Pride Month: The Nazi Persecution of Gay People

Before the Nazis came to power, Berlin was home to a vibrant gay community. Within weeks of their rise in March 1933, the Nazis drove this population underground and waged a violent campaign against homosexuality. Over the next 12 years, more than 100,000 men were arrested for violating Germany's law against "unnatural indecency among men.” During this time, proof was often not required to convict an individual. Some were sent to concentration camps and subjected to hard labor, cruelty, and even medical experiments aimed at “curing” them.
Join Museum experts for a Pride Month Facebook Live as they give voice to a community silenced during the Holocaust.
Speaker
Dr. Jake Newsome, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Moderator
Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

[@hanascribbles5161]

Thank you so much for bringing attention to this topic! The persecution of lgbtq+ people during the Holocaust has been largely ignored for so long, which makes finding information about it very hard to find, so it means a lot that you discussed it in great detail.

[@daviddwiz7150]

Because it isn’t there

[@schoe2164]

@@daviddwiz7150 It actually is

[@PrinceGaming-bl3ix]

because no one cares about the 5000 noobs

[@ManDrinkingMilk]

They didn’t persecute the LGBTQ they only persecuted Homosexual people. 2 different things.

[@user-sp8eb6iz7f]

Catholic Hitler did it because it's an abomination against the Lord Thy God, and verily he shall be put to death. On the news German tanks fighting Russian tanks, where have I heard that before? Pope is in Poland waiting on that 40 billion dollar check.

[@oscarf5433]

In Concentration Camps gay prisoners had to wear a pink triangle on the arm of their shirts and jackets to mark them as gay and in order for them to be told from other prisoners like the Communists, Red Triangles or the Criminals Black triangles.

[@frankpeter6851]

When I was in my early 20s and working through the homophobia I had experienced in my life, I watched a lot of documentaries. One of them was called the 'pink triangle' (I believe), this was the early 1980's And I have searched for it everywhere and it seems to have disappeared. In it there was archival footage of American soldiers freeing the captives from a concentration camp, but they were actually RETURNING the gay men back into the prison section!

[@Av2007.]

@Help Viewer same😩😩

[@gerbilkicker]

Is it the pink triangles? It's on KZbin

[@dr.pavlovic8902]

Good

[@cnjor2331]

Respect to them

[@littleantukins4415]

@@cnjor2331 no

[@migdon470]

why aren't there more movies about what Gay men had to go thru during the Nazi era.

[@migdon470]

@@Vettel2011 That should be good. A movie on how straight men has issues with their manhood, insecurities, relationships and acceptance. Also, how lack of work can contribute to a Man's anger and low self esteem, esp when it comes to providing for his family. How this capitalist country as stolen tons of jobs from MEN who now can't afford to support themselves and their families and so much more.

[@Vettel2011]

@@migdon470 neocapitalism, not capitalism itself

[@d.h.4778]

Because if there was, too many people would understand what’s going on in todays world with lgbtq. As you can see, the u.s. propaganda machine works real well. Same reason politicians are attacking books, websites are attacking freedom of speech (Elon, YT, the list goes on), and lgbtq is being attacked for being gruumers, and CSA even tho they’re not.

[@Hagfan789]

Because nobody gives a crap. Nazi had an efficient system. If you're a gay mutant.... they shot you. The end. Real short movie.

[@Vettel2011]

@@Hagfan789 Hitler was trans and Jewish

[@shiffault]

Thank you for making this❤️❤️❤️❤️There is so little awareness about how gays were persecuted during the Nazi era 💔💔💔

[@xelakram]

I have watched this video for the second time. It is truly excellent. Thank you so much for such an interesting discussion. It is greatly appreciated.

[@Vettel2011]

Hitler was gay

[@xelakram]

@@Vettel2011 I have read that he might have been. But do we know for sure that he was?

[@darknightofthesoul7628]

Thank you, Edna and Jake, for your tremendous contribution to bringing this vital information to me, as a Jew and as gay man.

[@bejaminmaston1347]

Hey so I'm german.....wanna go to a...summer....camp

[@Memer-gc9cq]

Damn boy you really want to become a soap huh?

[@ELIAB424]

@Tactical Kitten Judaism is a identity like Hindu you can still be a atheist, Muslim and still be a Hindu it’s something that you inherent It’s a cultural thing just like Vikings are referred to Norwegians, Danes Even thought majority of Scandinavia are atheist, secularist

[@Baruch-q4n]

​@bejaminmaston1347 really summer camp ?

[@saffiyehbrandhijaffer-mcne2800]

This reminds me of present day. saudi Arabia to an extent, as far as neighbors and sometimes turning Gays in.

[@jaybee9269]

I had thought of that too.

[@parsifaln1gg34]

good

[@iansides63]

@@parsifaln1gg34 What's 'good'? Do you mean it's good that some people turn in their gay neighbours? I can't understand why that's good, or why you seem to think so. But then I don't know you.

[@minajqueen2139]

@@parsifaln1gg34 ur just a troll and have no idea of the real world

[@donsarde]

Yet, the Arabes are well known for their bisexuality. So, I really do not understand the total hypocrisy of that nation???

[@paulmtilley]

Thank you so much for making this available, I watched this as I was working from home and have learned so much about my own communities history.

[@jenniferfields1084]

Them Nazis are very very Evil breaking up family .

[@tiktokworld210]

THANK YOU FOR SUCH GREAT INFORMATION

[@IanBrumpton]

An excellent programme very informative - thank you both.

[@BLane-xr1ic]

Not really. Perhaps do an Internet search for Nazi Cross Dressers. The German Labour Party aren't the good guys and you are being fooled again by Stonewall.

[@marchenier5569]

I live in Canada I am gay I get bullied pretty much once a week here in Canada so people that think that Canada is so amazing thank you again for education system is horrible when you are different there is still so much work to be done and at the moment that you are different than other people people tend to hate you

[@karlolson9636]

Well you should live in usa to experience gay hate...I could write a book

[@rosesprog1722]

C'est pire ailleurs.

[@mayalord984]

I know what you go through, keep in there and remember it do gets better. Reach out to the lgbtqia community in your country even if you live in a remote part of Canada. There is support ❤ 🏳️‍🌈

[@jenniferfields1084]

Me I was a teen making fun of a boy . One day they hurt him and I cry and sceam who did this to you . Now me and him are bestfriend 💕 ❤

[@Sodoriash]

good

[@geangarcia2673]

Watched the whole thing. Bravo. You earned a subscriber!

[@luc_courleciel]

Merci pour ce travail de mémoire ! Thank you 🏳️‍🌈

[@donaldlewis567]

Thank you for this video, very informative! There is a great book I just read on this - it is historical fiction called The Iron Words by Michael Fridgen and is about a 90+ year old gay concentration camp survivor and his unlikely friendship with a college student. Really eye-opening and sad to hear what the gay community went thru there. Scary!

[@neilmurray6943]

The USHMM does a Great job of telling the whole story. Sadly, there is an effort by some to intentionally ignore the Gay holocaust victims.

[@TheEuzkatroika]

Yo soy Gay y durante una época en mi vida me dediqué en ser Escort de lujo. Tenia 21 años. Era el 2010 yo nací en 1989. Y yo estuve por Alemania , en muchas ciudades por el 2010 (Berlín, Colonia, Hamburgo y Frankfurt) pues en una de ésas quedadas. Conocí a un cliente. Un señor muy mayor pero que se conservaba muy bien. Tendría 80 y pico de años. O más. La cosa es que el me explicó que él estuvo en el closet durante ésa época. Él tenía 18 años cuándo cayó el imperio. Era un señor mayor, pero muy muy atlético y era un tipo super guapo cuándo era joven. (Alto, musculado, muy rubio) Me pagó una noche, y durante su estancia en una casa muy bonita que tenía en Munich, me mostró fotografias y también me contó aquello. Creo que fue lo mejor que me pudo haber pasado. Yo ahora tengo 33 años. Y supongo que estará muerto. Pero lo que me contó aquella helada noche bajo unas copas de vino y una hermosa y apacible sala llena de trofeos y cuadros de época; fue una de las anécdotas más impresionantes que pude haber escuchado en mi vida. Un hombre gay alemán que tuvo que disimular su sexualidad para no ser encarcelado. O mal visto. Tuvo que camuflarse disimulando amar a las mujeres. Recuerdo que me había contado que muchos amigos de amigos de él habían muerto en los campos. Y de cómo años después tuvo pesadillas y muchos intentos de matarse. Le conocí y fue un tesoro de ser humano. Su historia fue triste, pero ésa noche me había dicho que el haberme conocido habia sido para él, una experiencia inolvidable. Ya hace 12 años de éso. Quizás murió, quizás siga vivo, pero lo que es un hecho, es que aprendí de un superviviente algo que para nosotros solo está escrito o en videos. Un testimonio crudo que incluso hasta lágrimas sacamos. Muchas gracias. Que Dios les Bendiga! 17/05/22

[@MadBiker-vj5qj]

Gracias por publicar sus recuerdos.

[@ninfanforever1990]

Directing the play Bent. As a gay, non-binary jew, this was incredibly informative and moving. Thank you, Edna & Jake xx

[@moisuomi]

Don’t call yourself a Jew

[@henryfranzwarrenduttleburg7376]

@@moisuomi why?

[@yurichtube1162]

@@henryfranzwarrenduttleburg7376 because it defies the jewish religion.

[@henryfranzwarrenduttleburg7376]

@@yurichtube1162 thx good sir I was waiting for that answer. Peace through God the father.

[@miggans21012]

Great film.

[@dbulmannz]

With reference to the lady. I think some become a bit stiff when filmed, I don't think it is fair to say she is inauthentic, very harsh.

[@michealschmidt908]

During the Berlin Olympics gay bars were opened to show the world a normal country of tolerance then after we know what happened

[@donsarde]

I wonder why and how the gay community in Germany changed so much and why the transition happened so quickly from 1933 ? Are there many gays in Germany ?

[@augustible9151]

i think there's a fair amount of queer communities in germany.

[@Baruch-q4n]

Yes there is a very busy gay life I think in every german city today.

[@AndrewDrazdikJr]

The Association Civil of Mexico has a great opportunity with education of the public when immigration enforces the laws of migration and human rights. The use of law and civility when the non profit can promote civil society is also the purpose of non governmental organizations such as the Organization of American States. The people who educate as within all states can realize the same cause with civil society that also includes Mexico as a Spanish speaking nation.

[@NoahsUniverse]

Beautiful thumbnail picture

[@charlietbarnes4842]

Well iv Bern doing a lot of research on this watched shindlers list last night I was aware r group were persecuted and am so glad it's being brought to attention x

[@luzalgarin9518]

Thank you for sharing with me a fragment of history. The crimes and cruelties committed against my sons and daughters, my fathers and mothers, my brothers and sisters hurt me deeply, regardless their ethnicity and nationality. In Isaiah 2: 4, Jehovah God, the Creator and Source of life, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, promises: "He will be judge among the nations and will settle matters in relation to many peoples. They will turn their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. The nations will no longer raise their swords against each other and learn no more to wage war." My immediate neighbors are Jews and I am a Jehovah's Witness. Their hearts are superior than pure gold by far. They are extremely kind. The gentleman takes care of my trash can every Wednesday without my asking him to do so. They are lovely human beings, and they are not in need of the smallest improvement.

[@luzalgarin9518]

This will leave you speechless, voiceless, so wonderful: All the evildoers will be removed from earth regardless of political or religious beliefs. The promises stated in the previous comments are made by a king or 'governor' who not only has the power to fulfill these promises, but has the desire to fulfill them, according to Isaiah 9: 6, which reads: "For a child has been born to us, A son has been given to us; And the rulership will rest on his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." His kingdom will never be defeated or replaced, according to Daniel 2:44, which reads: "“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever." Unparalleled, right? Well, know that there are more blessings ... I will send you two more next time. Please take good care of yourself.

[@upsty6499]

They also said whenever the intellectuals in a society take charge that society falls apart

[@byronritchie5449]

So you worship stupid people?

[@helenajennings4912]

Oh i get what happened in ww2 interesting🤔

[@candismith4779]

Why does everyone start an answer with "So ..." ???

[@Hagfan789]

Because no one really gives a chit about this.

[@brianhollenbeck8633]

😇👑🌍🌎🌏💚

[@godzillathetruekingofthemo9497]

This is beatiful.. more sacrifices!

[@neillamont1320]

South Africa

[@DrewPicklesTheDark]

Berlin becoming the homosexual (among other things) capitol of Germany was part of why support for the NSDAP grew.

[@wandameadows5736]

Which is unacceptable to some people. You must comply & like it.

[@WolfinLondon2]

this is conservative rubbish, Germans were very poor and the NSDAP promised work and better times

[@DrewPicklesTheDark]

@@WolfinLondon2 Hence why I said "part". The economic aspects are discussed quite frequently and unrelated to the video so I didn't feel they needed to be pointed out.

[@jaybee9269]

Nazi Germany had lesbian bars?

[@priestbubzy4355]

No, It was probably weimar germany .

[@Ujuani68]

There was a HUGE LGBT culture in Berlin and the Weimar Republic. It was all destroyed by the Nazis. 🤦‍♂️😥😡

[@redbenada798]

@Julian Titus ??

[@catosicarius3368]

kinda just proved capitalism is dogassbackwards

[@Hagfan789]

@@catosicarius3368 Please explain.

[@milljuice]

Myer lansky..

[@davidgourdoux2293]

You had my attention until you brought up the thug criminal that died of an overdose of all the drugs he was on. Shame on you!

[@gregoryjones7712]

The Nazi's cared about the State Meaning the People, so logically speaking to the National Socialism ideology why would they not treat gays like that ?? If u want the Ultimate Ethical State, u need to Answer the Gay Question

[@chuckscott4661]

Then your feelings must Really be hurt at the fact that Chauvin such a huge sentence.

[@marlonsegura5201]

Excellent presentation by Jake. The lady does not behave authentically.

[@40oz56]

Dude just delete this lol

[@michealschmidt908]

God should be at the centre of our universe otherwise conflict happens im not jewish or gay but everyone must be respected until otherwise

[@AntiStraightMaleSociety]

Straight Men 🚫

[@krishnaguruvayoor181]

Hai mam

[@coolin007]

W

[@s_.777]

weirdo

[@anthony_depaz]

"W sigma gigachad" 🤓🤡

[@ergodana3433]

frequent blinking denotes conscious lying

[@iansides63]

It's more likely to denote UNconscious lying, but good try. And are you saying Dr. Jake Newsome is lying?

[@40oz56]

Dude uses google and straight up Denys the Holocaust in a KZbin comment section

[@d.h.4778]

@@40oz56 this comment section is sooo ridiculous. Like, tf is wrong with people? Denying history, spreading gay and trans phobia, repeating history. Dystopian.

[@Glory_inthe_3rd77]

Yeah I'm definitely one that knows what it's like to be discriminated against for being white so I'm glad that you brought that up in a video that supposed to be about Nazis persecuting gay people thank you for this rhetoric I'm leaving at 1:48