DOCSLIB.ORG

Rosa Retires?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Rosa Retires? Wolfgang Theis, curator. Rosa geht in Rente: Hommage zu Rosa von Praunheims 65. Geburtstag. Berlin: Schwules Museum, November 25, 2007 - March 31, 2008. Funded by the Deutsche Klassenlotterie and the Schwules Museum Reviewed by Bradley Boovy Published on H-German (June, 2009) Commissioned by Susan R. Boettcher Many Germans--and particularly those living To mark the director's sixty-fifth birthday and in Berlin--will likely have heard the name Rosa commemorate his prolific artistic production, the von Praunheim, although many may not realize Schwules Museum hosted an exhibition from No‐ that Rosa is a man. Some might recall the release vember 25, 2007 through March 31, 2008. Con‐ of his most famous flm, Nicht der Homosexuelle ceived and organized by curator Wolfgang Theis, ist pervers, sondern die Situation, in der er lebt one of the co-founders of the Museum in the (1971). The flm's premier at the 1971 Berlinale led 1980s, Rosa geht in Rente is the most recent in a to much debate, particularly among gay West Ger‐ series of homages to individuals who have played mans who felt attacked by Praunheim's call to po‐ significant roles in the constitution of gay culture litical action: "Raus aus den Toiletten, rein in die and history in Germany. Previous exhibitions Straßen." Yet, a number of activist groups were have been dedicated to Michel Foucault, Hilde‐ also founded in the wake of the flm, and Praun‐ gard Knef, Thomas Mann, and Rainer Werner heim quickly took center stage as the most visible Fassbinder, among others. This exhibition, funded spokesperson of gay liberation in 1970s West Ger‐ by the Deutsche Klassenlotterie and the Schwules many. While none of his later flms received as Museum, was given wide publicity in Berlin in much attention, Praunheim has remained in the magazines, posters, and postcards around the city public eye through activism; through his more and even on the Federal Republic's official than seventy documentary, polemical, short, and tourism website. A retrospective of sixty-five of feature flms, as well as through provocative me‐ Praunheim's flms at Berlin's Babylon Cinema in dia spots and television appearances. In 1991, for November and December 2007 helped to generate instance, he caused a media uproar when he out‐ enough buzz around Praunheim and his work to ed talk-show host Alfred Biolek, comedian and au‐ ensure a steady fow of visitors to the exhibit. Mr. thor Hape Kerkeling, and actor Götz George (the Theis commented that this was one of the best-vis‐ last of these, incorrectly) on the RTL program Ex‐ ited homages to date in the series; indeed, the plosiv--Der heiße Stuhl. In short, Praunheim has closing date was eventually extended by more time and again demonstrated his eagerness to than a month.[1] provoke public debate and thereby remain a topic Rosa geht in Rente was conceived as a the‐ of discussion in German media. matic installation in three rooms. Portrayed on H-Net Reviews the walls were different aspects of Praunheim's nate the topics at hand or provoke reflection. For work or glimpses into his biography. Most of the example, a series of stills from Praunheim's flms space in the two larger rooms was dedicated to was accompanied by a quote from a letter by topics that Praunheim has addressed in his flms, Mario Wirz: "Zum Teufel mit deinem Amerikasub‐ writings, and paintings: Magnus Hirschfeld's jektivismus, fnde dich damit ab, dass du nicht struggle to have Paragraph 175 removed from the Andy Warhol bist."[2] The line is in part a jab at penal code; gay liberation in the 1970s; HIV/AIDS; Praunheim, who often seems at least as interested the Berlin Tunten (queen, drag queen) scene. A in cultivating his public personality as he is in ac‐ smaller, third room focused more explicitly on the tivism and flmmaking. More importantly, howev‐ intersections of Praunheim's private life and his er, the quote hints at issues that repeatedly work. On display were photographs with friends emerge in discussions of Praunheim's work-- and partners, excerpts from his diaries, and namely, how it should be categorized. Interest in copies of his most autobiographical publications-- American flm and pop culture was characteristic including the memoirs he published in 1993 on of the New German Cinema that Praunheim's ear‐ the occasion of his fftieth birthday, 50 Jahre Per‐ ly flms are associated with.[3] He was especially vers: Die Sentimentalen Memoiren des Rosa von influenced by American Underground flmmak‐ Praunheim. The exhibition did not follow a partic‐ ers, in particular Gregory Markopoulos.[4] ular chronological order. Rather, visitors were Markopoulos, with whom Praunheim worked in guided through the space by partitions and free- the late 1960s, is known for his use of erotic im‐ standing exhibition pieces and more or less en‐ agery and "magical" editing effects in flms such couraged to wander around and encounter differ‐ as The Illiac Passion (1967).[5] Such elements, ent moments from Praunheim's career through along with the ability to make interesting flms on photographs, flm stills, movie posters, props, a small budget and with few resources, character‐ books, and notes. As might be expected, visitors ize many of Praunheim's flms as well. Yet, the in‐ could also view excerpts from some of his flms, fluence of and fascination with America extended including Nicht der Homosexuelle ist pervers, beyond an interest in the Underground flm Armee der Liebenden oder Aufstand der Per‐ scene. He also continually referenced and lauded versen (1979), Pfui Rosa! (2002); watch his appear‐ the American gay rights movement--much to the ance on Explosiv; or listen to his radio play "Ado‐ frustration of German activists, who experienced nis in New York" (1987). Articles in the exhibition gay liberation, the AIDS epidemic, and debates were on loan from the Sammlung von Praunheim over partnership and spousal rights differently of the Deutsche Kinemathek, the collection of the from their American counterparts.[6] Schwules Museum, or in many cases were lent by This broader history and the conditioning his‐ Praunheim himself. torical factors behind Praunheim's artistic pro‐ Upon entering the exhibition space, one frst duction remained obscure in the exhibition, how‐ encountered a wall covered with photographs of ever, a disadvantage of relying strictly on quotes some thirty artists, writers, flmmakers, and to convey background information. It is question‐ politicians including Ulrike Ottinger, Fassbinder, able just how familiar younger Germans, let alone and Praunheim himself. Each photograph was ac‐ international visitors, might be with Praunheim's companied by a quotation about the director tak‐ work and the complex histories from which it en from interviews with the respective fgures. In‐ emerged: for example, the student movement, deed, quotes were spread throughout the exhibi‐ New German Cinema, gay liberation. More in- tion and served in lieu of explanations to illumi‐ depth analysis of the changing discourses of gen‐ 2 H-Net Reviews der and sexuality that accompanied Praunheim's toward myth building, the exchange was never‐ work, as well as some explanatory material on theless stimulating and exposed many significant German social history over the last four decades, issues surrounding the experience of sexual mi‐ would have added greatly to the depth and quali‐ norities in East and West Germany. For example, ty of the exhibition without detracting from its what began as a question about Mahlsdorf's Stasi commemorative intention. It can only be hoped file quickly expanded into a discussion of the di‐ that future exhibitions and retrospectives will of‐ vergent experiences of homosexuals in the GDR fer a more nuanced glimpse into Praunheim's and FRG. Although gay history has made great ad‐ complex and far-reaching oeuvre. It should be vances in both popular and scholarly discourse in pointed out, however, that while Rosa geht in the decades since Praunheim began making his Rente was better funded than previous homages films, such local discussions are a reminder of the in the series, staying within the limits of a rela‐ central role that oral exchange of memories plays tively small budget was a concern. in constituting communities. By far the most exciting aspect of the exhibi‐ Despite the exhibition's title, Praunheim is tion was the weekly discussion series led by not, in fact, going into retirement: he is working Praunheim at the museum. Each week a brief flm on three new flm projects at the moment. Fur‐ clip relevant to the topic was shown, followed by thermore, his most recent documentary, Meine a panel discussion with invited guests and Praun‐ Mutter--Spuren aus Riga (2007), was pre-selected heim--who, in characteristic style, asked probing for nomination for the Deutscher Filmpreis. The questions of the discussants and occasionally of next step, outright nomination, would have surely audience members. Topics included early gay lib‐ enhanced Praunheim's visibility both within Ger‐ eration in Germany and the group Homosexuelle many and abroad. Though it eluded him this time, Aktion West-Berlin (co-founded by Praunheim in Praunheim will assuredly not stop making flms 1971), AIDS, trans movements, and Praunheim's or relent in his pursuit to remain in German pub‐ involvement with students and novice flmmak‐ lic consciousness. ers.[7] Perhaps the most interesting discussion Notes concerned Charlotte von Mahlsdorf (1928-2002). Born Lothar Berfelde, Charlotte founded the [1]. Much of the information used in this re‐ Gründerzeit Museum in Berlin-Mahlsdorf (for‐ view comes from an interview I conducted with merly East Berlin), where she collected and dis‐ Mr. Theis at the Deutsche Kinemathek on January played furniture pieces and everyday items from 10, 2008.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 70 Neue Filme Von ROSA VON PRAUNHEIM 70 Rosa Von Praunheim in DER FRÖHLICHE SERIENMÖRDER ROSAS WELT: 70 FILME
    BASIS-FILM VERLEIH präsentiert ROSAS WELT 70 neue Filme von ROSA VON PRAUNHEIM 70 Rosa von Praunheim in DER FRÖHLICHE SERIENMÖRDER ROSAS WELT: 70 FILME Rosa von Praunheim präsentiert zu seinem 70. Ge- und im Fernsehen. Die lustvollen Erkundungen Rosa burtstag 70 neue Filme. Eine Gemeinschaftspro- von Praunheims geben Einblicke in das Leben unter- duktion mit dem Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, schiedlichster Menschen in Berlin und Brandenburg, der Bundesrepublik, Polen, Lettland, Rumänien, Russ- in Zusammenarbeit mit arte, gefördert vom Me- land, der Schweiz, den USA und China. Praunheim, ein dienboard Berlin-Brandenburg und der Film- und Meister des Interviews, öffnet sie – ermöglicht dem Medienstiftung NRW. Zuschauer intensive Begegnungen mit Menschen, die “ganz normal” sind und “ganz anders”. Rosa von Praunheim ist eine Ikone in der Szene: Ein Praunheims eindringliche, sensible und geistreiche Wegbereiter, ein schwuler Aktivist. Und ein ganz be- filmische Handschrift versprechen subjektive, authen- sonderer Filmemacher aus Berlin. Ein großartiger Er- tische deutsche und internationale Lebens- und Sitten- zähler, ein liebevoller Provokateur. bilder. Am 25. November 2012 feiert der Grimme-Preisträger Die mediale Beachtung ist diesem charmant größen- seinen 70. Geburtstag. wahnsinnigen Unterfangen gewiss. Nach 70 Filmen, die der große deutsche Filmemacher bisher vorgelegt hat, arbeitet Rosa von Praunheim an Die einzelnen Filme lassen ein facettenreiches Kalei- einem einzigartigen Projekt: Zusammen mit Arte und doskop aus Porträts, Lebens- und Sittenbildern entste- dem Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg wird er zu seinem hen. Neben dem Film über den Berliner Preußenpark 70sten 70 neue Filme vorlegen! Das ehrgeizige Projekt wird das Porträt einer Brandenburger Familie stehen. hat Potential für ein filmisches Event. Auf der Leinwand Etliche Filme haben eine große Leichtigkeit, einige sind sehr intensiv und anspruchsvoll (und eher für die späte eine Ausstellung zu Rosas Filmen unter dem Titel Ro- Stunde).
    [Show full text]
  • WER IST HELENE SCHWARZ? Berlinale Special WHO IS HELENE SCHWARZ? QUI EST HELENE SCHWARZ? Regie: Rosa Von Praunheim
    IFB 2005 WER IST HELENE SCHWARZ? Berlinale Special WHO IS HELENE SCHWARZ? QUI EST HELENE SCHWARZ? Regie: Rosa von Praunheim Deutschland 2004 Dokumentarfilm mit Helene Schwarz Länge 85 Min. Reinhard Hauff Format Digi Beta Michael Ballhaus Farbe Gerd Conradt Thomas Giefer Stabliste Peter Lilienthal Buch Rosa von Praunheim Helke Sander Kamera Lorenz Haarmann Harun Farocki Schnitt Mike Shephard Claudia Karohs Online-Schnitt Oskar Kammerer Hans-Otto Krüger Ton Lilly Grote Hans Helmut Prinzler Produzent Rosa von Praunheim Wolfgang Becker Redaktion Martin Pieper Helga Reidemeister Co-Produktion ZDF/Arte, Mainz Manfred Stelzer Lilly Grote Produktion Thomas Schadt Rosa von Praunheim Film Wilma Pradetto Konstanzer Str. 56 Detlev Buck D-10707 Berlin Drago Hari Tel.: 030-883 54 96 Volker Schlöndorff Fax: 030-881 29 58 Christian Petzold [email protected] Tom Tykwer Chris Kraus Weltvertrieb noch offen Helene Schwarz WER IST HELENE SCHWARZ? Wer ist Helene Schwarz? Nur Eingeweihte kennen sie, die am 13. Februar 1966 als Sekretärin an der Deutschen Film- und Fernsehakademie (DFFB) in Berlin begann und heute, mit 78 Jahren, immer noch als Studienberaterin und Muse tätig ist. Berühmte Namen pflastern ihren Weg – darunter der Hollywood-Regisseur Wolfgang Petersen, das spätere RAF-Mitglied Holger Meins sowie die Regis- seure Wolfgang Becker, Detlev Buck und Christian Petzold, die sich gern daran erinnern, wie sie im Büro von Helene alle Sorgen vergaßen, wenn sie dort Kaffee tranken und ihr Herz ausschütten durften. Helene wurde Freun- din und Beraterin von inzwischen unzähligen Filmstudenten. Das Besondere an Helene ist ihre Herzlichkeit, die wirklich jeden, der ihr be- gegnet, in ihren Bann zieht – auch mich, der ich Ende der 1960er Jahre ge- meinsam mit Werner Schroeter und Rainer Werner Fassbinder an der Aka- demie abgelehnt wurde, aber Helene treu geblieben bin.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of German-Scandinavian Relations
    A History of German – Scandinavian Relations A History of German-Scandinavian Relations By Raimund Wolfert A History of German – Scandinavian Relations Raimund Wolfert 2 A History of German – Scandinavian Relations Table of contents 1. The Rise and Fall of the Hanseatic League.............................................................5 2. The Thirty Years’ War............................................................................................11 3. Prussia en route to becoming a Great Power........................................................15 4. After the Napoleonic Wars.....................................................................................18 5. The German Empire..............................................................................................23 6. The Interwar Period...............................................................................................29 7. The Aftermath of War............................................................................................33 First version 12/2006 2 A History of German – Scandinavian Relations This essay contemplates the history of German-Scandinavian relations from the Hanseatic period through to the present day, focussing upon the Berlin- Brandenburg region and the northeastern part of Germany that lies to the south of the Baltic Sea. A geographic area whose topography has been shaped by the great Scandinavian glacier of the Vistula ice age from 20000 BC to 13 000 BC will thus be reflected upon. According to the linguistic usage of the term
    [Show full text]
  • The Transgender-Industrial Complex
    The Transgender-Industrial Complex THE TRANSGENDER– INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX Scott Howard Antelope Hill Publishing Copyright © 2020 Scott Howard First printing 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, besides select portions for quotation, without the consent of its author. Cover art by sswifty Edited by Margaret Bauer The author can be contacted at [email protected] Twitter: @HottScottHoward The publisher can be contacted at Antelopehillpublishing.com Paperback ISBN: 978-1-953730-41-1 ebook ISBN: 978-1-953730-42-8 “It’s the rush that the cockroaches get at the end of the world.” -Every Time I Die, “Ebolarama” Contents Introduction 1. All My Friends Are Going Trans 2. The Gaslight Anthem 3. Sex (Education) as a Weapon 4. Drag Me to Hell 5. The She-Male Gaze 6. What’s Love Got to Do With It? 7. Climate of Queer 8. Transforming Our World 9. Case Studies: Ireland and South Africa 10. Networks and Frameworks 11. Boas Constrictor 12. The Emperor’s New Penis 13. TERF Wars 14. Case Study: Cruel Britannia 15. Men Are From Mars, Women Have a Penis 16. Transgender, Inc. 17. Gross Domestic Products 18. Trans America: World Police 19. 50 Shades of Gay, Starring the United Nations Conclusion Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Introduction “Men who get their periods are men. Men who get pregnant and give birth are men.” The official American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Twitter account November 19th, 2019 At this point, it is safe to say that we are through the looking glass. The volume at which all things “trans”
    [Show full text]
  • University of Birmingham Museum, Furniture
    University of Birmingham Museum, furniture, men McTighe, Trish DOI: 10.3138/MD.3053 License: None: All rights reserved Document Version Peer reviewed version Citation for published version (Harvard): McTighe, T 2017, 'Museum, furniture, men: the Queer ecology of I Am My Own Wife', Modern Drama, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 150-168. https://doi.org/10.3138/MD.3053 Link to publication on Research at Birmingham portal Publisher Rights Statement: Checked 24/11/2016 General rights Unless a licence is specified above, all rights (including copyright and moral rights) in this document are retained by the authors and/or the copyright holders. The express permission of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of this material other than for purposes permitted by law. •Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication. •Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of private study or non-commercial research. •User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (?) •Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain. Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version. Take down policy While the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has been uploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive.
    [Show full text]
  • Museum, Furniture, Men: the Queer Ecology of I Am My Own Wife Mctighe, Trish
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Birmingham Research Portal Museum, Furniture, Men: The Queer Ecology of I Am My Own Wife McTighe, Trish DOI: 10.3138/MD.3053 License: None: All rights reserved Document Version Peer reviewed version Citation for published version (Harvard): McTighe, T 2017, 'Museum, Furniture, Men: The Queer Ecology of I Am My Own Wife', Modern Drama, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 150-168. https://doi.org/10.3138/MD.3053 Link to publication on Research at Birmingham portal Publisher Rights Statement: Checked 24/11/2016 General rights Unless a licence is specified above, all rights (including copyright and moral rights) in this document are retained by the authors and/or the copyright holders. The express permission of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of this material other than for purposes permitted by law. •Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication. •Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of private study or non-commercial research. •User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (?) •Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain. Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version.
    [Show full text]
  • DCA-2020-LGBT-Heritage-Month-Calendar-And-Cultural-Guide-6-1-20-240.Pdf
    Presented by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs CITY OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES CULTURAL AFFAIRS Eric Garcetti CITY COUNCIL COMMISSION Mayor Nury Martinez John Wirfs City of Los Angeles Los Angeles City Council President President Councilwoman, Sixth District Mike Feuer Elissa Scrafano Los Angeles City Attorney Gilbert Cedillo Vice President District 1 Ron Galperin Evonne Gallardo Los Angeles City Controller Paul Krekorian Thien Ho District 2 Charmaine Jefferson Bob Blumenfield Eric Paquette District 3 David Ryu District 4 CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF Paul Koretz CULTURAL AFFAIRS District 5 Danielle Brazell Monica Rodriguez General Manager District 7 Daniel Tarica Marqueece Harris-Dawson Assistant General Manager District 8 Will Caperton y Montoya Curren D. Price, Jr. Director of Marketing, District 9 Development, and Design Strategy Herb J. Wesson, Jr. District 10 Mike Bonin District 11 GUIDE PRODUCTION Will Caperton y Montoya John S. Lee Editor and Art Director District 12 Marcia Harris Mitch O’Farrell Whitley Company District 13 Jose Huizar GUIDE DESIGN District 14 Rubén Esparza View online at: Red Studio Joe Buscaino culturela.org District 15 Whitley Company Front Cover: Michael R. Moore, Jamari Over the Rainbow 5626b, Digital photography, 20” x 48”, 2014 ERIC GARCETTI MAYOR, CITY OF LOS ANGELES Dear Friends, On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, it is my pleasure to join all Angelenos in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Heritage Month. Our LGBT community has been an essential thread in the rich cultural tapestry of our city, and has made L.A. a more prosperous city.
    [Show full text]
  • Queer Mysticism: Elisàr Von Kupffer and the Androgynous Reform of Art Damien Delille
    Queer Mysticism: Elisàr von Kupffer and the Androgynous Reform of Art Damien Delille To cite this version: Damien Delille. Queer Mysticism: Elisàr von Kupffer and the Androgynous Reform of Art. Between Light and Darkness – New Perspectives in Symbolism Research, Studies in the Long Nineteeth Century, vol. I, pp.45-57, 2014. halshs-01796704 HAL Id: halshs-01796704 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01796704 Submitted on 28 May 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. DAMIEN DELILLE he dynamic rapport between science, Clarismus, von Kupffer and von Mayer sought to create a Queer Mysticism: psychology, esotericism, and sexuality that utopian ideal where male “over”-sexuality was deactivated. characterized cultural production at the turn At the intersection of esotericism and the dreamed antique, of the 20th century began to be recognized their proposal of an alternative male sexuality can thus be Elisàr von Kupffer inT the 1980s.1 This emergent scholarly literature, however, considered as an example of what I call “queer mysticism.”7 tended to focus on French and Belgian contexts, omitting A trans-historical aesthetic system, “queer mysticism” the contradictions found in parallel movements, such as combines the decompartmentalization of male and female and those in Germany.2 The artistic and theoretical practice genders and religious iconography.
    [Show full text]
  • A Transgender Journey in Three Acts a PROJECT SUBMITTED to THE
    Changes in Time: A Transgender Journey in Three Acts A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Ethan Bryce Boatner IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF LIBERAL STUDIES MAY 2012 © Ethan Bryce Boatner 2012 i For Carl and Garé, Josephine B, Jimmy, Timothy, Charles, Greg, Jan – and all the rest of you – for your confidence and unstinting support, from both EBBs. ii BAH! Kid talk! No man is poor who can to what he likes to do once in a while! Scrooge McDuck ~ Only a Poor Old Man iii CONTENTS Chapter By Way of Introduction: On Being and Becoming ..…………………………………………1 1 – There Have Always Been Transgenders–Haven’t There? …………………………….8 2 – The Nosology of Transgenderism, or, What’s Up, Doc? …….………...………….….17 3 – And the Word Was Transgender: Trans in Print, Film, Theatre ………………….….26 4 – The Child Is Father to the Man: Life As Realization ………….…………...……....….32 5 – Smell of the Greasepaint, Roar of the Crowd ……………………………...…….……43 6 – Curtain Call …………………………………………………………………....………… 49 7 – Program ..………………………..……………………………….……………...………..54 8 – Changes in Time ....………………………..…………………….………..….……........59 Wishes ……………………………….………………….……………...…………………60 Dresses …………………………………………………….…………………….….…….85 Changes ………………………………………………………….….………..…………107 9 – Works Cited …………………….………………………………………....…………….131 1 By Way of Introduction On Being and Becoming “I think you’re very brave,” said G as the date for my public play-reading approached. “Why?” I asked. “It takes guts to come out like that, putting all your personal things out in front of everybody,” he replied. “Oh no,” I assured him. “The first six decades took guts–this is a piece of cake.” In fact, I had not embarked on the University of Minnesota’s Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) program with the intention of writing plays.
    [Show full text]
  • Michael Bochow Political Activism and AIDS Activism Among Gay Men In
    Michael Bochow Political Activism and AIDS Activism Among Gay Men in Berlin* 1. Preliminary Remarks This is not the sort of article that would be printed in the American Journal of Sociology. Some of the observations are deliberately presented in the form of hypotheses; had I included detailed explanations and irrefutable sociological arguments to support many of the hypotheses that follow, this article would have grown to at least three times its already considerable size. Nevertheless, I maintain that I have not betrayed my roots as a sociologist. Instead, I have simply refused to shrink away from adopting a more subjective style, akin to an essay, in making my case. 2. The Pre-War History of Germany’s Post-War Gay Movement The founding of the Wissenschaftlich-humanitäres Komitee (WhK: Scientific Humanitarian Committee) by Magnus Hirschfeld and other courageous individuals in Berlin in 1897 is generally viewed as the “acte fondateur” of the homosexual movement in German-speaking countries. It was preceded, however, by several decades of committed efforts by journalists, doctors and psychiatrists in Prussia and other German states, who had sought to improve the lot of those with a “contrary sexual persuasion”. In 1869, the Austro-Hungarian essayist Karl Maria Kertbeny coined the word “homosexual” to define same-sex attraction, an event which marked an early phase in the struggle for homosexuals’ rights (see for example Goodbye to Berlin 1997, Berlin Museum 1984). It was not until the start of the 20th century that the terms “homosexuality” and “homosexual” became more widespread. In the following text the term “homosexual” shall be used with reference to the period before 1950, even though this term was far from common at the time (and especially prior to 1920).
    [Show full text]
  • Queer Movements in Germany Since Stonewall
    LOVE Queer Movements in Germany since AT Stonewall FIRST FIGHT! 1 Queer Movements in LOVE AT Germany since Stonewall FIRST FIGHT! In the night of June 27 to 28, 1969, queer peo- ple militantly resisted a police raid on the Sto- Lesbian feminists vigo- newall Inn bar. For many LGBTQIA communities rously supported the around the world, the days of the uprising feminist cause and pushed against the around Christopher Street in New York mark abortion ban – here at a the beginning of the queer revolt. As a joint demonstration in West project of the Goethe-Institut, Schwules Berlin. Museum Berlin, and the Federal Agency for Civic Edu- cation, this exhibition takes the 50th anniver- sary of the Stonewall Riots as an opportunity to offer an insight into the history of the queer movements in the Federal Republic of Ger- many, the German Democratic Republic, and reunited In the summer of 2019, the exhibition Germany since the 1960s. Particular emphasis is placed on the manifold will tour the Goethe-Instituts in Canada, relations with US movements. the United States, and Mexico, and The exhibition highlights moments of the queer movement’s history without will also be presented at Schwules claiming to tell the only possible story. In doing so, it questions the power dynamic that is at work in the queer poli- Museum Berlin; beginning in 2020, it tics of memory, too, as the debate about the legacy of the Stonewall Riots shows. What is under fire today is the appropriation will travel to other cities worldwide. of the riots by those parts of the movement that, in their struggle for social acceptance, lost sight of the radical goals of the riots and of the cause of many of its heroes: dykes, drag queens, trans people, sex workers, and young people living in precarious conditions, among them many queer people of color.
    [Show full text]
  • Meine Mütter Kamera: Elfi Mikesch „Du Bist Nicht Mein Sohn“
    ein Film von Rosa von Praunheim meine mütter Kamera: Elfi Mikesch „Du bist nicht mein Sohn“ Basis-Film Verleih Berlin www.basisfi lm.de Stabliste Buch und Regie Rosa von Praunheim Recherche Markus Tiarks Agnese Luse Kamera Elfi Mikesch Thomas Ladenburger Markus Tiarks Ton Manja Ebert Martin Brinins Musik Andreas Wolter Schnitt Mike Shephard gefördert von Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg Jens Stubenrauch, rbb v.l.n.r. Thomas Ladenburger, Martin Brinins, Redaktion Elfi Mikesch, Rosa von Praunheim Esther Schapira, hr im Lettischen Filmarchiv Herstellungsleitung Martin Kruppe Produktion Rosa von Praunheim Filmproduktion in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Hessischer Rundfunk Verleih Basis-Film Verleih Berlin Inhalt Ich bin am 25. November 1942 in Riga, Lettland geboren und als Holger Mischwitzky in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland aufgewachsen. Im Jahre 2000 offenbarte mir meine damals 94-jährigen Mutter, dass ich nicht ihr Sohn sei. Sie hätte mich in Riga während der deutschen Besatzung in einem Kinderheim gefunden. Mehr sagte sie nicht. Die Spurensuche nach meinen beiden Müttern in Riga ist meine persönliche Geschichte. Im Jahr 2003 verstarb meine Mutter. Zuerst wollte ich nicht nach meiner leiblichen Mutter forschen, da ich eine liebevolle und tolerante Mutter gehabt hatte. Erst später erwachte meine Neugier. Doch ohne meinen richtigen Familiennamen schien die Suche zwecklos. Durch einen lettischen Journalisten fand ich Agnese Luse, die im Staatlichen Archiv Lettlands Erstaunliches herausfand. Ebenso erstaunlich war es, dass ich in Berlin tatsächlich meine richtige Geburtsurkunde fand. Darin stand, dass ich 1942 im Zentralgefängnis in Riga zur Welt gekommen war. Die Suche nach meiner richtigen Mutter beginnt. Werde ich sie oder ihre Familie fi nden? Kann ich etwas über meinen Vater herausfi nden? Ich entschliesse mich nach 63 Jahren nach Riga zu fl iegen und mich selbst auf die Spuren meiner beiden Mütter zu machen.
    [Show full text]