On January 27, 1945, the Red Army liberated the survivors of the German concentration and extermination camp at Auschwitz in occupied Poland. The victims of National Socialism are commemorated in many places today.
On the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Bundestag President Bärbel Bas called for commemoration of the people who were persecuted and murdered during the Nazi era because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. “Anyone who did not conform to National Socialist norms lived in fear and distrust,” said the SPD politician at a memorial service in the Bundestag. “The hardest hit were the many thousands of women and men who were deported to concentration camps because of their sexuality – sometimes under pretexts.”
Many of these people were exposed to omnipresent violence without protection. “Many were misused for medical experiments,” said Bas. “Most died after a short time or were murdered.” It is the task of every generation to deal anew with the crimes of history and to tell the story of all those who were persecuted. Sexual minorities had waited in vain for a long time to be recognized as victims of the National Socialists.
Also with a view to today, Bas warned to take a closer look at discrimination against queer people. “Queer-hostile crimes are increasing,” said the SPD politician. “Gay, lesbian and trans people are insulted, harassed and attacked.”
Survivors: All victim groups deserve recognition
Holocaust survivor Rozette Kats called for equal recognition of all groups of victims of National Socialism. “Everyone who was persecuted back then deserves to be remembered with respect,” said the 80-year-old Dutch woman at a memorial service in the Bundestag for the victims of National Socialism. In her emotional speech, Kats referred, among other things, to people who were persecuted by the National Socialists because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and who were the focus of the commemoration. Among other things, homosexuals were massively persecuted by the Nazis under laws that were also in force in the Federal Republic for many decades.
According to Kats, however, at past commemorations it was sometimes undesirable to commemorate homosexual victims. You think that’s wrong. “If certain groups of victims are seen as less valuable than others, then in the end that means only one thing – that the National Socialist ideology lives on and unfortunately continues to have an effect today,” warned the visibly moved 80-year-old.
Kats was born into a Jewish family in 1942 and survived the Holocaust with a married couple in Amsterdam, where she was raised under a false identity. Her biological family was murdered in Auschwitz. Even if she doesn’t belong to a sexual minority herself, she knows the feeling of having to hide and adapt so as not to offend, said the Dutchwoman. Out of fear, she kept her Jewish identity hidden for half her life. “I subconsciously decided at the time: If I just adapt well and don’t ask any more questions, nothing will happen to me.”
January 27 has been a day of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism in Germany since 1996. It is the anniversary of the liberation of the survivors of the German death camp Auschwitz in 1945 by soldiers of the Red Army.
Source: Stern
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