Monument to homosexual victims of Nazis unveiled

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany unveiled a monument to the tens of thousands of homosexuals persecuted under the Nazis, whose laws were used to prosecute gay men for a generation after World War Two.

Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit, who is openly gay, hailed the grey, concrete memorial as a long overdue acknowledgement of the repression of homosexuals, 50,000 of whom were convicted by Nazi courts during Adolf Hitler's 12-year dictatorship.

"The monument consecrated today is a reminder to us of the horrors of the past and draws our attention to the degree of discrimination that currently exists," Wowereit said.

"Great efforts will still need to be undertaken before the sight of two men or women kissing here or in Moscow or elsewhere on the planet is accepted by society in general."

The 600,000 euro ($950,000) cube in Berlin's central Tiergarten park stands opposite the monument to the 6 million European Jews murdered by the Nazis, and was designed by the Danish-Norwegian pairing of Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL2773392820080527?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&rpc=22&sp=true

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http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1191861,00.jpg
After years of controversy, a monument to homosexual victims of the Holocaust is finally opening in Berlin. Germany's federal commissioner for culture, Bernd Neumann, is to formally open the monument Tuesday together with Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit.

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1191887,00.jpg
A video screen set into the monument shows a one-and-a-half minute film loop of two men kissing, directed by the Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, best known for his 1998 drama "The Celebration." Visitors can watch the film, which was shot on the same location as the monument, through a small window in the pillar.

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1153850,00.jpg
The new monument is located opposite the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which consists of 2,711 concrete stelae, and refers to the larger monument in terms of its visual language.

[rockymountaindem]

1. Good n/t

[mikelgb]

2. k&r with PHOTOS from article:

http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20080527&t=2&i=4546839&w=&r=2008-05-27T193310Z_01_L27733928_RTRUKOP_0_PICTURE2
http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20080527&t=2&i=4546836&w=&r=2008-05-27T193310Z_01_L27733928_RTRUKOP_0_PICTURE1

[pinto]

3. Kick.

:grouphug:

[TheWraith]

4. They paid almost a million dollars for that monument?

I'd have recommended a simple marble tablet with inscription. Much more to the point, and classier, with less of a "modern art" obsession on style over substance.

[Finn Polke]

15. Cost of monument seems too high

Hell, I could have made that thing for $1,500 (USD). I'm happy that the memorial was finally installed, and I think it looks cool, but why so much money? Somebody got a nice pay check, I think.

[Lithos]

5. About time

So much evil was perpetrated during the Nazi regime. The human loss continues to stagger the imagination.

L-

[trickyguy]

6. Not too crazy about the style, but the intent is clear.

This is a tribute to the lives of the many, many gay men who were killed and tortured in Nazi camps in WWII.

That's the first reason it makes me sad to see it.

But the second reason is that this kind of memorial would never be erected in the United States because of the

continuing condemnation of gays and lesbians. We who live here are still on the battlefront and still living

in ghettos of our own and society's making.

The U.S. has a long way to go before it will truly acknowledge the pain and suffering in the gay community. Period.

:rant:

[Bluenorthwest]

7. What a brilliant design

Here is a monument that many will refuse to view, and thus play a part in the monument as well, the part of the Nazis! It is genius and we should take a poll on DU as to how many of our so called 'new Democrats' and christianists would object to so much as looking into that window.
This is a monument against ignorance in all of its forms, be it murderous or simply 'religiously unkind', it is all one.

[Indenturedebtor]

8. Bout damn time

How about one for the Gypsies, and the Catholics. Hate knows no people but "different".

[pingzing58]

9. God bless the Germans who know what intolerance is all about. Wish Benedict XVI would listen.

May God inspire him to the truth of human life and God's love.

[saigon68]

11. He's too busy hypnotizing the sheep to

Look the other way and elect scum to take away freedom

[pingzing58]

13. I agree Saigon68. I know it's past memorial day, but I remember the fallen heroes.

[trickyguy]

10. There are other memorials to Nazi gay victims. One is in the Netherlands.

Other locations I'm not sure about. Sorry I didn't research this before.

But it is good to see Berlin, Germany acknowledge that these crimes did exist against a large group of gay men from all over.

And they need to be commemorated.

Also meaningful is that Berlin's mayor is openly gay Klaus Wowereit. He made some important statements about this memorial.

It's another step in the right direction for gays everywhere.:pals:

[Baby Snooks]

12. And here in the United States...

The Holocaust Memorial Council treads softly, and silently, on the subject despite ongoing exhibitions dealing with the persecution and extermination of homosexuals. The reason why? The chairman of the council is another friend of the Bushes. And doesn't want to upset the fundamentalists or the homophobes who've supported the Bushes.

Some of whom of course would love to send the homosexuals, and the Jews, back to the ovens at Auschwitz.

When Minnesota state representative Aron Linder made outrageous comments about gay holocaust victims in 2003, at one point suggesting that there were no victims and that they in fact were victimizers in the camps rather than victims, at one point as I recall suggesting that the prison guards were all homosexuals like Hitler, the Holocaust Memorial Council was silent. Quite a few people protested the silence. And were met with silence. Some even protested to the local museums around the country. And were also met with silence. Some survivors spoke out and condemned the commments by Aron Linder. But not the council. And not the museums.

The Holocaust Memorial Council needs a new chairman. One who doesn't feel the need to be "politically correct" with regard to all the victims of the Holocaust.

[Shaktimaan]

17. Really?

That's extremely disappointing. I would have expected better, they have an obligation to defend the truth.

[oberliner]

19. The US Holocaust Museum memorializes the Nazi persuction of homosexuals extensively

Have a look at the website:

http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/hsx/

[Divine Discontent]

14. alright!

Hitler killed, Christians, the disabled, gay people, and of course millions of Jewish people - and to see the Germans honor the dead like this is awesome!

Praise the Lord. When we all accept one another - we learn to care about one another!

[Behind the Aegis]

16. Wonderful!

[Pyewacket]

18. Monument

I'm not sure I like design but pleased there is a monument.

[entanglement]

20. The German ruling class is still too prejudiced to make one for the Gypsy / Romany victims, though

However, I suppose this is an improvement of sorts.

[Xenotime]

21. Beautiful.

There shoudl be something like this in the states.

[Neshanic]

22. It is a haunting and brilliant work.

[Carnea]

23. I love the Idea! It's about time...

But that is one ugly ass monument... and for $950,000?????.

It's a shame they couldn't put up a nice piece of work to remember those we lost.

[Zhade]

24. Heartening news.

NT!