Jews Queers Germans
by Martin Duberman
Seven Stories Press. $19.19, 352 pages
THIS compelling historical novel follows the lives of several prominent, real-life Germans from before World War I through Hitler’s rise to power and the descent into the horrors of the Nazi regime. It captures both German society as a whole and individual Germans adapting, for better or worse, to the changes of that terrible era.
The main characters—all actual historical figures—are Count Harry Kessler, an advocate for modern art and keeper of diaries chronicling the major social, artistic, and political events of the time; Magnus Hirschfeld, a sexologist whose primary interest was in researching homosexuality and trying to repeal the infamous Paragraph 175, which prohibited homosexual acts; and Walther Rathenau, a successful industrialist and friend to Kessler. These three make up the “queers” of the title, though they express their sexuality in different ways. Kessler discreetly alludes to it in his diaries, while the novel shows him occasionally with his younger, married lover. Hirschfeld is also involved with a younger man, who affectionately calls him “Papa” and works with him at his institute. Rathenau is more mysterious, his sexual identity not as well known, but Kessler’s diaries seem to indicate he is like the other men.
These men are portrayed as intelligent, sophisticated, and extremely cultured. They have deep, penetrating conversations about many different subjects, from philosophy and art to politics, which makes for engaging reading. In many cases, their political views emerge from their personal experiences. Over the course of the book, Rathenau begins to change his perspective, yearning for a radical, almost socialistic uprooting of the German industrial system. Kessler, after some surprise, soon understands that this thinking comes from his friend’s lifelong aloofness, which has lead to a deep loneliness, despite his wealth and position.
One fascinating aspect of the novel is seeing how much anti-Semitism pervaded all levels of German society at this time. Hirschfeld is Jewish, and although he is completely assimilated, some people—including fellow scientists—still hurl anti-Semitic epithets at him. Hitler obviously tapped into this pre-existing cultural prejudice and used it to his advantage.
Other historical figures appear in the novel as well, among them Kaiser Wilhelm. He comes across as a crude lout of a man, more interested in military matters than intellectual or artistic ones. He takes a dim view of homosexuals. Indeed, the first part of the novel concerns one of the Kaiser’s closest friends, Prince Philipp von Eulenburg, who stands accused of improper relations with men and faces removal from the Kaiser’s inner circle, thus ending his influence over the monarch.
The novel’s structure is somewhat unusual. In his author’s note, Duberman remarks that it isn’t exactly a historical novel or “a traditional work of history.” Instead, it’s a curious mixture of the two, with dialogue appearing alongside historical summaries. But there are plenty of conversations and dramatic scenes that help move the story forward and deepen the reader’s understanding of the period. For example, when von Eulenburg goes on trial for homosexuality, Hirschfeld is called upon as an expert witness. In an exchange with the prosecuting lawyer, Hirschfeld explains his sexual theories in detail, which prove controversial in the popular press and actually help to set back his attempt to decriminalize homosexuality.
Toward the end of the book, the description of the breakdown of government in the Weimar Republic, with the various political parties fighting for power, can sometimes be overwhelming. The whirl of history starts to take on greater importance than the characters. Still, it makes for compelling reading. Even though the ending is already well known, Duberman makes it an exciting, however grim, story to read about.
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Charles Green is a writer based in Annapolis, Maryland.
