Germany Quashes Convictions Of 50,000 Gay Men

by Jeff DonlanAfter decades of activism and lobbying, German parliament voted on Thursday to clear the names of the 50,000 men who were once convicted of homosexuality under Nazi-era laws. The country officially voided 50,000 Nazi-era convictions that were linked to the Paragraph 175 law that outlawed “sexual acts contrary to nature… be it between people of the male gender or between people and animals.”Germany is also offering reparations to the estimated 5,000 victims who are still alive. Each will be compensated with a lump sum of €3,000 (about $3,300 USD) and an additional €1,500 ($1,600 USD) for every year they spent in prison.Paragraph 175 dates back to 1871, but was rarely enforced until the Nazis came into power. More than 42,000 men were convicted during that time and sent to prison or concentration camps.
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