Heinz Dörmer
Encyclopedia
Heinz Dörmer was a German
man who was imprisoned by the Nazis for homosexuality
under Paragraph 175
. He was repeatedly released and rearrested, spending more than ten years in a variety of concentration camps and prisons.
, Germany
. Deeply involved with church youth groups as a child, by age fifteen, he was frequenting Berlin's gay bar
s. Dörmer was 10 years old when he joined the German Youth Movement
in 1922. In 1929, he founded his own youth group, called the "Wolfsring" (lit. "ring of wolves"), which combined sexual affairs, amateur theater performances, and travel. In 1932, he was promoted to youth leader and worked in the scout
movement at a national level. He and his group tried to stay independent, but in October 1933 they were forced to join the Hitler Youth
.
from the German government was rejected. He made an appearance in the 2000 documentary
film Paragraph 175
, which portrays survivors of persecution then-authorized under the German anti-male homosexuality law of the same name.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
man who was imprisoned by the Nazis for homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
under Paragraph 175
Paragraph 175
Paragraph 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. All in all, around 140,000 men were convicted under the law.The statute was amended several...
. He was repeatedly released and rearrested, spending more than ten years in a variety of concentration camps and prisons.
Early life
Dörmer was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Deeply involved with church youth groups as a child, by age fifteen, he was frequenting Berlin's gay bar
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
s. Dörmer was 10 years old when he joined the German Youth Movement
German Youth Movement
The German Youth Movement is a collective term for a cultural and educational movement that started in 1896. It consists of numerous associations of young people that focus on outdoor activities. The movement included German Scouting and the Wandervogel...
in 1922. In 1929, he founded his own youth group, called the "Wolfsring" (lit. "ring of wolves"), which combined sexual affairs, amateur theater performances, and travel. In 1932, he was promoted to youth leader and worked in the scout
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
movement at a national level. He and his group tried to stay independent, but in October 1933 they were forced to join the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
.
Imprisonments
In April 1935, Dörmer was accused of homosexual activities with members of his troop, and from 1941 to 1944 he was imprisoned for corrupting the youth at Neuengamme concentration camp, a "holding tank for homosexuals, politicals, and non-German aliens."Post-war life
After the war, Dörmer spent another eight years in prison on various charges. After his final release in 1963, he returned to Berlin to live with his father, who died in 1970. His 1982 application for reparationsReparation (legal)
In jurisprudence, reparation is replenishment of a previously inflicted loss by the criminal to the victim. Monetary restitution is a common form of reparation...
from the German government was rejected. He made an appearance in the 2000 documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
film Paragraph 175
Paragraph 175 (film)
Paragraph 175 is a documentary film released in 2000, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, and narrated by Rupert Everett. The film was produced by Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Janet Cole, Michael Ehrenzweig, Sheila Nevins and Howard Rosenman. The film chronicles the lives of several gay...
, which portrays survivors of persecution then-authorized under the German anti-male homosexuality law of the same name.
External links
- Heinz Dörmer biography on Pink-Triangle.org
- Poignant Documentary Recalls Nazis’ Gay Victims
- Biography on Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...