LGBTI, Bisexual and transgender flags at the Gay pride parade ()
While the U.S. has been celebrating Pride this month, many German Pride celebrations occur from April through the end of September, often referred to as “Christopher Street Day.” (CSD)
You may be wondering who Christopher Street is and why he warrants an entire day. However, Street isn’t a “he,” it’s an actual street. Christopher Street is where the famous Stonewall Riots/Stonewall Uprising occurred in 1969 in New York City, led by transwoman Marsha P. Johnson and other lesbian and trans leaders in the LGBT community during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. This is widely considered the beginning of the modern movement for LGBTQIA+ rights, and Germans honor it in their name for Pride events: Christopher Street Day, or CSD.
The LGBTQIA+ community has a rich and varied history in Germany, but we are only going back a couple hundred years. Berlin has been considered one of the most “gay-friendly” cities in the world for many years. In the late 19th century, a “gay metropolitan” developed in Berlin as many pubs, bars, cafes and more welcomed the gay community during a time when homosexuals were not welcome in many places.
In 1897, scientist Magnus Hirschfeld founded the world’s first homosexual rights organization in Berlin and spent his career attempting to use his scientific expertise to help Germany understand the science of gender and sexuality. He also founded the Institute for Sexual Science (ISS) in 1919 performing some of the most progressive work in the field of gender and sexuality medical sciences studies of the 20th century. That same year, a weekly newspaper was published for the homosexual community, “Friendly,” and remained in circulation until 1933.
Unfortunately, this would not last long into the 20th century. The Nazi Party forced homosexuals to wear an inverted pink triangle and threw them into concentration camps where they were often considered among the lowest hierarchies of prisoners. The gay community would later claim the pink triangle as a symbol as a way to reclaim power. A group of Nazi Youth looted the ISS and burned books and information containing decades of vital research on gender and sexuality.
In the years after the Second World War, LGBT activism began anew in Germany. In 1968, East Germany decriminalized homosexuality (somewhat) and allowed some of the major cities to have a few LGBT bars and cafes (West Germany followed suit in 1969). The first CSD took place in West Berlin in 1979. And, throughout the 21st century, LGBTQIA+ partners received marriage and child adoption rights. Today, you can attend one of the many CSD/Pride events occurring throughout the country during spring and summer. A comprehensive list of events can be found here.
For those in the KMC area interested in getting involved with Pride-related activities and gatherings year-round, you can join KMC Pride, a non-DoD-affiliated private organization.
References
“Rainbow History Class: Your Guide Through Queer and Trans History” by Hannah McElhinney
“Timeline of German LGBT History,” prepared by Jim Steakley, Department of German, UW-Madison for GSAFE if not directly linked.
