there's a reason to be disgusted by these people

2006-04-13T09:24:52Z

I've been reading historical works and biographies on the Nazis for almost a year now and changing trends in historical writing have started becoming apparent. There's a reluctance on newer works to engage in psychological specualtion. They have a preference to stick to the facts, and a non-judgemental attitude as to the German people themselves. Older works by contrast are full of apparent (supposed) insights into the minds of the top Nazis, and feel able to make sweeping generalisations about Germany as a society, as a people, even generalisations about such things as fate, history and destiny.

One area which perfectly illustrates the evolution of historical writing is the homosexual Nazis, such as Rohm etc. William L Shirer, Konrad Heidin and others are suspiciously quick to single out the "perversion" of these men. At first reading I was willing to give the authors the benefit of the doubt, thinking the perversion they were referring to was their general seediness as people (and seedy they undoubtedly were - the Storm Troopers were not, as a body, usually noted for their gentility). Unfortunately, and this is especially noteable in books written during wartime itself, it becomes clear that it is homosexuality that is being specifically addressed. One British author, in 'War Without Guns', is particularly unequivocal in his distaste of gay men, and it can only be assumed by the modern reader that this is a genuinely felt (if no less repugnant and deplorable) represntation of the mood of those times.

By contrast, modern works (post-civil rights, post-feminist, post-queer) are at pains to draw attention to the fate of homosexual men in Nazi Germany who didn't have the luxury of being members of the S.A., and they make clear that of all the reasons to be disgusted by men like Rohm, their sexuality is not amongst them. Perhaps best of all is Richard J Evans' 'The Coming of the Third Reich' which beautifully and passionately describes the post-Weimar Germany as a time of sexual liberation, with the setting up of progressive clinics and therapies designed to view homesexuality (and female sexuality) as perfectly ordinary, healthy and unharmful - something of course that was swept away by the wilful ignorance of the Third Reich.

Historical books are as much products of their current times as they products of (about) the past. Hopefully people like Evans can educate some students of the subject that homophobia is itself Nazi-like - an irrational fear that all free peoples should do without.

the pen moves gradually across the paper

2006-04-12T12:21:03Z

...so yes, this is approximately my 2567,000th LJ account, but I'd rather be comfortable in my own skin and uncomfortable with my online identity than to have it the other way around. I'm also being much more selfish this time, making it purely for me, me, me. So no Comments. The idea is to be witty, charming and interesting. (that's the idea...) Avanti!

the return of the revenge of the curse of the thing

there's a reason to be disgusted by these people

the pen moves gradually across the paper