Adelaide Harris and Claire Hibbeln

3/9/16
Q3 IDP
INTRO
A: Soon the day will come when science will win victory over error, justice a victory over
injustice, and human love a victory over human hatred and ignorance. -Magnus Hirschfeld
C: While lesbians in Nazi Germany were not systematically killed like gay men were, they were
mistreated and erased from the public eye, as a result of extreme sexism. We will be reading a
series of fictitious letters between two real people, Henny Schermann and Dr. Magnus
Hirschfeld.
LETTER ONE:
Dear Dr. Hirschfeld,
Good afternoon. My name is Henny Schermann, and I live in Frankfurt. I am writing to
you with a minor concern I have been having - you see, Im a lesbian, and Ive started hearing
these worrying stories about the Nazi partys view on gay people. Ive also heard things about
your institution. What I have heard is that you help gay and transgender Germans. Things are
getting worse and worse in Frankfurt for us. Of course I have seen police all across the city,
looking for Jews, but I have also heard rumors that the Nazis see us homosexuals as being
against society, referring to the fact that most of us wont have children, I guess. This puts me
in twice as much danger. What do they want with us? Do you think this will be a larger concern?
I dont mean to press you about this, but you seem to be some kind of expert, and I need help.
Please let me know.
All the best,
Henny Schermann
LETTER TWO:
Miss Schermann,

Adelaide Harris and Claire Hibbeln

3/9/16
Q3 IDP
Thank you for writing, and I hope all is well. I would like to reassure you of my
qualifications. I am a medical doctor and scientist, specializing in issues of gender and sexuality.
I encourage you to come visit us at the Institute for Sexual Science. I founded the Institute in
1919, and have since amassed a large library on the topics of gender and sexuality. Many people
come to see us at the institute, and many live here. You can safely be with others like you. I
understand that you do not feel in immediate danger due to your sexuality, but I would advise
you to be cautious. Homosexual women are seen as depriving Germany of possible children, so
you may be pressured into marriage. As long as you stay quiet though, you should be okay.
Womens sexualities today arent seen as important enough to be worthy of the Nazis time, and
lesbianism is seen as something that can be cured. Please write back soon.
Wishing you the best,
Dr. Hirschfeld.
LETTER THREE:
Dr Hirschfeld,
Thank you for your letter. I regret to tell you that the situation in Frankfurt has developed
drastically. I would love to hear more about what your institution has to offer (and perhaps visit),
but I may be in serious danger. The police have begun barging into gay bars and meeting places
across the city and arresting us by the dozens. More and more homosexual men I know are
disappearing. As of today, I do not know what my fate will be. Thank you for your support.
Henny Schermann.
LETTER FOUR:
Miss Schermann,

Adelaide Harris and Claire Hibbeln

3/9/16
Q3 IDP
I found your last letter troubling. Are you okay? Please write back as soon as you can and
let me know of your whereabouts.
Dr. Hirschfeld.
CLOSING
C: Henny Schermann was arrested in 1940 in a raid on a lesbian bar. She was charged with
compulsive lesbianism and avoiding the name Sara that was given to Jewish women. She was
deported to the womens concentration camp Ravensbrck, and was killed by poison gas in 1942.
A: Magnus Hirschfelds Institute for Sexual Science was attacked by Nazis, and most of his
books and archives were burned. While Hirschfeld was out of the country and therefore safe,
Nazis used lists from the Institute to find gay men and women who had visited the Institute to
track down the visitors and send them to concentration camps.
C: We must talk about the homophobia that caused the violence and hatred of gays and lesbians
during the Holocaust, so we make sure we learn from our mistakes and dont let anything close
to that happen again.
A: But it would be wrong to ignore the sexism that played a huge role in the discrimination that
lesbians faced, creating the stereotypes and expectations for women that lead to persecution of
lesbians.
C: Thank you for listening to our presentation.