was evidence enough. A simple touch would arise suspiscion.

Heinz F. was arrested when he was being followed by someone and got caught in the bushes with a man. He got taken to prison for trial and said he didn’t understand it.

He then explains that all the homosexuals that were there with him in the prison were all sent to Mauthausen and nearly all were killed. Heinz tells us that at first it would read ‘homo’ or ‘paragraph 175’ on the backs of their clothes before it turned into the pink triangle.

green for criminals red for policital prisoners black for asocials brown gypsies purple for Jehova’s witnesses and for Jews a yellow triangle for the star of David.

by 1942 The Final Solution began to transport Jews to deathcamps in Poland. the official policy for homosexuals was cure.

the nazi’s selected them for slave labour, surgical experiments, or castration. almost two third perished in the camps.

Pierre then explains that the hierarchy in the camps would put the homosexuals at the bottom of the pyramid, the weakest. Explaining the horrors of the camps and the exact acts that were commited such as torture and being sodomized and raped. Sharing the story of his only friend in the camp being eaten by German dogs.

When Albrecht Brecker got out of prison he went into the army voluntarily to be around men. “Military was honor, dignity and justice” “...even for a homosexual”.

Gad Beck tells the story about his lover and his family being arrested and trying to save him wearing a Hitler Youth uniform. When he got Manfred out he tells him he won’t leave his family, that he is the strongest, and goes back into prison. Gad explains “here is something forever broken”.

Heinz Dörmer explains the singing forest (inhumane screams and cries coming from the forest) that gave them goosebumps and goes into detail about the following picture. (which I won’t describe) “Inexplicable, beyond human comprehension. And many remain untold”



Klaus Müller visits a place that used to be a camp. Visiting a woman who saw what happened when she was a kid.

Albrecht Brecker says people knew that homosexuals, as well as Jews, were known to be sent to concentration camps. He says people became indifferent very quickly.

Pierre Seel shares that he is ashamed for humanity. Mentioning his ass is still bleeding from the tortures.

Heinz F. has been in the camps for 8 and a half years. He never told told his family about his time during the camps. He says he was ashamed. And they never said anything to him. “Not even one word”. He completely breaks down when he says he would’ve liked to tell his father about his experience.

East Germany’s version of Paragraph 175 remained in effect until 1968.

West Germany retained the Nazi law until 1969.

After the war, all those persecuted by the Nazis under Paragraph 175 were classified as criminals. At century’s end, not one has received legal recognition as a victim of the Nazi regime.

Heinz Dörmer was repeatedly re-arrested in the 50s and 60s.

Annette Eick settled in England with a lover and wrote poetry. She and one brother were the only ones of her family who survived.

Albrecht Becker avoided sexual relations during the war. He became a motion picture art director in Hamburg and made a home with his companion of many years.

Gad Beck left Germany after the war to help establish the new state of Israel. In 1979 he moved back to Berlin to live in the Jewish community.

Pierre Seel kept silence about his camp experience, got married and raised a family. In the 80s he began to speak about his internment and his marriage ended. He continues to argue for official acknowledgement of his case.

Heinz F. was released from Buchenwald and immediately forced to join the German Army. Eight days later, the war ended.

Klaus Müller’s research on the fate of homosexuals during the Nazi era has become part of the permanent exhibit of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.

Two other homosexual survivors are known to be living, one in Poland and one in Germany. They declined to tell their stories for this film