The
Harden-Eulenburg affair, often simply
Eulenburg affair, was the controversy surrounding a series of courts-martial and five regular trials regarding accusations of homosexual conduct, and accompanying libel trials, among prominent members of Kaiser Wilhelm II's cabinet and entourage during 1907-1909.
The affair centred on accusations by the
journalistA journalist is a person who practises journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues, and people while striving for viewpoints that are not biased.Reporters are one type of journalist...
Maximilian HardenMaximilian Harden was an influential German journalist and editor.-Biography:...
of homosexual conduct between Philipp, Prince of Eulenburg-Hertefeld and General
Kuno Graf von MoltkeLieutenant General Count Kuno von Moltke , adjutant to Kaiser Wilhelm II and military commander of Berlin, was a principal in the homosexual scandals that rocked the Kaiser's inner circle in 1907 known as the Harden-Eulenburg Affair....
. Accusations and counter-accusations quickly multiplied, and the phrase "Liebenberg Round Table" came to be used for the gay male circle around the Kaiser.
The affair received wide publicity and is often considered the biggest domestic scandal of the
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
Second EmpireThe German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871 to 1918, when it became a German republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of Wilhelm II .The term Second Reich...
. It led to one of the first major public discussions of homosexuality in Germany, comparable to the trial of
Oscar WildeOscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest "celebrities" of his day...
in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
.
Initial incident
The incident which provoked the affair followed on the heels of a public relations gaffe by Wilhelm II. Shortly, in November, Wilhelm II began a vacation at an aristocrat's estate in the
Black ForestThe Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
. One evening after dinner Dietrich Graf von Hülsen-Häseler, chief of the Military Secretariat, was performing a
pas seul (dance) in a
tutuA ballet tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance, often with attached bodice. It might be single layer, hanging down, or multiple layers starched and strutting out. It tends to add a floating motion when ballerinas dance in them....
when his heart failed. Ottokar von Czernin, also in attendance, remarked, "
In Wilhelm II, I saw a man who, for the first time in his life, with horror-stricken eyes, looked upon the world as it really was." Despite his fears, the accident, with its implications of homosexuality at high levels, seemed successfully hushed up.
Causes
However, opponents of
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
's foreign relations found the potential scandal too useful to ignore. Wilhelm II had dismissed "Iron" Chancellor
Otto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck was a Prussian German statesman and aristocrat of the 19th century. As Ministerpräsident of Prussia from 1862–1890, he oversaw the unification of Germany. In 1867 he became Chancellor of the North German Confederation...
and his
RealpolitikRealpolitik refers to politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations, rather than ideological notions. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism...
system of treaties and agreements in 1890, replacing Bismarck's clear rule with muddle and his foreign policies with a confrontational,
expansionistIn general, expansionism consists of expansionist policies of governments and states. While some have linked the term to promoting economic growth , more commonly expansionism refers to the doctrine of a nation's expanding its territorial base usually by means of military aggression...
Weltpolitik. The anti-imperialist Eulenburg became the most prominent member of Wilhelm II's entourage being promoted from being a member of the diplomatic corps to an ambassador. Like many, Bismarck noticed that the nature of the relationship between Wilhelm II and Eulenburg could "not be confided to paper," but he, like many, felt that even these activities in the private sphere were not to be brought to the public sphere.
Harden, imperialist head of the periodical
Die ZukunftDie Zukunft , was a German social-democratic weekly founded and edited by Maximilian Harden. It published allegations of homosexuality of Philip, Prince of Eulenburg, leading to the Harden-Eulenburg Affair in Wilhelmine Germany. Die Zukunft (The Future”), was a German social-democratic weekly...
, felt the same, waiting till 1902 only to personally threaten to out Eulenburg unless he retired from his ambassadorship in
ViennaVienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by...
, which Eulenburg did, dropping from public life until 1906. Harden reaffirmed his threat after Germany gave
MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
to
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
at the
Algeciras ConferenceThe Algeciras Conference of 1906 took place in Algeciras, Spain, and lasted from January 16 to April 7. The purpose of the conference was to find an issue to the First Moroccan Crisis between France and Germany, which arose as Germany attempted to prevent France from establishing a protectorate...
(1906) in a major foreign policy fiasco, and Eulenburg responded by moving to
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
.
Between 1906-1907 six military officers committed suicide after blackmail, while in the preceding three years around twenty officers were convicted by courts-martial, all for their homosexual acts. A
Garde du CorpsThe Garde du Corps was the personal bodyguard of the king of Prussia and after 1871, the German emperor . It was founded in 1740 by Frederick the Great with Friedrich von Blumenthal as its first commander...
officer was charged with homosexuality, embarrassing because the elite Corps was commanded by
Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Wilhelm Graf von HohenauWilhelm Graf von Hohenau was a German Graf and horse rider who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.He won the bronze medal in the equestrian team jumping event.-External links:*...
, blood relative to the kaiser. Worse than these sexual scandals, in Harden's eyes, was Eulenburg's decision to return to Germany and be initiated into the
Order of the Black EagleThe Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg...
; he did not change his mind when Friedrich Heinrich, Prince of
PrussiaPrussia was a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries this state had substantial influence on German and European history...
, declined to be initiated into the Order of the Knights of St. John because of his same-sex sexual proclivities.
Outing
Harden
outedIn the late twentieth century, outing became a common term for taking someone involuntarily "out of the closet"—that is, publicising that someone is gay, transgender, or intersex...
Eulenburg on April 27, 1907, confirming the identity he previously had parodied as "the Harpist" (Eulenburg), along with "Sweetie" General
Kuno Graf von MoltkeLieutenant General Count Kuno von Moltke , adjutant to Kaiser Wilhelm II and military commander of Berlin, was a principal in the homosexual scandals that rocked the Kaiser's inner circle in 1907 known as the Harden-Eulenburg Affair....
, in 1906. Wilhelm II, informed of the growing story, responded by requiring the resignation of three of fifteen prominent aristocrats, Hohenau, Lynar, and Moltke, listed as homosexual by the Berlin vice squad; however, the actual list, not shown to Wilhelm II, contained several hundred names.
Moltke's lawyer attempted to file criminal libel against Harden, but was dismissed and civil libel was suggested. Eulenburg denied any culpability and presented a self-accusation of violating the applicable
Paragraph 175Paragraph 175 was a provision of the German Criminal Code from 15 May 1871 to 10 March 1994. It made homosexual acts between males a crime, and in early revisions the provision also criminalized bestiality.The statute was amended several times...
to his district attorney who, as hoped and expected, cleared Eulenburg of all charges in July. Meanwhile Georg von Hülsen, manager of the Royal Theatre, von Stückradt, the crown prince's equerry, and Bernhard Prince von Bülow, imperial chancellor, were accused of or revealed as having same sex sexual tendencies or activities.
Moltke v. Harden
October 23-29, 1907
Testifying against Moltke was his ex-wife of nine years, Lili von Elbe. Also testifying was a soldier named Bollhardt, and Dr.
Magnus HirschfeldMagnus Hirschfeld was a gay German physician, sex researcher, and early gay rights advocate.-Early life:Hirschfeld was born in Kolberg in a Jewish family, the son of a highly regarded physician and 'Medizinalrat', Hermann Hirschfeld...
. Elbe described the lack of conjugal relations, happening only on the first and second night, of their marriage, Moltke's overly close friendship with Eulenburg, and her ignorance of homosexuality. Bollhardt described attending champagne filled parties at Lynar's villa where he saw both Hohenau and Moltke. Hirschfeld, based on von Elbe's comments and his courtroom observation of Moltke, testified that Moltke most certainly had a feminine side and was homosexual even if had never committed sodomy. On October 29 the court found Moltke homosexual and Harden innocent.
However, the trial was voided on procedural grounds, and the state prosecutor decided to allow a criminal libel trial.
Bülow v. Brand
November 6 1907
Adolf BrandAdolf Brand was a German writer, anarchist and pioneering campaigner for the acceptance of male bisexuality and homosexuality.-Biography:...
, founder of the first homosexual periodical,
Der EigeneDer Eigene was the first LGBT periodical magazine in the world, published from 1896 to 1932 by Adolf Brand in Berlin.The name of the magazine Der Eigene refers to the work Der Einzige und sein Eigentum by Max Stirner. The first editions were published quarterly, and later came out monthly...
(
The Special), had printed a
pamphletA pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
which described how Bülow had been blackmailed for his sexuality and had kissed and embraced Scheefer at male gatherings hosted by Eulenburg, and thus was morally obliged to publicly oppose Paragraph 175. Brand was found guilty of libel and charged with 18 months in prison.
Harden v. Moltke
December 18-25, 1907
Elbe, through a diagnosis of classical
hysteriaHysteria, in its colloquial use, describes a state of mind, one of unmanageable fear or emotional excesses. The fear is often caused by multiple events in one's past that involved some sort of severe conflict; the fear can be centered on a body part or most commonly on an imagined problem with that...
, and Hirschfeld, by retracting his earlier testimony, were discredited and Harden was convicted of libel and sentenced to four months imprisonment.
Harden v. Städele
April 21 1908
Now motivated by political goals, morals, and vengeance, Harden set out to prove Eulenburg's homosexuality by having Anton Städele publish an article claiming Harden took
hush moneyHush money is an informal term for financial incentives or rewards offered in exchange for not divulging information.Hush Money may also refer to:* Hush Money, a 1921 silent film...
from Eulenburg. Harden then sued his accomplice for libel, Städele was found guilty and charged a hundred mark fine, repaid by Harden. During the trial, however, Georg Riedel and Jacob Ernst testified to having sexual relations with Eulenburg. Eulenburg was charged with
perjuryPerjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the matter lied about would affect the outcome of the case...
and brought to trial on May 7 1908. Two weeks later Harden's conviction was overturned and a second trial begun.
Eulenburg
June 29 1908
After the first of 41 witnesses, including Ernst and ten witnesses who described watching Eulenburg through a keyhole in 1887, the trial was delayed because of Eulenburg's ill health. It was moved to his hospital bed but delayed again, indefinitely.
Moltke v. Harden
April, 1908
With little press, Harden was again convicted and fined six hundred marks plus the forty thousand marks of court costs, while Moltke was rehabilitated in the public eye.
Effects
The stress of the trials caused most participants to fall ill during 1908.
The Eulenburg affair is an example of
prejudiceA prejudice is a preconceived belief, opinion or judgment especially toward a group of people characterized by their race, social class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or religion...
, specifically
homophobiaHomophobia is defined as an "irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals", or individuals perceived to be homosexual; it is also defined as "unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals and homosexuality", "fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay...
, being used as a means to attain certain political goals . As Eulenburg's wife later commented,
"They are striking at my husband, but their target is the kaiser."
Harden later told Hirschfeld that the Affair was the greatest political mistake of his life, like many later observers, attributing the Affair as the root cause of
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
and the fall of the Second Reich, inevitable without Eulenburg's moderating influence.
Further reading
External links