Abstract
Published by Adolf Brand from 1896 until the rise of Nazism in 1933, Der Eigene was the world’s first homosexual periodical. This article will argue that although many of the ideals espoused in this publication are now considered at best distasteful and at worst inherently wrong and associated with Nazism, there areelements of the publication that are worthy of greater attention in the historiography. I will begin by exploring the publication itself, its ideals and goals, and how it sought to use art to accomplishthem. I will then suggest ways in which Der Eigene challenges our contemporary understanding of homosexuality by tracing clear links from ideas put forth by its contributors to elements of the modernLGBTQ community.
Highlights
This article will argue that many of the ideals espoused in this publication are considered at best distasteful and at worst inherently wrong and associated with Nazism, there are elements of the publication that are worthy of greater attention in the historiography
I will suggest ways in which Der Eigene challenges our contemporary understanding of homosexuality by tracing clear links from ideas put forth by its contributors to elements of the modern LGBTQ community
The home belonged to Adolf Brand, a German writer, publisher, egoist anarchist, and homosexual
Summary
Some records related to the publication of Der Eigene were saved by Brand’s assistant, Karl Meier, most materials were confiscated during a series of raids in 1933 and later destroyed.[5]. The Gemeinschaft was a nationalistic and right-leaning association, and members espoused many of the same beliefs that would later become associated with fascism and Nazism This complicated legacy is exactly why, as noted above, Oosterhuis begins his anthology by stating that he will present selected texts from Der Eigene as is, to allow readers to judge for themselves their merit or place in gay history.[31] The irony of Der Eigene is that many of the ideals it propagated on the assumption of advancing homosexuality were nationalized once the Nazi Party took control of government and adopted a similar notion of “manly culture” for Germany. For both Brand and Röhm, this was inconsistent with the idea of “hegemonic masculinity,” and the Nazi Party moved to purge all homosexuals from service, beginning in June 1934 with the Night of the Long Knives.[36]
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