Elie Wiesel: Homosexual Victims In The Holocaust

Homosexual Victims in the Holocaust

Elie Wiesel is a Holocaust survivor and author of fifty seven books including some based on his experience as a prisoner in concentration camps. He was awarded in a Nobel Peace Prize and in his acceptance speech he said “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.” The Jews were not the only victims of the Nazi Regime. Hitler's policies targeted groups of people such as the Gypsies , the disabled, and other groups that did not fit into his idea of a perfect race. During the Holocaust, male homosexuals were targeted at a much higher rate than female homosexuals.

Male homosexuality was illegal under Paragraph 175 of the Criminal Code; however the Nazis wanted to rid society of homosexuality. Prior to 1933 this code was largely ignored throughout Germany, because the act of homosexuality was difficult to prove. On June 28th, 1933, a guy violated the code. When the Nazi party came into power, they decided to keep and update the code. According to the updated code, homosexual men could be punished in prison for up to ten years. A man could be arrested for lewd behavior towards another male or animals. This was punishable by imprisonment and loss of all civil rights.

The majority of homosexuals were male. Paragraph 175 did not include punishment for female homosexuals. Many Nazi officials saw female homosexuality as common and were not offended by it. Male homosexuals were seen as weak and unable to produce strong children worthy of the German birthrate. Most female homosexuals were not subjected to systematic prosecution because the Nazis did not see them as a threat. Few women homosexuals were believed to have been arrested. Some were labeled prostitutes and asocials resulting in deportation to concentration camps and extermination by