Berlin Pays Tribute to Gay-Rights Activist Persecuted by Nazis

A stretch of the Spree River in central Berlin was named after gay-rights activist and sexual researcher Magnus Hirschfeld in a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, May 6.

On the same day 75 years ago, the Nazis plundered his offices and later burned hundreds of his books.

Hirschfeld had founded the world's first institute dedicated to fighting discrimination against homosexuals. He went into exile in France and died there in 1935.

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Memorial to gay Holocaust victims to be unveiled this month

This is an update to: backstory

By Adam Lake

Pinks News

A memorial to the persecuted homosexual victims of Nazism will be officially unveiled in Berlin on May 27th.

It takes the form of a gray concrete slab, with a window to allow visitors to view a video. It cost 600,000 euros (£450,000).

There will be two alternated videos which show either two men kissing or two women kissing.

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German Memorial for gay holocaust victims

UPDATE: Click here to view an update to this story.

BERLIN (AP) — A new Berlin memorial to the Nazis' murdered gay victims — including a video presentation showing same-sex couples kissing — should be ready within months, officials said Thursday.

"The $890,000 memorial to gay victims will be located in Berlin's Tiergarten Park, across from the memorial to the murdered jews of Europe", said Culture Minister Bernd Neumann.

Homosexuality was banned and illegal under the Nazis. Tens of thousands of people — primarily men — were arrested and many were sent to concentration camps.

With emancipation all holocaust victims were set free, except for homosexuals who were placed in prisons. After all homosexuality was still illegal!