Learning from Experience: Heinz Dörmer

[reviews_and_ramblings]

I know that, for some people this is a delicate and painful matter, but please, read this story as I read it, the experience of a man who can teach a lot to others. I don't want to judge who was right and who was wrong, one of my favorite quote is from Simon Wiesenthal, "the things are not white and black, but they have shades of grey".

Heinz Dörmer (born 1912, Berlin, Germany) was a gay man deeply involved with church youth groups as a child. By age fifteen, Dörmer was frequenting Berlin's gay bars.

By the 1920’s, Berlin had become known as a homosexual eden, where gay men and lesbians lived relatively open lives amidst an exciting subculture of artists and intellectuals.

In 1929, Heinz Dörmer founded his own youth group, the so-called "Wolfsring" (ring of wolves), which combined sexual affairs, amateur theater performances, and travel. In 1932, Heinz was promoted and worked on the Scout movement at the national level.

Dörmer and his group tried to stay independent, but in October, 1933 they were forced to join the Hitler Youth.

In April, 1935, Dörmer was accused of homosexual activities with members of his troop, and was imprisoned. He was repeatedly released and rearrested, spending more than ten years in a variety of concentration camps and prisons.


Heinz Dörmer on a camping trip in 1931 with his friend Werner Henneberg, who died in a concentration camp. From PARAGRAPH 175, the documentary feature by Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman. © 2003 Telling Pictures

After the war, Dörmer spent another eight years in prison on various charges. After his last release, he returned to Berlin to live with his father, who died in 1970.

In 1982, he applied for reparations from the German government. His application was rejected.

The story of Heinz Dormer was told for the first time in "Paragraph 175" (Paragraph 175 was the sodomy provision of the German penal code dating back to 1871), awards documentary winner at Sundance Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival in 2000. (From Wikipedia)

Comments

[fiona-glass.livejournal.com]

What a fascinating - and sad - story. I find the transition from the 'Weimar Republic' of the early 30s to Nazi Germany very poignant and I hadn't heard of Heinz Dormer before so thank you for sharing.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

there are a lot of little and hidden stories that i'd like to share with you in the future. and yes, it's quite interesting that, what first bring him to attention was the reason for his imprisonement. Elisa

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

It always pays to remember that the policy of the third Reich was equal opportunity hatred. It's so easy to get caught up in thinking well, I don't belong to this group or that group so I don't know how to feel about it. Humans are fragile, and I always think that whatever the kicked-around group of the day is, it could just as easily be me tomorrow.

I guess that's kind of depressing. But hopefully it helps me to remember to be compassionate and kind to others.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

sometime you think that nothing will happen to you if you behave in a certain way. but fate is not something you can command, and learn from the past is a good way to know how to react (survive...). Elisa

[muroku.livejournal.com]

Dörmer and his group tried to stay independent, but in October, 1933 they were forced to join the Hitler Youth.

I think in this case a majority of young people were coerced into joining. One can find a similar parallel in Japan where young people generally subscribed to militarism due to the educational system---so even before they were old enough to think on their own they were already "led to" a way of thinking dictated by the government.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

there are a lot of example in italian history of german soldiers who refused to obey to a superior command if doing so they could avoid a tragedy. Also my grandfather survived to a deportation thanks to a German soldier who saved him. Elisa

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

"First they came for the Jews..." Prejudice against any group always metastesizes.

What a poignant, beautiful snapshot. I'm glad Epstein & Friedman made the film--will have to see if it's available anywhere.

Thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

Since it was quite a success when it was out, I think you should be able to find it. Elisa

[maximvanziel.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your choice of topic and your attitude, "I don't want to judge who was right and who was wrong". I've never used the exact same phrase, but repeatedly suggest it. Even in Afghan or Iraq issue, there is neither the good side nor the bad side, needless to say about the WW2.

>(Paragraph 175 was the sodomy provision of the German penal code dating back to 1871)

Most of people tend to believe that it was adopted during Nazi era, but in fact, since 1871 until 1994 when it was abolished finally. I've written about this issue again and again on my blog. So that it was used to accuse the abuse of human rights during that era as well as Holocaust. As a result, people have missed the point. Still in 1987, 117 people were convicted under Paragraph 175.

Dörmer's life tells everything. His first arrest was after the purge of homosexual men in SA (as you know, I'm obsessed by this incident). But after the WW2 he was arrested again. The government of West Germany kept this law, saying it was not influenced by National Socialist(Nazi) politics. Surely he wasn't regarded as dangerous, otherwise, he and his group have been wiped out in 1934. That is his tragedy, because there was no political or ideological element in his activity. If I were living in those days, certainly I'd have been shot dead by this very day 74 years ago :P

The photo is very nice :)
New layout is nice as well, only I get used to your pink background!

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

When I read Dormer's life I thought at you. I thought you probably would like this documentary.

And yes, my layout is very different from the other one... and less pink!

Elisa

Truth More Devastating than Fiction

[ajllewellyn.livejournal.com]

Aloha Elisa,
I can't help thinking of the play 'Bent' which remains one of the most haunting I have ever seen. I was fortunate to be in the front row when it played at the 42nd Street Theater on Broadway more than 20 years ago now. The lead actors were Richard Gere and David Dukes and I was overcome with the knoweldge that the persecution of gay men in Germany was was so prevalent. As it was in Britain too. Look at Oscar Wilde. I would be interested in seeing this dicumentary. Thank you for shining a light on the not so pretty side of gay love.
A.J.

Re: Truth More Devastating than Fiction

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I tried to choose a story with a bit of hope, Dormer is still alive and he has the chance to tell his story. But yes, "Truth More Devastating than Fiction". Elisa