House of Austrian History: Uncovering the Persecution of Individuals for Homosexual Acts, 1938–1945

This entry details the persecution of individuals for homosexual acts in Austria between 1938 and 1945 under Nazi rule. It explains the legal basis for this persecution, which extended from an older Austrian law, and the drastic increase in surveillance and repression following the 'Anschluss' of Austria to Nazi Germany. The text also covers the post-war denial of victim status and eventual recognition.

The historical entry '1938–1945: Verfolgung von Menschen für homosexuelle Handlungen' (Persecution of People for Homosexual Acts) from the House of Austrian History's lexicon provides an in-depth look at the criminal prosecution of homosexuality in Austria during the Nazi era. It clarifies that the legal basis, § 129 Ib of the penal code introduced in 1852, was not new to the Nazi period but continued and intensified after the 'Anschluss' in 1938. While the German Reich's equivalent law primarily targeted male homosexuality, the Austrian provision remained in effect and was rigorously enforced. The text highlights the drastic increase in surveillance and repression by the Gestapo and Kripo, particularly against homosexual men, leading to their categorization as 'Rosa Winkel' (pink triangle) inmates in concentration camps, where survival rates were very low. Furthermore, the entry addresses the long struggle for recognition of homosexual individuals as victims of Nazi persecution in post-war Austria. It notes that formal victim status and financial compensation were denied for decades, with a first financial acknowledgment of approximately 5,000 Euros only occurring in 1995 through the Nationalfondsgesetz. Full inclusion as a victim group into the Opferfürsorgegesetz (Victim Support Act) did not happen until 2005, underscoring the delayed and difficult process of acknowledging this history.

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