I intended to skip most World War II memorials and historic sites when my son and I were in Berlin. Then, I went out to dinner with my sister-in-law and other family members. She is a native German, and she encouraged me, telling me that I could not understand Berlin if I did not understand its history and its role on the world stage. I am now appreciative that I listened to her, I visited several places the following day including Checkpoint Charlie and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. One experience that stood out for me was my visit to the Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism. That’s it in the photo.
During Nazi Germany, homosexuality was severely persecuted. In 1935, the Nazis criminalized all male homosexual activity. Over 50,000 men were convicted; many were imprisoned, forcibly castrated or sent to concentration camps, where they died from starvation, disease, abuse, or targeted killings. The Nazis sought to destroy LGBTQ+ communities, considering male homosexuality a threat. Female homosexuality was not criminalized (except in annexed Austria), but lesbians who defied the regime faced repression. Many lived in fear, forced to hide their identities. After World War II, homosexual victims were excluded from public remembrance, and persecution continued in both East and West Germany. The criminal code remained in effect in West Germany until 1969.
From the plaque adjacent to the installation,
Because of its history, Germany has a special responsibility to actively oppose the violation of gay men’s and lesbians’ human rights. In many parts of the world, people continue to be persecuted for their sexuality, homosexual love remains illegal, and a kiss can be dangerous.
With this memorial, the Federal Republic of Germany intends to honor the victims of persecution and murder, keep alive the memory of this injustice, and create a lasting symbol of opposition to enmity, intolerance, and the exclusion of gay men and lesbians.
“Hope will never be silent. Burst down those closet doors once and for all, and stand up and start to fight. I know you can’t live on hope alone; but without hope, life is not worth living.”
– Harvey Milk
