At times, I forget that not everyone is casually familiar with the details of queer Berlin. I often take for granted whether (international) people know who, for example, Magnus Hirschfeld was. My first encounter with Magnus Hirschfeld was in San Francisco when I worked in the Tower Records video store and I stumbled across a DVD for The Einstein of Sex – directed by the iconic gay Berlin director Rosa von Praunheim – and then again in my studies at university. Knowing about Hirschfeld was almost incidental for me.
Yet, not everyone is familiar with him. That’s why the Berliner Senate observed the very first Magnus Hirschfeld Day on May 14, 2024 – May 14 was both his birthday (1868) and the day he died (1935) – drawing attention to this queer pioneer in the country where most of his work took place.
Who was Dr Magnus Hirschfeld? In an oft-quoted nutshell: he was gay, a Jew and a socialist. And he was also so much more. He was the founding father of the study of sexuality and did much for queers and non-queers alike in his 67 years. In 1897, he co-founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee (WhK), an organisation campaigning for homosexuals’ equal rights and the abolition of Germany’s infamous Paragraph 175 – the law that criminalised male homosexuality. This move effectively kicked off the gay rights movement – some 70 years before Stonewall!
In 1919, he opened the Institute for Sexual Science, the world’s first sexology research centre, in Berlin on the grounds of what is now the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. The institute provided numerous sexual health services for people and covered everything from LGBTQ+ topics, to gynaecological exams, to alcoholism, to marriage counselling. In 1930, he was involved in one of the first gender affirmation surgeries in history with Lili Elbe, whose story was documented in the 2015 film, The Danish Girl. Of course, the Nazis were destined to hate everything he stood for, destroying Hirschfeld’s institute on May 6, 1933 and setting fire to much of his archives four days later during the infamous book burning. He fled Berlin and died in Nice, France, shortly after in 1935.
Ever since I was a baby queer, Hirschfeld has been an icon to me. Everything about his work made him a true revolutionary. Like I said, sometimes I take things for granted and assume the same must be true for everyone. In the US, where I’m from, the title of ‘First Doctor of Sex’ typically goes to Alfred Kinsey. In Germany, Berlin Queer Liaison Officer Alfonso Pantisano (SPD) has said: “His work in Berlin and his significance for queer people worldwide is hardly known here.” That’s why it’s so important that we have this day.
For the second year in a row, Berlin celebrates Magnus Hirschfeld Day, as well as making May Magnus Hirschfeld Action Month with the motto “Stars of His Queer Berlin”, putting an additional emphasis not just on the doctor but the achievements and stories of those around him. At the time of writing, a finalised schedule has yet to be released, but last year included everything from tributes to Weimar-era queer venue Eldorado, to neighbourhood tours and special presentations at the Komische Oper, alongside an official memorial on the day. This is a great opportunity to learn about one of queer (and world) history’s greatest figures, so be on the lookout for events throughout the month.
Give a thought to the ‘Einstein of Sex’ this month, queer or not, and add one more item to your list of why Berlin has been the vanguard of sex and culture for over a century.
- A full schedule of events can be found here.
