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Marked & Massacred: The Rise of Gay Culture & Symbolism
by Rhonda J Mangus | May 4, 2008 at 12:06 am | 678 views | 15 comments
Pre-Nazi Germany of the 1920's saw the modern world's first gay rights movement and the mergence of a visible lesbian and gay culture.
Unbeknown to many are the thousands of homosexual males marked and massacred under the Hitler regime.
The modern world's first gay rights movement emerged in the early 1920's; an era known as pre-Nazi Germany. Weeks after Hitler's party came to power in January 1933, a law was passed forbidding all pro-gay organizations. In May of that same year, Gay rights activist Magnus Hirschfeld's Institute of Sexual Science was destroyed by Hitler youth. The Institute housed over 12,00 books and 35,000 pictures.
Concentration Camps not only warehoused Jewish men, women, and children for eventual massacre, but homosexual men convicted under a German Law known as Paragraph 175, which made illegal homosexual relations between men (not women).
Known as the 175'ers, these men were marked with the Pink Triangle, one of the most widely recognized symbols of the Gay community today, and one that originated in Nazi camps to identify homosexual men who were then experimented upon and massacred by the thousands under Hitler's regime. (A documentary film, Paragraph 175, released in 2000, reveals a gap in the historical record and shows the lasting consequences of the Hitler regime upon the remaining few homosexual men and women who share their personal stories.)
Other triangles originating in Nazi camps are the Black Triangle (forced to be worn by lesbians, prostitutes, and women who refused to bear children), and the Yellow Triangle beneath the Pink Triangle (forced to be worn by Jewish Gay men), Interestingly, from this combination, the six-pointed Star of David emerged.
Many more symbols specific to the Gay community emerged after World War II, including the Rainbow Flag (1978), the Greek letter, Lambda (1970), the Labrys (double-bladed ax), the Transgender, Bi-sexual and Gender symbols, and the Freedom Rings. Lesser known symbols are the Leather Pride, Bear Pride, and Bi-Sexual Flags. And last, but not least, the Red Ribbon emerged as a symbol of "our concerns for our brothers and sisters afflicted with AIDS and HIV related diseases."
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May 4, 2008 at 12:06 am by Rhonda J Mangus, 678 views, 15 comments
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Crowd Power
Rhonda J Mangus
North Tonawanda, New York, United States
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Comments (15)
at 00:18 on May 4th, 2008
Rhonda J Mangus, I like this story. It's good stuff.
How interesting - I never knew the history of these symbols.
It's terrible what happened to them during the Hitler regime - just terrible.
at 00:35 on May 4th, 2008
Thank you Amy! It is terrible and I didn't know the history either. However, in raising Michael, I have come to understand that this is a very real culture (as with any culture), and one with a very real and tragic history that needs to be learned.
at 03:03 on May 4th, 2008
Rhonda J Mangus, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 03:08 on May 4th, 2008
Thanks Greg!
at 06:53 on May 4th, 2008
Yes! Very true. Part of gay men's history that some would like to forget. It was covered in Martin Sherman's play BENT, beautifully played by Ian MacKellan. Thanks for reminding us.
Gerrypops
at 08:15 on May 4th, 2008
Rhonda J Mangus, I like this story. It's good stuff. Extremely moving piece. The history of these things has made it impossible to not see how we are still influenced today after all these years.
at 09:22 on May 4th, 2008
gerrypopplestone, thanks so much for stopping by. Unfortunately true that many would like to forget and those who do know must realize that this group of people are also entitled to compensation like any other survivor of the Holocaust. Thanks too for letting me know about "BENT". I did a quick research and found an overview of the play here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bent_(play), we are definitely going to watch the film version. Thanks again!
at 09:32 on May 4th, 2008
JD Rucker - thank you for your thoughts and for the flag. I agree, and unfortunately, few are willing to "see how we are still influenced today...". Thanks again!
at 09:57 on May 4th, 2008
Actually, the Star of David dates back to the middle ages (possibly earlier), and was just one of the symbols co-opted by the Nazis, who also sullied the swastika and Charlie Chaplin's 'tache. Most likely, the yellow star was solid (instead of two discreet triangles) was that such a patch would be easier to make- same reason that the tattoos applied to concentration-camp inmates were squared: less need for quality control if the difficult elements were taken out. (You'd think a "master race" would be better at crafts)
at 10:18 on May 4th, 2008
Jordan - you are so right! Thank you. I apologize for my use of the word emerged without further explanation of the history of the "Star of David", which can be found here http://www.cephas-library.com/israel_origin_of_six_pointed_star.html. I'm not as certain however about the yellow star as independent from the pink and will research it further. Thanks so much for your thoughts and the flag!
at 11:20 on May 4th, 2008
Jordan, the 'Badge Coding System' can be viewed here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_concentration_camp_badges. It does show that the pink inverted triangle was superimposed upon a yellow one and was used to identify a Jewish homosexual. The yellow star was also superimposed upon yellow, but used to identify non-homosexual Jews and, as you know, is in use today.
at 11:48 on May 4th, 2008
It's grimly fascinating how organized the Nazis were, leveraging of the media and graphic design; and how far ahead they planned vs what they made public at any given time. Meanwhile, people outside Europe either didn't believe what was happening, or didn't care. "Oh, it can't happen here/now" is one of the most dangerous beliefs a citizen (of any country) can have. Because it can, and it does.
I reserve a very special spot in my heart for the loathing of Nazis.
Again, this is a great posting.
at 11:58 on May 4th, 2008
Thank you so much Jordan. Nazis were certainly organized. And, I agree that one of the "most dangerous beliefs a citizen...can have." is that "..., it can't happen here/now"..." because I too know that "...it can, and it does." Thanks again!
at 12:26 on May 4th, 2008
A very informative history lesson, Rhonda. Great research.
at 12:42 on May 4th, 2008
Karen, deeply appreciated. Thank you! I just learned too that the Elmer L Anderson Library, located in Minneapolis, MN is exhibiting the 75th Anniversary of the Burning of the Hirschfeld Library (March 24-May 16). If anyone is in the Minneapolis area and wants to drop by, the Exhibit is free and open to the public. More information can be obtained here http://special.lib.umn.edu/events.phtml. Thanks again, Karen!