Homosexual prisoners

1938

This rare and deeply moving historical photograph dates from 1938, showing homosexual prisoners at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp near Waldeck, Hesse, Germany. Under the Nazi regime, thousands of men were persecuted under Paragraph 175, the law criminalizing homosexuality in Germany.

Marked by the pink triangle, these prisoners endured brutal conditions, discrimination, and violence within the camp system. Their suffering remained largely unacknowledged for decades after the war, but today they are remembered as part of the wider tragedy of the Holocaust — victims of intolerance and hatred.

This photograph stands as a rare and solemn reminder of the human cost of prejudice and the importance of memory.

Explore more historical photographs and stories of remembrance from Germany and World War II on Oldpik.com.

Contributed by JOSE M LOPEZ on April 21, 2025

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Homosexual prisoners
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