Justice through science. That was Magnus Hirschfeld’s motto. It fueled his fight for sexual reform. Right here stands the Hirschfeld-Säule Stele. It commemorates his legacy.
Magnus Hirschfeld was a doctor. He was also a sex researcher. Today, he is seen as a pioneer. He championed sexual minority emancipation. Born in 1868, Hirschfeld studied medicine. He traveled before settling in Charlottenburg. This area is now part of Berlin.
The trial of Oscar Wilde deeply affected him. So did the suicide of a homosexual patient. Hirschfeld decided to fight discrimination. He wanted to change discriminatory laws. In 1896, he published his first essay on homosexuality. It was titled Sappho and Socrates. He introduced the idea of intermediate stages. He believed people combined both sexes to varying degrees.
Hirschfeld campaigned for sexual reform. He wanted to decriminalize homosexual acts. Paragraph 175 of the German Criminal Code prohibited these acts. In 1897, he founded the Scientific Humanitarian Committee. The committee aimed to remove Paragraph 175. Around 200 people signed a petition. It called for the paragraph’s elimination. From 1899 to 1923, he published the Yearbook for Intermediate Sexual Types. It covered various topics related to homosexuality.
In 1919, Hirschfeld founded the Institute for Sexual Science. It was the first institution of its kind. It offered courses and lectures. It also provided counselling and therapy. That same year, he co-wrote and appeared in a silent film. The film was titled Different from the Others. It was the first film to address homosexuality.
The rise of National Socialism threatened Hirschfeld. As a freethinker, homosexual, and Jew, he was a target. He did not return to Germany. In 1933, his institute was closed. His books were burned. He started setting up a new institute in Paris.
Hirschfeld died in Nice on his 67th birthday. It wasn’t until 1994 that Germany removed Paragraph 175. Today, this Hirschfeld-Säule Stele honors his work. It stands near his former practice. The Magnus Hirschfeld Society preserves his legacy. They research his contributions. A street in Moabit is named after him. It is called Magnus-Hirschfeld-Ufer. It features a monument with six calla lilies. They symbolize sexual and gender diversity.
So, as you stand before the Hirschfeld-Säule Stele, remember Magnus Hirschfeld’s courage. He fought for justice. He sought it through science. His work continues to inspire us today. His vision of equality and acceptance lives on.