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... there were many up and downs for gay rights. Depending on who was in power within the newly-founded republic’s parliament, the laws that were established were either in favor or for gay rights. Particularly conservative and right-wing extremist parties endorsed code §175. Within the liberal and left-wing parties arose proposals to reform of the code §175; however, implementation of the aforementioned proposals never came to be; many efforts being futile.

The public opinion during the course of the 1920s had increasingly anti-homosexual tendencies. The following decade in the beginning of the 1930s, a wave of liberal attitudes in terms of penal law began to develop, which was abruptly brought to a stop by the Nazi’s rise to power.

07.06.1919

Establishment and admission of the "Institute for sexual science (1919-1933)"; later renamed" DR.- Magnus-Hirschfeld -Stiftung" and recognized as a non-profit organization.

11.20.1919

The film “Anders als die Andern" is a film first by dealing with the issue of homosexuality. Upon the implementation of the Cinema Act in 1920, this film along with many others is banned. The film will be with the introduction of the Lichtspielgesetzes on 6.6.1920 prohibited.

10.04.1920

Magnus Hirschfeld is attacked in Munich after one of his lectures; his unlawful arrest is dismissed, instead, Hirschfeld himself becomes a target.

10.26.1921

Gustav Radbruch (SPD), Signer of a petition to ban code §175 takes office as the minister of justice; his approach to keep "simple homosexuality" from being a punishable act is denied by the government.

15.01.1925

Election of a conservative party (Chancellor: Dr. Hans Luther). This marks the strict enforcement of code §175

04.15.1925

Execution a gay mass murderer; this sways the public opinion into believing that homosexuals are criminals

06.22.1927

Code §175 is loosened up again.

4.09.20.1927

A gay couple is forced to end their relationship and are no longer allowed to live together; offenses being punishable by law

10.16.1929

Under the “Strafrechts-Ausschuss” a new code, code §297 StGB, is passed. 

Page translated into English by Latané

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