Memorial Day for the Victims of National Socialism

In Germany, January 27 was introduced as a day of remembrance in 1996 and designated as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of National Socialism by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 (bpb, 2020).

The vast majority of victims of National Socialism were Jewish; of the 1.1 million people who died in Auschwitz, one million were Jewish. The Sinti*zze and Rom*nja and disabled and lsbt*i people who were imprisoned and murdered by the Nazi regime are also commemorated (Boxhammer & Leidinger, 2018; BMFSFJ, 2020; Bosold & Hájková, 2017; Plötz & Reusch). The tightening of Criminal Code Section 175 enabled the systematic persecution of gay, bisexual and other men who had sexual contact with men. Imprisoned in concentration camps, they were marked with the so-called Pink Angle (Zinn, 2017).

Even though the victims of the extermination camps are often assigned to one group and remembered as such, they can also be part of other groups (Hájková, 2018). For example, women who were imprisoned were labeled as "lesbian" or men who were labeled as homosexual could also be Jewish (Urgast, 2017).

The role and responsibility of scientific institutions during and after the Nazi regime is part of an ongoing process of reappraisal and research (cf. Jung, 2020). The use of forced laborers, the expulsion of Jewish academics and students, as well as research and teaching in line with National Socialist ideology are just a few examples of these (scientific) analyses (Benz, 2013). The procedure for the revocation of academic degrees, which was based on the "Law on the Revocation of Naturalization and the Revocation of German Citizenship" of 1933, is also the focus of the universities' reappraisal and rehabilitation work. Predominantly Jewish doctoral candidates and professors had their doctorates revoked in this way. Homosexuality and abortion were also reasons for the revocation of doctoral degrees under criminal law sections 175 and 218. Many universities officially rehabilitated those affected in the late 1990s (Weisbrod, 2004; Haferkamp, 2005).

Sources (in German)

Benz, Wolfgang (2013): "Hitler's willing professors." In: Der Tagesspiegel, 14.07.13. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Bosold, Birgit & Anna Hájková (2017): Sexuality, Holocaust, Stigma: Taking Stock. Conference documentation. Last accessed on 19.03.21.

Boxhammer, Ingeborg & Christiane Leidinger (2018): Sexism, Heteronormativity and the (State) Public Sphere under National Socialism. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ, 2020): "Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism 2020" In: Regenbogenportal.de, 27.02.2020. Last accessed on 19.03.21.

Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb, 2020): Commemoration of the victims of National Socialism, 21.01.2020. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Haferkamp, Hans-Peter (2005): "Doktorgradentziehungen wegen 'Unwürdigkeit' - Zur Aufarbeitung und Weiterverwendung des Gesetzes über die Führung akademischer Grade vom 7. Juni 1939 an der Universität Köln nach 1945." Speech from 12.12.2005, University of Cologne. Last accessed on 19.03.21.

Hájková, Anna (2018): "Queer History and the Holocaust." Federal Agency for Civic Education, 14.09.18. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Jung, Michael (2020): Literature review universities and National Socialism. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Plötz, Kirste & Nina Reusch: "Repression against intersexuals." In: LGBTTIQ in Baden and Württemberg. Last accessed on 19.03.21.

Ungast, Steff (2017): "Finally a memorial for lesbian Nazi victims?" In: siegessaule.de, 28.04.17. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Weisbrod, Bernd (2004): '"...unworthy of holding a German academic degree'. The revocation of doctoral degrees at the Georg-August University during the 'Third Reich'." Speech from 29.10.04, University of Göttingen. Last accessed on 26.01.21.

Zinn, Alexander (2017): Rosa-Winkel - The persecution of homosexuals under National Socialism. Last accessed on 26.01.21.