Homosexual Emancipation Movement in Germany

by Steakley

Pages have light foxing. The cover is a dull orange, not as bright as the scanner makes it out to be.

121 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1976

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steakley's examination of the movement for emancipation of homosexuals in Germany from 1862 through World War II is an important, if at times limited, text. It is well researched in many ways, but the focus on certain individuals, while important, often leaves one looking for context about others responding to those individuals. Still, in consideration of the various challenges the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face, this history of an early, non-American series of movements and organizations should be read and considered, especially when much of the history of such movements are not present in the general histories of higher education.

So, while dated and missing some cultural and historical context, Steakley's work still stands out as an important contribution to an understudied, under researched German movement that ended with Hitler's rise to power and his targeting of populations including the homosexual population. An excellent read for anyone who wonders what the late 19th and early 20th century looked like for those who identified as "homosexual."

There is much more history to unearth here - historically marginalized populations often find their history underreported, so let us hope Steakley's work is still read and that current authors and scholars on the topic look to expand and engage this work to address the ongoing historical oversight of LGBTQIA+ populations.

[Andy Denson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal! I am glad I read it, but I am thankful I did not have to live it. As a gay woman, I am grateful for the right to live and love my wife openly. No amount of hate compares to the harm, fear, terror these poor souls endured at the hands of the Nazis.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Desperately needs a reprint. The text of the copy I borrowed looked like it was typewritten, and when browsing Amazon and Ebay I couldn't find any copies that sold for less than a few hundred dollars. That said, the book is a clear and well-written summary of an important and fascinating area of LGBT history. However, Steakley focuses heavily on activists and organizations, and I think the book could have been improved by more coverage of how ordinary queer people in Germany lived during the time period it covers. Steakley also claims that Paragraph 175 was "immediately stricken from the books" in East Germany when in fact homosexuality was only fully decriminalized there in 1968.

[Bryan Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and direct. Steakley's research is a valuable springboard.