Reclaiming the Pink Triangle

The Dark Origins of the Pink Triangle

The pink triangle’s story begins during one of history’s darkest periods — the Holocaust. The prosecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in Germany started in 1871, but it was not rigorously enforced until the Nazi Party gained control in 1933.

During their reign, the Nazis pursued the dogged agenda of promoting racial and cultural uniformity in Germany. Hitler thus viewed homosexual men as a potential obstacle to his mission of purifying Germany, primarily due to their inability to procreate and contribute to the growth of the Aryan race he sought to foster.

As such, establishments that were welcoming to the gay community were closed, books at a prominent research institution focused on the study of sexuality were destroyed, and fraternal organisations for gay individuals were forced to close their doors.

While Hitler and the Nazi Party undoubtedly hated all homosexuals, they had a special hatred towards gay men specifically, whom they labelled as morally corrupt and sexually deviant.

Just as Jews were required to wear yellow stars to be easily identified, gay men in concentration camps were made to wear large pink triangles. Triangles, which singled them out for harsh mistreatment from not only concentration camp guards but also fellow inmates due to their sexual orientation.

Yet, following World War II, both East and West Germany maintained strict enforcement of the country’s anti-gay laws, leading to the imprisonment of numerous gay individuals until the early 1970s. But it wasn’t just Germany; numerous nations around the world implemented stringent legislation that specifically targeted, stigmatised, and marginalised LGBTQ+ individuals, resulting in heightened levels of discrimination and mistreatment.

The Men With the Pink Triangle

In 1972, a spark was ignited following the publication of The Men With the Pink Triangle. This book, authored by Hans Neumann under the pseudonym Heinz Heger, captures the harrowing tale of Josef Kohout, an Austrian survivor of Nazi concentration camps. Kohout’s story is one of the few firsthand accounts that document the relentless persecution faced by homosexuals under the Nazi regime.

The Men With the Pink Triangle shattered the silence surrounding the suffering of gay prisoners, exposing not only their brutal treatment but also the appalling lack of recognition and compensation they received after World War II ended.

Josef Kohout’s nightmare began in March 1939 when, at the age of 24, a Christmas card he sent to his male lover, Fred, was intercepted. Fred’s father, a high-ranking Nazi official, managed to shield his son by declaring him “mentally disturbed,” thus escaping punishment. Kohout, however, was not so fortunate and faced the full wrath of the regime.

Initially sentenced to six months in prison, Kohout was transferred to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in January 1940. By May of that year, he found himself in the Flossenbürg camp in Bavaria, where he would remain until liberation in 1945.

Within the camp’s harsh hierarchies, homosexual prisoners like Kohout were considered the lowest of the low. They faced not only isolation from one another but were subjected to appalling and dehumanising treatment. This included sexual assaults by S.S. guards, relentless torture, medical experimentation, gruelling labour, and execution.

Kohout, along with other prisoners, was assigned senseless tasks designed to break their spirits. He spent his days moving snow in wheelbarrows or using his bare hands to shift rocks from one side of the compound to another, only to repeat the process endlessly. The sheer futility and repetitive nature of these tasks drove many prisoners to despair, with some choosing suicide as their escape.

Witnessing the relentless cruelty and torture inflicted on his fellow prisoners, Kohout’s writings reflected deep empathy and an understanding of human suffering. He theorised that the sadism of certain S.S. officers was rooted in their own repressed homosexual desires, a chilling insight into the twisted psyche of their captors.

Reclaiming the Symbol

As gay activism surged in West Germany during the 1970s, activists searched for symbols that could encapsulate their fight for rights and visibility.

Among these was the Frankfurt-based group RotZSchwul (The Red Cell Gay), who, after drawing inspiration from The Men With the Pink Triangle, became trailblazers, being the first to utilise the pink triangle in their activism. They recognised its historical significance as a representation of the LGBTQ+ individuals who suffered during the Holocaust.

RotZSchwul’s groundbreaking actions set a precedent for other activist groups. In 1973, Homosexuelle Aktion Westberlin (HAW) furthered this movement by officially adopting the Pink Triangle as their emblem for gay rights.

The pink triangle thus emerged as a beacon of visibility, encouraging LGBTQ+ individuals to step out of the shadows and demand acknowledgement, respect, and equality. More than just a historical nod, it signified a bold advocacy shift — from seeking acceptance for private consensual acts to demanding the right to openly express sexual identities.

By strategically employing this symbol, activists compelled society to confront both the grim history of the Nazi regime’s persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals and the ongoing state-sanctioned discrimination faced by the queer community.

In August 1974, the pink triangle crossed the Atlantic. The Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) became the first group in the United States to adopt it when it displayed it at a New York rally supporting a gay rights ordinance.

From this point forward, the pink triangle gained widespread acceptance among LGBTQ+ activists in North America and Europe. It served as a powerful reminder of the risks of prejudice, a rallying cry for legal safeguards, and a symbol of resilience and unity.

Today, the pink triangle is a testament to the strength and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. It reminds us of the struggles faced by previous generations and underscores the ongoing fight for equality and acceptance. While rooted in a history of persecution, its reclamation is a powerful example of how symbols can be transformed through courage and activism.