[The below is by a German organization that claims to be Maoist and opposes the "Gang of Four." For MIM, it is proof that this organization "NE" cannot be communist at all, because communists are for the abolition of all oppressions. MIM comments follow in brackets. We received the article in December, 1998.]
H i s t o r i c T i e s B r o u g h t
T o t h e P u b l i c
- About the aggressive Homosexualism [by NEUE EINHEIT ]
Important questions like the worldwide structural changes and the international crises occupy the publics mind, but there is one cultural question we are also forced to deal with, this is a question we often are confronted with by the media, the question of the spread and the character of the homosexuality. There are not few allegedly revolutionary, communist or workers' groups which assert that the support of the so-called emancipation of homosexuality is self-evident. We very resolutely oppose this. On the contrary, we are of the opinion that one has to keep to the fundamental view, that this phenomenon is a reflex of a one-sided development and of decadence, characteristic in particular also for decaying and dying parasitic classes.
[MIM3@mim.org replies: The above view is also like that of the RCP-USA, even worse. The most anti-Leninist thing about it is that it implies that heterosexual relations are NOT conditioned by imperialist parasitism at this time. As such, it is an individualist view of imperialism as generating a lifestyle and it stoops to the level of lifestyle politics.]
In the way it is presently being propagated, by the capital groups ruling in the world, especially by the international financial oligarchy, it furthermore becomes a means in the service of their aim to weaken the social structure, to degenerate the population, sometimes even to diminish the population by number, and to culturally weaken the labor movement and the masses of people who in many countries are no more ready to accept the present condition.
[mim3@mim.org replies: Real revolutionaries believe it is their duty to "weaken the social structure." Perhaps NE means that the heterosexual family/patriarchy should be sacred. MIM agrees that the "family" has decayed in ways that are not all good, but that is true of all families under imperialism, not just those with homosexuals in them.]
During the time end of September - beginning of October, 1998, also a debate had developed. Our statement summing up the election campaign in Germany had been posted, in English, also to the so-called "Leninist-International" (a political mailing list), as to many other points. There it read:
"In the drawers of these parties (SPD, Greens) there are also laws like the so-called 'emancipation of homo-sexuals' which mean an utterly deep cut in the whole moral life but which are of no importance in their election propaganda (with the exception of very particular election districts). If this is a part of these parties' programs, why don't they openly offer this in their national election propaganda? This affronting program which ties on extremely reactionary traditions ('Emancipation'? not at all!) afterwards, as it seems, shall be regarded as legitimated by the election. This is a fraud which is supposed to be shifted to the population."
This passage caused an intense reaction and a very large discussion there, which first of all could be welcomed. After our organisation had refuted some standpoints, it was attacked in an offensive and outrageous way like "counterrevolutionary", and it was to be forbidden to make "homophobic" comments, etc. The swearwords would not end up to that we were slandered as Nazis, only because of our not acknowleding homosexuality as a phenomenon with equal rights and regarding it as culturally reactionary and decadent in its essence, and finally they cut us off the list on Oct.7 in order to escape the further confrontation. In that slandering certain Trotskyites tried to refer particularly to certain experiences of the German labor movement.
[snip]Some of the main points we want to sum up here.
[snip]
The aristocracy in particular, the Prussian military camarilla and certain professions which are especially closely tied to the state like the jurists were overcome with it. Also in the entourage of the "Supreme" (Wilhelm II.) were people who were more or less openly homosexual. They formed circles which considerably influenced politics.
[mim3@mim.org replies: This is the kind of kiddy stuff that Nazis usually put out, on par with anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. It also stands exposed because in this article, one can substitute the word "heterosexual" and there would be "people who were more or less openly heterosexual. They formed circles which considerably influenced politics." Scientific method escapes these homophobes.
Furthermore, they are perpetrating the bourgeois view of history which focuses on itself and not the masses. This whole article from NE alleges ruling class homosexuality without talking about its extent amongst the masses.
The ruling class always gains more attention than the ordinary masses. That does not mean homosexuality only exists amongst the ruling class. Such is the idealist fallacy of the NE.
A corollary of this fallacy is that only homosexual ruling class members abuse the public sexually. That is nonsense. Parasitism conditions ALL sexual relations in the imperialist countries. The ruling class also abuses the public in completely heterosexual ways.]
Hirschfeld drew heavily upon pity, upon the miserable fate attributed to "such valuable persons", but he did not leave it with that, in his petition he also exposed his doctrine that man was of a fundamentally hermaphroditic disposition, an incredible thesis which later propagandists of homosexuality did not dare to further support in this form. But then it was announced as "irrefutable science" in order to put pressure upon people who objected the so-called emancipation. Numerous
[mim3@mim.org: I suspect the author intends "bisexual" not "hermaphroditic." There have been numerous studies pointing to bisexuality. The latest shows that Amerikan wimmin prefer male photographs with more feminine qualities over photographs of men with more classicly male appearances. It is also well-known that male rock-stars seeking the maximum popularity wear make-up and try to appear as females. Although the public may deny being bisexual, its actions speak louder than words. However, even if the public is not bisexual, NE still would not be justified in spreading homophobia.]
so-called scientific authorities, professors and intellectuals were to sign this petition with its absurd content. No matter whether they were well-known doctors like Virchow or other well-known personalities like Albert Einstein or the social democrats mentioned above, the responsibility of having signed such an absurd declaration cannot be taken away from them whatever motive may have led them to sign.
The matter was, however, at first to take a different turn during the following years. In 1902 Friedrich Alfred Krupp, the biggest steel and armament industrialist, an actual symbol of capitalist magnatism, is attacked by the press, apparently rightly, to have "celebrated" extensive homosexual "excesses" on his estate on the island of Capri. This again sheds light upon the condition of the then ruling class. Immediately afterwards Fr. A. Krupp dies, presumably by suicide. At the subsequent funeral service Wilhelm II. utters massive threats against social democracy which as well had taken up the case in its press. Wilhelm went as far as to virtually threaten civil war.
[mim3@mim.org: How many ruling class figures were heterosexual? How many were guilty of heterosexual excesses? Perhaps NE is intentionally rehabilitating the heterosexual bourgeoisie with this sub-reformist lifestyle drivel.]
In 1906, finally, also the contradictions within the ruling classes erupted. All too stifling was the actually illegal rule of cliques which made use of the emperor for a regime without any mandate. The journalist Maximilian Harden attacked Wilhelm's II. longtime intimate personal friend who formed a circle of a chosen few characterized by homosexuality and influenced politics from behind the scene. This time Wilhelm II. had to dissociate himself from these people.
[mim3@mim.org: And there were no ruling class circles acting behind the scenes who were heterosexual?]
In Germany of then this spread of homosexuality was very strongly related to the character of this depraved Junker and bourgeois upper class. Hirschfeld's activities to a very large
[mim3@mim.org: More bourgeois idealist history focussing on the ruling class and not the masses.]
degree aimed at influencing this upper class, the emperor himself included, in order to come to a turn in the social assessment of homosexuality. In 1897 Hirschfeld founded a so- called "Scientific-Humanitarian Committee" which allegedly devotes itself particularly to medical aid and enlightenment but above all gets numerous contacts, counsels persons who are blackmailed because of their homosexuality, and in this way itself becomes a comprehensive information apparatus.
At this point it is indispensable to spend a remark on the incidents on "Leninist-International". Here today, in 1998, Louis Proyect with the support of other Trotskyites presents quotations in which social democracy is attacked because then it criticized the aristocracy because of its homosexual excesses. For us this raises questions as to what kind of people are ruling such platforms for discussion. What kind of platforms are these in which aggressive and fanatic Trotskyites feel trodden on their toes because in our contributions, completely calmly and objectively, the so- called homosexuals' movement was criticized?
[mim3@mim.org: You are a Trotskyist dream come true if you are not working with them.]
Time and again, one of the essential points is the reference to the first legislation of Soviet Russia. As to the first Soviet government, it actually abolished tsarism's whole section about sexual criminal law. But there is not one detailed explanation from decisive Bolsheviks about this question, let alone Lenin. There is no utterance by Lenin at
[mim3@mim.org: We will have to concede that Stalin was no better than the others of his day on gays, but Lenin believed in not speaking about sexual lifestyle questions at all, seeing such discussion as inherently pornographic, and hence he also did not discuss Freud at length either. That has nothing to do with criticizing homosexuality. His actions speak much more loudly than his lack of words. NE's exclusion of Mao's position on the question also speaks very loudly.]
[snip]
The case Richard Linsert
But there is a phenomenon like the functionary Richard Linsert who according to different publications occupied an important place in the KPD's defence apparatus in the then civil war situation around 1930. Linsert simultaneously appeared as a book author, well-known in the public, in accordance with Hirschfeld's "Scientific-Humanitarian Committe". What is even more, he was a closest cooperator of Hirschfeld, and it is even alleged that he de facto replaced the latter in the committes' s leadership since appr. 1930.
Linsert came to the fore as a book author producing a certain kind of so-called "homoerotic" literature, which partly describes intrigues and scandals from the past decades and centuries, with a partly pleasureful exposition of details, and in which Linsert behaves as an actual strategist of Hirschfeld's direction. So one is at first confronted with the astonishing fact that the KPD in 1931 possesses an immediate connection between its secret apparatus and Hirschfeld's committee. In the widely distributed descriptions about the KPD's history this fact is not at all mentioned, neither by western nor by GDR authors. Only if one makes a specific enquiry one comes upon this point.
And, of course, this affair of the beginning of the thirties together with some other well-known facts from then stands in the focus. Especially in the so-called storm detachments (SA) of the NSDAP were many homosexual leaders who then, in 1931/1932, because of their pederastic practices in the fascist youth organizations caused public sensation.
[mim3@mim.org: And there were no "heterosexual leaders"? And they did not cause "public sensation"? There is nothing in this Linsert material that makes it what NE says it is. It could very well be that Linsert was criticizing Nazism in the typical homophobic way of that day.]
[snip][mim3@mim.org: Most of this article was by method of "guilt by association," a most stupid method. If we must total up revisionists, fascists, ruling class members etc. supporting heterosexuality they will total more than supported homosexuality. The lack of scientific process in this article comes out in not doing the parallel guilts by association for heterosexuality and it stands as damnation of the NE's scientific abilities.]