Berlin's Overlooked Hub for Transgender Advocacy: The Institute for Sexual Science
In the heart of Berlin, a historic villa once stood on the banks of the Spree, near the House of World Cultures. The villa was home to Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, a gay Jewish doctor who pushed the boundaries of gender and sexuality. Known for facilitating the world's first gender-affirming surgeries, Hirschfeld's Institute for Sexual Science attracted communist leaders and attracted controversy.
In 1912, a 19-year-old was arrested in Weißensee for wearing women's clothing. The suspect, Gerda von Zobeltitz, was in possession of a transvestite pass, a permit allowing her to dress as a woman. This incident made headlines, prompting several Berlin newspapers to report on the "boy in women's clothing."
Hirschfeld's career was built on advocating for those who did not fit into rigid gender and sexual norms in Imperial Germany. His Scientific Humanitarian Committee, the world's first gay-rights organization, campaigned to abolish Germany's law against male homosexuality.
In 1919, with the loosening of restrictions under the new Weimar Republic, Hirschfeld purchased a villa in Tiergarten. The villa, previously owned by violinist Joseph Joachim, was transformed into the Institute for Sexual Science. The building hosted consultation rooms, an extensive archive, and an apartment for Hirschfeld and his partner.
When the Nazis took power in 1933, Hirschfeld was their prototype enemy. The Institute was trashed by Nazi stormtroopers, and several of Hirschfeld's books were burned in state-sponsored pyres. Hirschfeld never returned to Germany, dying in exile in 1935.
The villa also served as a hub for Communist activity. Communist propaganda chief Willi Münzenberg lived in the Institute alongside his partner, Babette Gross. The villa's many corridors were filled with sexual symbols and served as a meeting place for communist officials.
In the decades after the Institute's destruction, Hirschfeld faded from the German public consciousness. A brown metal plaque marks the approximate spot where the villa once stood near the Spree river. The Magnus Hirschfeld Society, established in 1983, continues to champion Hirschfeld's legacy by promoting understanding and acceptance of sexual minorities.
The Institute for Sexual Science played a crucial role in challenging societal norms around gender and sexuality. While it was not directly involved in communist activity, its progressive views on sexuality and gender resonated with left-wing movements of the time. Remembering this legacy is essential in combating homo- and transphobia today. The Institute and its residents remain a symbol of the intertwined struggles for queer rights and communist ideals.
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