A Curator-Led Tour: Un/adapted Sexuality at the House of Austrian History, Exploring NS Persecution

This curator-led tour, 'Un/adapted Sexuality', examines the NS regime's persecution beyond gay men and lesbians, focusing on individuals targeted for their sexuality in line with the 'Volksgemeinschaft' ideology. It highlights the experiences of women deemed 'dangerous' and those forcibly sterilized, whose suffering remains largely unrecognized.

The Curator's Tour: Un/adapted Sexuality delves into the NS regime's systematic repression of individuals based on their sexual orientation and identity, extending beyond the commonly recognized persecution of gay men and lesbians. Curator Stefan Benedik leads this exploration, emphasizing that the NS regime's aim was to restrict sexuality according to the narrow definition of the 'Volksgemeinschaft.' The tour draws attention to the experiences of women who were targeted for not adhering to monogamous norms, often due to their social background, leading to severe consequences such as exclusion, surveillance, imprisonment, and violence, even murder. Survivors of this persecution carried a stigma even in the post-war democratic republic, often unable to speak about their experiences. Many continued to be monitored by social authorities and police. This tour intentionally traces the paths of female sexuality that were considered dangerous during the NS era, bringing to the forefront the suffering of individuals whose experiences have yet to be fully acknowledged. It also addresses the omissions within the hdgö's main exhibition, 'Neue Zeiten,' highlighting stories that are still missing from the historical narrative.

The tour has a duration of approximately 60-90 minutes. The guiding fee is €4.50 per person, with a reduced rate of €3.50, in addition to the museum entrance fee. Due to limited participant numbers, tickets are available at the museum's ticket counter.