The gay victims memorial reminds us that tens of thousands of LGBT+ individuals were convicted and sent to concentration camps in Nazi Germany
The gay victims memorial was inaugurated in 2008 and its official name is Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism. It is located on the outskirts of Tiergarten, not far from the Brandenburg Gate, and is visible from Ebertstraße.
In Nazi Germany, homosexuality was regarded as a Jewish conspiracy, and the infamous Paragraph 175, which prohibited men from having sex with one another, was tightened in 1935. However, the gay victims memorial commemorates all LGBT+ individuals who were persecuted in Nazi Germany.
Photo by Chrissie Sternschnuppe@flickr. CC BY-SA.
The Persecution of Homosexuals in Nazi Germany
Between 50,000 and 100,000 homosexuals were convicted under Paragraph 175 in Nazi Germany. Some were castrated, while between 5,000 and 15,000 were sent to concentration camps, where just over half perished.
Gay men were convicted under Paragraph 175 and wore an inverted pink triangle on their prison uniforms in the concentration camps. Lesbians were convicted as “asocials” and were given an inverted black triangle on their prison uniforms.
Read about the Memorial to the First Gay Rights Organization
Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism
The concrete cube in Tiergarten isn’t your typical memorial. Its non-straight shape symbolizes that it’s dedicated to the gay community. There’s also a hole in it where you can watch a video of gay people kissing.
Photo by Chrissie Sternschnuppe@flickr. CC BY-SA.
The memorial was designed by artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset and measures 3.60 meters in height and 1.90 meters in width. The memorial was unveiled at a ceremony on May 27, 2008.
To mark Christopher Street Day in Berlin, a memorial speech will be given at the memorial, and guests will lay flowers in front of it.
Read about Christopher Street Day here
Location:
Ebertstraße10117 Berlin
Family friendly: Yes
Price: Free
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