Institut für Sexualwissenschaft - Berlin - Jenkins, Jake

Institute for Sexual Science

Magnus Hirschfeld founded this "Institute for Sexual Research" on July 6, 1919. This facility consisted of his immense library full of studies and writings, providing educational services, and medical help. Many people all around Europe travelled to Berlin seeking help on a better understanding of their sexuality.

Dr. Hirschfeld was said to be the first advocate for homosexual and transgendered rights. However, on May 6, 1933, nearly eighty German students rushed into Hirschfeld's institute seizing half a ton of scientific material. Many years of research was completely destroyed four days later in the massive flames on May 10, 1933. Luckily, Hirschfeld was not on the premise when the raid occurred, because he was still being held in protective custody. A newspaper article from the New York Times published as follows:

"In less than an hour the student-hood raiders had gathered about half a ton of books, pamphlets, photographs, charts and lantern slides, which they hauled away to the head quarters of the students social centre, where the material will be sorted by medical experts and the scientific part reserved for legitimate use. The 'Un-German' part will be consigned to the Nazi fires that are to light up the university campus Wednesday. The archives of the institute contained extensive correspondence with professional men in all parts of Europe and the United States. This correspondence, the students said, would be treated as confidential and would be destroyed later, since they are determined to root out the Hirschfeld establishment." ("Nazi...Sex")

Hirschfeld's library was one of magnificence, his study of sexual science and his sexuality went against the Nazi regime; therefore, all of his study was cast into the blaze on May 10, 1933.

Scholar Leonidas E. Hill, writer of Part 1 of The Holocaust and the Book: Destruction and Preservation, writes about "Nazi attack on 'un-German' literature." Hill describes what happened on May 6, 1933, revealing the actions of the student body who raided Hirschfeld's library on this day. Hill writes as follows:

"For three hours the students emptied inkwells onto carpets and broke or vandalized framed paintings and prints, glass, porcelain, or marble vessels, lights, sculptures, and decorations. They confiscated books, periodicals, photographs, anatomical models, a famous wall tapestry, and a bust of Hirschfeld. After music, speeches, and songs outside at noon they departed but were succeeded at 3:00 P.M. by SA men, who removed 10,000 books from the institute's library. A few days later they carried the bust of Hirschfeld on a pole in a torchlight parade before throwing it on the bonfire with the books from the Institute." (Rose 15)

Hill truly makes aware the cruelty and destructional acts that the students bestowed upon Hirschfeld's library and extensive research. The students had no cares to anything other than their leader. Hitler commanded that the students rid Germany of all un-German books, and they certainly gave this objective their all; starting with authors who advocated for individual thought.