LGBTQ+ Lives: WWII and the Nazi Era
-
Hitler’s Closest Friend and Gay SA Leader: Ernst Röhm
He called Hitler Adi and stood beside him from the beginning.
As leader of the SA, Ernst Röhm commanded millions and dreamed of a “people’s army.” But his power—and his defiance—sealed his fate. In June 1934, Hitler’s SS struck without warning. Röhm was arrested, humiliated, and given a revolver ... -
How a Gay Artist Saved Thousands from the Nazis: Willem Arondeus
On 10 May 1940, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands. As bombs fell over Rotterdam and anti-Jewish laws took hold, Dutch artist and writer Willem Arondeus refused to stay silent. Openly gay in a time of persecution, he joined the resistance and led a daring mission to blow up Amsterdam’s populati...
-
Nazi War on Homosexuals: The Untold Story of Friedrich von Groszheim
Nazis arrested more than 100,000 homosexual men, labeling them “degenerates” and sending thousands to concentration camps marked with the pink triangle. Friedrich von Groszheim endured years of brutality—from Gestapo cells to Neuengamme camp. But long after the war, he continued to face persecuti...
-
The SA Commander Behind Berlin’s Terror: Karl Ernst
In the turbulent years leading to Hitler’s dictatorship, Karl Ernst commanded the Nazi Sturmabteilung in Berlin—the paramilitary force that beat opponents, raided homes, and terrorized Jews in the streets. A former nightclub bouncer turned fanatic, Ernst embodied the ruthless energy of the Browns...
-
Nazi War on Homosexuals: Persecution of Gay Men Under Hitler
During the Nazi era, thousands of gay men were arrested, tortured, and murdered simply for who they loved. Marked with the pink triangle, they endured inhuman experiments, brutal labor, and sexual abuse in concentration camps. This documentary uncovers their untold stories of their persecution an...
-
The Rise and Fall of Chinese Princess Who Spied for Japan: Yoshiko Kawashima
Born a Qing dynasty princess, Yoshiko Kawashima was adopted by a Japanese spy and transformed into the infamous “Mata Hari of the Far East.” She seduced Chinese officials, manipulated the last emperor, and helped Japan conquer Manchuria. From glamour and power to betrayal and execution, witness t...
-
Butcher of Breslau: Sadistic SA Commander Edmund Heines
Edmund Heines was one of the most violent and feared figures in the Nazi Party’s early years. A decorated war veteran turned fanatic, he joined Hitler’s paramilitary wing, the SA, and quickly built a reputation for brutality. As police chief of Breslau, he oversaw arrests, torture, and murders of...
-
Cruel Experiments of Nazi Doctor Who Tried to “Cure” Homosexuality: Carl Værnet
Carl Værnet, a Danish doctor, became notorious for his Nazi-backed experiments on homosexual prisoners in Buchenwald. Obsessed with creating an “artificial sex gland,” he tested his implants on inmates, leaving death and suffering behind. This film uncovers the story of medicine twisted into crue...
-
The Jewish Gay Hero Who Protected Auschwitz’s Children: Fredy Hirsch
Fredy Hirsch, a Jewish athlete and youth leader, dedicated his life to protecting children during the Holocaust. In Auschwitz’s Theresienstadt family camp, he created the Children’s Block—an oasis of hope amidst horror. Through discipline, hygiene, and secret education, he shielded hundreds from ...
-
Lesbian & Jewish Nazi Collaborator Who Betrayed Friends and Family: Ans van Dijk
Ans van Dijk, a Jewish woman from Amsterdam, began by helping Jews hide from the Nazis—but after her arrest in 1943, she turned collaborator. Disguised as a resistance member, she lured victims into traps, betraying 145 people, including friends and family. Convicted of 23 counts of treason, she ...
-
Lesbians Under Nazi Rule: Forgotten Victims of Persecution
Under Nazi rule, lesbians in Germany faced surveillance, harassment, and fear. While not criminalized like male homosexuality, they were targeted for “weakening the Reich” and pressured into motherhood. Many hid their identity, some joined the resistance, and others perished in concentration camp...