The Queer History of Weimar Germany

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  • Опубліковано 11 лис 2021
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    Before WW2, Germany saw a brief period of conflicted social progress that allowed its queer community to become more visible than ever before. What was life like for the queer folks of Weimar Germany? Come learn with me about LGBTQ Germany before the Nazis, and the film star who appeared as the first on-screen sympathetic gay character: Conrad Veidt.
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    Audio sampled from "If The Joker Could Beatbox..." by 80fitz: • IF THE JOKER COULD BEA...
    Sources:
    Homosexuality and Comradeship: Destabilizing the Hegemonic Masculine Ideal in Nazi Germany by Jason Crouthamel
    Sex and the Weimar Republic German Homosexual Emancipation and the Rise of the Nazis By Laurie Marhoefer
    Gay Berlin: Birthplace of a Modern Identity by Robert Beachy
    Queer Identities and Politics in Germany: A History, 1880-1945 by Clayton J. Whisnant
    German Expressionism: Art and Society. Rizzoli New york
    The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard J. Evans
    Art in Berlin 1815-1989. High Museum of Art
    New Objectivity: Modern German Art in the Weimar Republic 1919-1933 by Stephanie Barron and Sabine Eckmann
    “Inhuman Acts of Lesbian Love” : The Lesbian Stigmatization Process from Weimar Germany to KZ Ravensbrück by Giulia Iannucci
    Film Censorship in the Weimar Republic: Cinema Reform, Political Crisis, and the Rise of the Nazis by John Paul Mason
    Among abnormals: The queer sexual politics of Germany's Weimar Republic, 1918-1933 By Laurie Marhoefer
    Queer European Cinema: queering cinematic time and space by Leanne Dawson
    The Seduction of Youth Print Culture and Homosexual Rights in the Weimar Republic By Javier Samper Vendrell
    “The Agony of Love and Fear”: Nazism and the German Queer Community 1920-19451 Introduction: Breaking the Silence by Sydni Zastre
    Cinema and Censorship in the Weimar Republic: The Case of Anders als Die Andern by James D. Steakley
    Degeneration, Sexual Freedom, and the Politics of the Weimar Republic, 1918-1933 by Laurie Marhoefer
    "We Too Deserve a Place in the Sun": The Politics of Transvestite Identity in Weimar Germany by Katie Sutton
    Defining Identity via Homosexual Spaces: Locating the Male Homosexual in Weimar Berlin by David James Prickett
    Caligari: The Story of a Famous Film by Liam O. Laoghaire
    Conrad Veidt on Screen: A Comprehensive Illustrated Filmography By John T. Soister
    Schaulust: Sexuality and Trauma in Conrad Veidt’s Masculine Masquerades by Elizabeth Otto
    An Imagined Binary: The Exilic Body and the Host Nation in the Hollywood Films of Peter Lorre, Béla Lugosi and Conrad Veidt, 1930-1956 by Gabor Gergely
    The Homosexuality of Men and Women By Magnus Hirschfeld
    Magnus Hirschfeld and the Quest for Sexual Freedom: A History of the First International Sexual Freedom Movement By Elena Mancini
    Indians, Jews, and Sex: Magnus Hirschfiels and Indian Sexology by Veronika Fuechtner
    Render unto Cesare: The Queerness of Caligari by Alexander Doty
    From "Caligari" to Dietrich: Sexual, Social, and Cinematic Discourses in Weimar Film by Richard W. McCormick
    “SPIRITS SURROUND US ON EVERY SIDE”: 100 YEARS OF CALIGARI by Miranda Corcoran diaboliquemagazine.com/spirit...
    Conrad Veidt: From Caligari to Casablanca by Jerry C. Allen
    From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film by Siegfried Kracauer
    Footage:
    The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
    Different from the Others (1919)
    The Man Who Laughs (1924)
    The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
    Jew Süss (1934)
    Casablanca (1942)
    The Student of Prague (1926)
    Metropolis (1927)
    Kino Film Archive

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,2 тис.

  • @ladybird5000
    @ladybird5000 2 роки тому +4014

    fun fact: in the early 1900s the question "do you speak german" was a coded way to ask someone if they were gay lol (this was mostly a popular phrase in paris) so basically today's version of "do you listen to girl in red?"

    • @coreyparson9906
      @coreyparson9906 2 роки тому +109

      I learned something new! Thank you! What does girl in red refer to?

    • @Beanits
      @Beanits 2 роки тому +286

      @@coreyparson9906 she is a queer artist who makes a lot of music about loving women, very popular among lesbians and other queer women. I love her music!

    • @coreyparson9906
      @coreyparson9906 2 роки тому +41

      I will have to check her out. Thank you!

    • @natalies1624
      @natalies1624 2 роки тому +51

      @Salted banana what?

    • @itschrissspy
      @itschrissspy 2 роки тому +240

      there was also a code that was said to date back at the 40s: "Are you a friend of Dorothy's?" or something similar to that manner. it was coined after Judy Garland's character, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Judy Garland was one of the greatest and bestest ally for the LGBTQIA+ community back in her days, so queer people used that code!

  • @nobodyofimprotance7615
    @nobodyofimprotance7615 2 роки тому +5584

    There's something weirdly sad about this. The fact that there was a time between the wars when Germany was incredibly progressive for the time, makes the rise of fascism incredibly tragic.

    • @Bildgesmythe
      @Bildgesmythe 2 роки тому +269

      Don't think it can't happen here and now.

    • @nobodyofimprotance7615
      @nobodyofimprotance7615 2 роки тому +384

      @@Bildgesmythe Yeah, that's the point.

    • @JC-yy8iv
      @JC-yy8iv 2 роки тому +235

      That’s essentially what Cabaret is about, if you’ve never seen it you really should, it’s wonderful

    • @lasofi5510
      @lasofi5510 2 роки тому +26

      It makes me wanna die😭😭😭😭

    • @localabsurdist6661
      @localabsurdist6661 2 роки тому +138

      Well while those progressive people sure existed there where also a ton of nationalist and right extremists… the time between the world wars is full of political extremes

  • @isabelateixeira3713
    @isabelateixeira3713 2 роки тому +983

    Ah yes, the holy trinity of feminine characteristics: menstruation, backaches and depression

    • @passionate_possum_pal
      @passionate_possum_pal Рік тому +33

      What a vibe

    • @cocoaorange1
      @cocoaorange1 Рік тому +30

      Oh my gosh, some of the backaches from my cycle in in my youth would drive me nuts!

    • @TygR3
      @TygR3 Рік тому +11

      Looks like half of all men are 2/3rds women in that case, lol

    • @cam4636
      @cam4636 Рік тому +13

      @@TygR3 Yeah maybe the idea that men and women are more alike than different should make you think

    • @icravedeath.1200
      @icravedeath.1200 Рік тому +3

      @@cam4636 based.

  • @SDOtunes
    @SDOtunes Рік тому +2112

    Imagine having such an immense amount of "Fuck off, nazis" energy that you get personal hate mail from Hitler. Conrad Veidt, what a guy.

    • @tjenadonn6158
      @tjenadonn6158 Рік тому +80

      I mean, goals.

    • @BeautifulMutant
      @BeautifulMutant Рік тому

      If I ever get personal hate mail from a modern dictator (*cough Putin *cough) or shitty former president (*cough Trump *cough), I'm framing it and hanging it on my wall.
      Edit: Even better if I get a hate letter from both of them.

    • @MonsieurBananaTheBetter
      @MonsieurBananaTheBetter Рік тому +26

      Iconic

    • @jungtothehuimang
      @jungtothehuimang Рік тому +42

      He's the kind of man I aspire to be

    • @patternrecon5271
      @patternrecon5271 Рік тому +1

      You must understand. The leading Bolsheviks who took over Russia were not Russians. They hated Russians. They hated Christians. Driven by ethnic hatred they tortured and slaughtered millions of Russians without a shred of human remorse. The October Revolution was not what you call in America the "Russian Revolution." It was an invasion and conquest over the Russian people. More of my countrymen suffered horrific crimes at their bloodstained hands than any people or nation ever suffered in the entirety of human history. It cannot be understated. Bolshevism was the greatest human slaughter of all time. The fact that most of the world is ignorant of this reality is proof that the global media itself is in the hands of the perpetrators."
      Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • @nobodyofimprotance7615
    @nobodyofimprotance7615 2 роки тому +2916

    As a bisexual, I too want to one day be known for having spooky hands.

    • @mcwjes
      @mcwjes 2 роки тому +51

      This is the real bi agenda! Look upon our hands and feel unsettled!

    • @Saternalius
      @Saternalius 2 роки тому +16

      Same

    • @nikkicafeina
      @nikkicafeina 2 роки тому +5

      Samesies.

    • @BeautifulMutant
      @BeautifulMutant 2 роки тому +19

      "And with these hands (you) hold the fate of millions!"

    • @DeidreL9
      @DeidreL9 2 роки тому +5

      Spooky mitts. Lol, got ‘em!❤️

  • @nmtviola
    @nmtviola 2 роки тому +596

    I would appreciate merch that says “What about the Bears Magnus, what about the bears!!”

    • @AM-kr4pv
      @AM-kr4pv 2 роки тому +18

      I read this comment before kaz said it but they still managed to make me laugh out loud when it happened

    • @sarahwatts7152
      @sarahwatts7152 2 роки тому +6

      Oh yes. Take my money, stat!

  • @BeautifulMutant
    @BeautifulMutant 2 роки тому +336

    There's actually an anecdote I came across about why Conrad Veidt's first wife, Gussy Holl, decided to get a divorce. Apparently, the final nail in the coffin was when Gussy came home from work one night and found Conrad wearing her new dress which had just arrived from Paris.

    • @TheSonWhoCums6669
      @TheSonWhoCums6669 2 роки тому +41

      “If there was a hole in the ground, it would be called grussy.”

    • @moldy.lychee
      @moldy.lychee 2 роки тому +86

      I mean, i would also be mad too if my husband wore my new dress that had just arrived from pairs. Like, excuse me?? That dress is mine idc if you look good in it, go get your own dress.

    • @BeautifulMutant
      @BeautifulMutant 2 роки тому +57

      @@moldy.lychee I mean, of all the dresses she owned, he just had to pick that one? And he had all these other guys over and they were wearing dresses too. I'm probably going to Hell for laughing, but I can't help but picture her looking really angry with steam coming out of her ears accompanied by the sound of a tea kettle boiling over. Meanwhile, Conrad's just sitting there looking nervous and knowing he done goofed. And his friends are all like "well would you look at the time, gotta go." I'll bet he looked great in that dress, though.

    • @morgan9660
      @morgan9660 2 роки тому +46

      @@BeautifulMutant one of the things said about this was in a group of women one had to be careful of the prettiest one because she might turn out to be Veidt. so this isn’t entirely unfounded

    • @BeautifulMutant
      @BeautifulMutant 2 роки тому +13

      @@morgan9660 Hey, if I found out it was him, I wouldn't complain!

  • @fightscrimewhilesleeping4024
    @fightscrimewhilesleeping4024 2 роки тому +480

    "It could happen here" but also "It could happen NOW." It's so tempting to see history as a straight line, to think things are always getting "better", more advanced, more progressive. But that's just not how it works. We are ALWAYS one generation, one decade, away from losing EVERYTHING.

    • @wolkenlos5351
      @wolkenlos5351 2 роки тому +16

      Genau,weil die Geschichte sich immer wiederholt.Den Fokus nur auf eine Epoche zu sehen,wäre aus meiner Sicht Falsch.Am Ende liegt es stets an uns selber.Dies erkannte auch Goethe schon.Ich empfehle Faust 1 zu lesen und es abzugleichen mit heute.
      Liebe Grüße aus Weimar❤

    • @catabie8149
      @catabie8149 Рік тому +15

      this comment hits different in July 2022

    • @johndoe-ek6vl
      @johndoe-ek6vl Рік тому

      that's how you feel about us but that's how we feel about you. The left is a self destructive force. You seem to be hell bent on imploding civilization itself.

    • @corinnae.7877
      @corinnae.7877 Рік тому +15

      The point of history is that no one in history learnt from their mistakes, mistakes were made/ repeated again and again. A massive genocide can absolutely happen again, smaller ones are already happening behind closed doors. It's dumb to think that we are smarter now. In many cases we are, but in others we progress backwards as a society.

    • @icravedeath.1200
      @icravedeath.1200 Рік тому

      @@corinnae.7877 Look at what's happening with the whigur muslims in China.

  • @mercilessaphrodite3052
    @mercilessaphrodite3052 2 роки тому +1052

    Germany has sooo much history before the Nazis

    • @jamiepollard7857
      @jamiepollard7857 2 роки тому +87

      So much history the Nazis tried to erase and rewrite

    • @jungtothehuimang
      @jungtothehuimang 2 роки тому +29

      You'd never know that from what the US school system teaches kids, Germany = nazis is really the only idea you get. It's sad.

    • @BlueberryDragon13
      @BlueberryDragon13 2 роки тому +41

      What the Nazis did to Germany was cultural suicide in more than one way. So many great people killed or driven into exile, not only of the Jewish population, which could have made Germany famous for their art, inventions and discoveries. Instead, we're the land of fascism and stupid sheep. As a German, I can't hear my national anthem without thinking of the guy with the weird facial hair.

    • @erraticonteuse
      @erraticonteuse 2 роки тому +86

      @@BlueberryDragon13 The same goes for German-Americans. It's kind of ironic (though understandable) that in the wake of WWII, multiculturalism became more embraced by the mainstream and celebrating one's ethnic identity and heritage (especially historically marginalized ethnicities) replaced assimilationism... as long as that ethnicity wasn't German. German used to be the second-most spoken language in the US (like Spanish is today). There were whole *counties* in Midwestern states where the predominant language was German. I know of some of my ancestors who were second- or third-generation German-Americans who never learned English because literally everyone in their community spoke German. The German-American community had already taken a big hit during the First World War and then again during Prohibition (because most American breweries were owned by German-Americans), but I think we could have bounced back from that. But not after WWII. German-American culture is virtually extinct these days (compared to Irish-American and Italian-American culture). Even a lot of the old headstones in once German enclave cemeteries have been replaced with English language ones with Anglicized names. My dad's grandfathers and one great grandfather were named Reuben, Albert, and Gustav-quite German. My grandfather and granduncle (born after WWI) are named Charles and John-Anglicized but still versions of common German names. My dad and uncles (born after WWII) are named David, Michael, and James-any resemblance to German names is purely coincidental.
      Just to be clear, I'm not one of those idiots who moans about "why can't I be proud of being white" and I certainly don't blame any of the victims of the Holocaust for not "letting" me be "proud" of my German heritage. There's only one group of people I blame for ruining German and German-American identity, and it's the Third Reich. I'm just a little jealous of the Little Italies and Chinatowns of the US when we used to have whole counties like that.

    • @annabeinglazy5580
      @annabeinglazy5580 2 роки тому +57

      @@jungtothehuimang Not gonna lie thats also an issue in the German school system.
      We do this weird way of pretending to engage with our History. And i use pretending, because im pretty jaded about the whole thing. Germany prides itself on addressing its dark past (often in opposition to the US and UK who tend to ignore their less savoury historical Events). But what really happens is a type of mental exhaustion. I learned about the third Reich above all other things and hardly remember a thing except "Nazis Bad"(which... Duh.). But we didnt Talk about the why for years because it wasnt "age appropriate". Not in Detail. And to truly understand the magnitude and Terror... You need Details. So you get a bunch of 13 year olds who already dont give a damn, and you Tell them "Hitler Bad" for about three years. Which makes the students Go "yh No sh*t" and they get bored. Then by the time you CAN get to the graphic stuff, theyre already bored by the whole thing and dont engage anymore.
      And thats how you get grown ups spouting nonsense and claiming that "it's time to be proud again and Stop the shaming", which is Just Code for "leave me alone, i dont give a damn".
      An unfortunate Side effect is that Most students dont learn about the German Empire (pre wwi) either. We also dont learn how it failed. We vaguely learn that it's because of wwI, but we dont learn why it was already a mess before then, or how the insane militarization led to a toxic relationship to war. Most dont really learn how the weimarian republic was founded and why it was so vulnerable to fascists ( militarization and royalists and the exiled emperor doing everything they could to spin a narrative of how evil Weimar was a big Part of it).
      We also tend to ignore German colonialism, which makes the whole thing a Bit messed up. It's basically "we already Talk about the third Reich, why do we have to mention the herrero too". I didnt know about that genocide until i was Out of school, because we tend to Gloss over German colonies so much. Or we try to compare them to "really bad" colonial Powers to make us look better.
      And that is Just the past 150 years. That Not even the beautiful mess that was the holy Roman Empire of German Origin, which was neither Roman Nor Had rome as it's Capital. because rome is Not in Germany (duh). Just the Name alone is such a beautiful mess 😂

  • @coreyparson9906
    @coreyparson9906 2 роки тому +1547

    Please do a video on Marlene Dietrich! She is such an inspiration and her role in Morocco was the basis of one of my Halloween costumes. As a proud bisexual, she is a huge inspiration to me!

    • @MrRagnar123456
      @MrRagnar123456 2 роки тому +45

      I'm currently reading a biography about Marlene Dietrich and Leni Riefenstahl. It is strange to think that both of them were born at the same time and the same location but chose completely different paths.

    • @JadyLester
      @JadyLester 2 роки тому +5

      And, THIS. I can't wait.

    • @zoetevka4653
      @zoetevka4653 2 роки тому +1

      ♥️🏳️‍🌈🙏🏻♥️

    • @redacted428
      @redacted428 2 роки тому

      You're the reason $ Tee Dees are a thing

    • @coreyparson9906
      @coreyparson9906 2 роки тому

      @@redacted428 not sure what that means. Maybe I am behind the times so I don't know how to take it.

  • @JadyLester
    @JadyLester 2 роки тому +398

    I'm so glad to see Conrad Veidt's career so well highlighted. His influence is really permeating a lot of parts of gay and outsider culture. I'm probably joining throngs of Disney villain fans in jumping in defense of Veidt's hypnotically smooth and snakey Jafar. However problematic.
    Johnny Depp WISHED he was Conrad Veidt.

    • @gozerthegozarian9500
      @gozerthegozarian9500 2 роки тому +4

      The irony being that Depp always resented being what Veidt could've never been - a conventionally attractive prettyboy actor - and as he lost his prettyboy looks to drugs, booze and the wear and tear of time, he also lost and squandered what acting talent and craft he once had and could have, should have nurtured...I'd feel sorry for the dude if he weren't such a scumbag! Meanwhile, Veidt, always more striking than conventionally handsome, remains an untouchable legend, in part due to his sadly untimely death.

    • @etherealtb6021
      @etherealtb6021 Рік тому +11

      Personally, if I were the princess, I'd have chosen Jafar. Lol.

    • @electricden
      @electricden Рік тому +19

      Yes, well I am glad this video revealed to me the surprising history of Veidt's German film career it does though do a disservice to just some of those not 'Hollywood' but BRITISH films he made after leaving Nazi Germany. I refer to you especially 1939's 'The Spy In Black' and 1940's 'Contraband', both of which he is, in fact, the main protagonist/hero, the first as an honorable German U-boat captain forced into doing espionage and sabotage in Scotland and the second where he is a Dutch captain having adventures in a blacked-out London. Both films were written by the Hungarian emigre Emeric Pressburger and directed by the English Michael Powell, who yes, went on to co-direct Veidt in 'The Thief of Bagdad', but Veidt as the main character is magnetic in both.

    • @etherealtb6021
      @etherealtb6021 Рік тому +7

      @@electricdenHe's so magnetic in those P&P films! Of course, they were both huge fans of his.

  • @orangentage
    @orangentage 2 роки тому +1616

    ahhhh as a bi german kid that is obsessed with history this is everyything ahh thank you. I feel like every german history beside the of the NS time is handled like it never existed. While its of course important to talk about the Nazis its also refreshing to see something different 🍂💫

    • @Hyzentley
      @Hyzentley 2 роки тому +115

      Another bi german here, totally agree. I totally think teaching kids about the horror of facism, world war two and the holocaust is important - but can we maybe teach other important stuff too?

    • @zoetevka4653
      @zoetevka4653 2 роки тому +7

      ♥️🏳️‍🌈🙏🏻♥️

    • @taranullius9221
      @taranullius9221 2 роки тому

      Please. How many hairs width are you away from rightoids "hurr why can't we be proud of our country anymore"? Not many, I'll tell you. Everyone fucken knows about Weimar. I'm not even German and I know a lot about its culture. "WHEN WILL EVERYONE JUST GET OVER THE HOLOCAUST".

    • @taranullius9221
      @taranullius9221 2 роки тому +4

      Why won't people let MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE be a proud German? Very left-wing of all of you.

    • @theokaygatsby228
      @theokaygatsby228 2 роки тому +102

      @@taranullius9221 that’s not at all what they said though???
      It’s more that very often the first thing ppl think of when someone mentions Germany (sometimes even pretty much the only thing they know about it’s history for certain…) is the Nazi regime… and it’s a bit strange for a country with hundreds of years of history to be reduced to a twelve year period?
      And don’t get me wrong it’s extremely important to learn about that period and everything that led up to it! Not only politics but what was happening in society as well. That way we can hopefully stop anything like that from ever happening again! It honestly terrifies me that there’s people in the world right now who pretend like it never happened or wasn’t bad because it most certainly was!!
      …but it’s just kind of weird to act like that’s the only thing of importance ever to have happened there…

  • @officaldungeons
    @officaldungeons 2 роки тому +205

    Personal hate mail from Hitler is such a big flex

    • @corinnae.7877
      @corinnae.7877 Рік тому +22

      I can see him getting it framed and being so proud of this achievement.

    • @patternrecon5271
      @patternrecon5271 Рік тому

      You must understand. The leading Bolsheviks who took over Russia were not Russians. They hated Russians. They hated Christians. Driven by ethnic hatred they tortured and slaughtered millions of Russians without a shred of human remorse. The October Revolution was not what you call in America the "Russian Revolution." It was an invasion and conquest over the Russian people. More of my countrymen suffered horrific crimes at their bloodstained hands than any people or nation ever suffered in the entirety of human history. It cannot be understated. Bolshevism was the greatest human slaughter of all time. The fact that most of the world is ignorant of this reality is proof that the global media itself is in the hands of the perpetrators."
      Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • @MrMrRadiergummi
    @MrMrRadiergummi 2 роки тому +694

    As a queer German it's so good to see something like this! In school I learned a lot about the German history between 1914 and 1939, especially everything about the third Reich, but never anything about queer history! Really makes me want to look into it more myself. Thanks for this great video!

    • @12368784
      @12368784 Рік тому +24

      Exactly! Also the connection of antisemitism partially being fueled by homophobia due to queer jewish art was never something mentioned even though we talked about ww2 nearly annually in school. It seems more logical to me how conservatives felt threatened by progressiveness and thus where easier to see jewish people to be the scapegoat. For some reason we only talked about inflation and people needing a scapegoat, so when hitler came along people would be like "oh yeah makes sense, the jews are the problem" as if this suggestion came out of the blue. Whereas people being homophobes and already being uneasy about changing genderroles brought up by artists? Checks out more

    • @nickbell8353
      @nickbell8353 Рік тому +9

      At least you're learning about the Third Reich. Here in the states, it's seen as "Critical Race Theory."

    • @MrMrRadiergummi
      @MrMrRadiergummi Рік тому +11

      @@nickbell8353 While there's a lot going wrong in Germany at least we still learn a lot about ww1 and ww2! However this still doesn't seem to be enough to keep fascists out of our politics.
      But it's really weird and alarming to see how other countries like the US deal with their history, or better how they don't deal with it critically. I really don't want to know how Germany would look today if we did it like the US!

    • @patternrecon5271
      @patternrecon5271 Рік тому +4

      We, The Destroyers", Samuel writes, "We Jews, we, the destroyers, will remain the destroyers for ever. Nothing that you will do will meet our needs and demands. We will for ever destroy because we need a world of our own, a God-world, which it is not in your nature to build. . . . The wretched fate which scattered us through your midst has thrust this unwelcome role upon us."
      Maurice Samuel - You Gentiles 1927

    • @ProtoIndoEuropean88
      @ProtoIndoEuropean88 Рік тому +4

      oh so good, asking "medicine" in pharmacies to get 12 year old girls sound just about right according to you right?

  • @jimjam7016
    @jimjam7016 2 роки тому +367

    Your last point is so true. My Great-grandfather was in the SS. My great grandparents were all complacent or actively fought in WW2 but my family mostly doesn't make an effort to examine what they've done. People my age tell jokes about the Holocaust and trivialize it. Nazi Germany is in the process of fading into history, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't still impact our society today. It's so important to talk about responsibility and educate people about the Holocaust. (Great video btw, I love Conrad Veidt💗)

    • @Lockdown-xl2cm
      @Lockdown-xl2cm 2 роки тому +26

      Your great-grandfather was based lol

    • @BasileosHerodou
      @BasileosHerodou Рік тому +36

      As a german who also had SS great grandparents ,there is no responsibility to take because you aren't responsible for the actions of the people you are affiliated with, especially if you weren't alive at that time.

    • @gunterxvoices4101
      @gunterxvoices4101 Рік тому +1

      You are all horrible lol

    • @chana7276
      @chana7276 Рік тому +51

      ​@@BasileosHerodou as a german jew, I just know that if we talked to each other for more than 10 minutes you'd spout antisemitic bullshit and trivialize the holocaust instantly because y'all are VERY MUCH the grandchildren of Nazis in the most literal sense. The Ideas your family had that led to them being monstrous murderers are passed on through your families. Y'all are more willing to rehabilitate Nazis than to listen to jewish people. So no, you're not personally at fault, but it is absolutely your responsibility to deconstruct the antisemitic Ideas present in your family and culture (not that you'd ever do something like that lol)
      The Continuities within german society and German families, yes, including yours are very present, much more so than you realize.

    • @chana7276
      @chana7276 Рік тому

      and this is why I hate germany. This country is so fcking antisemitic and it's literally so exhausting.

  • @IlastarothTayre
    @IlastarothTayre 2 роки тому +114

    As a bi, old cinema loving European I am absolutely in love with this video. Dr Caligari is one of my favourite silent films and I've always loved Cesare, but I didn't know about Conrad being bi, or his efforts against nazis. Love him even more now.

    • @ryanscates1011
      @ryanscates1011 Рік тому +8

      Same with me, I'm bi and also love Caligari and German expressionist art in general, from both before the war and after it (she forgot to mention the Bauhaus School).

  • @kylebatt1231
    @kylebatt1231 2 роки тому +350

    Every time I see Kaz has post I get excited. What funky, gay history lesson are we learning today?

    • @KuLaydMahn
      @KuLaydMahn 2 роки тому

      I mainly just watch for the credits music

    • @lamwam5065
      @lamwam5065 2 роки тому

      Your final lesson will be how to endure eternal hellfire

  • @quinnwisniewski
    @quinnwisniewski 2 роки тому +305

    My great grandparents (my opa and oma) were Holocaust survivors, the only thing that saved my opa was him converting to Christianity in college (he was going to be a Rabi, as that side of the family has a long and rich history of every man becoming and being a Rabi), so the nazis killed his family in front of him, forcing his eyes open the entire time.
    My other opa and oma were fighting for the Dutch, my opa built double layered coffins to smuggle the Jewish under a dead body during both day and night as my oma hid, protected, and sheltered anyone and everyone she could.
    It doesn't help that I have blue/green eyes and blond hair, learning about the Holocaust in school just had other classmates look at me like I myself was a nazi, it hurt because I was a quiet and shy kid who was scared to speak up in class and eventually getting in trouble for talking when the teacher was.

    • @D0MiN0ChAn
      @D0MiN0ChAn 2 роки тому +7

      As a German, I can guarantee you that no matter how desired the "Arier" look (= blue eyes & blond hair) was by Nazi Germany back then, only a tiny minority of Germans actually possessed those features 😅 Brown and black hair was much more common; suffice it to say your classmates should not take everything (especially something this specific) at face value.

    • @laurencepokras6657
      @laurencepokras6657 Рік тому +26

      ALOT of Jews have blonde hair blue eyes too like myself...as for me , i had a white spanish teacher always call me a ' German Uboat Captain'...it was hard to hold in my hate..he didnt know i was Jewish ...he would always call me this when i would wear my white sweater..If you go to Israel you will see many Aryan looking Jews or just go to Aushwitz concentration camp,,,there is alot blond hair cut off behind the glass....at the camp...

    • @johndoe-ek6vl
      @johndoe-ek6vl Рік тому +1

      LOL you people have enless tall tales about bullshit

    • @patternrecon5271
      @patternrecon5271 Рік тому

      Keith Woods: "russian" oligarchs.
      Igor Kolomoisky.
      Great russian famine, Holodomor, Famine in Khazakhstan, Lazar Kaganovich, Genrikh Yagoda, Aron Solts, Filipp Goloshchyokin, Yakov Yurovsky, Lazar Kogan, Matvei Berman, Naftaly Frenkel, Salomon Morel, Helena Brus.
      Balfour Declaration 1917
      November Revolution 1918
      Germany loses WW1 1918
      Spartacist uprising 1919
      You must understand. The leading Bolsheviks who took over Russia were not Russians. They hated Russians. They hated Christians. Driven by ethnic hatred they tortured and slaughtered millions of Russians without a shred of human remorse. The October Revolution was not what you call in America the "Russian Revolution." It was an invasion and conquest over the Russian people. More of my countrymen suffered horrific crimes at their bloodstained hands than any people or nation ever suffered in the entirety of human history. It cannot be understated. Bolshevism was the greatest human slaughter of all time. The fact that most of the world is ignorant of this reality is proof that the global media itself is in the hands of the perpetrators."
      Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

    • @209Richsta
      @209Richsta Рік тому

      Shouldve told them what fuck their looking at. Lot of people are weak and scared to fight. Take advantage of that.

  • @ShubhamBhushanCC
    @ShubhamBhushanCC 2 роки тому +191

    Honestly Weimar Germany was a hotbed of culture. I think no one ever thought Germany would turn anti Semitic. After the Dreyfus affair, if you had asked people which country would turn rabidly anti-Semitic they'd have said France

    • @chana7276
      @chana7276 Рік тому +24

      lol sweety Germany didn't turn antisemitic, antisemitism is one of the core pillars of german identity and culture and always has been. So many people in these comments who want to learn more about german history pre ww2, well good news it's also full of antisemitism. The holocaust didnt just happen randomly, it's the result of thousands of years of german antisemitism.

    • @MsDiMera2
      @MsDiMera2 Рік тому +73

      @@chana7276 You could say that about most of Europe though from France to Russia etc

    • @passionate_possum_pal
      @passionate_possum_pal Рік тому +43

      @@chana7276 the anti-Semitism got stronger because it was weaponized and pushed into the public. It wasn't a natural product of the time period it was something that the-guys-whose-name-might-get-my-comment-deleted pushed so that he would have a scapegoat for the things going on. This person isn't saying anti-Semitism WASNT in Germany, they were saying it wasn't nearly as bad.

    • @jackcrasher6945
      @jackcrasher6945 Рік тому +52

      @@chana7276 Saying "It's always been that way" would disqualify you in Academia, especially in terms of identity and culture. Identities and cultures are very complex and constantly changing, they cannot "always be like this".
      Moreover, anti-Semitism is not a specifically German phenomenon, if you say that it was specifically aggressive, you have to find reference points and compare it.
      Then we have the final statement, "Holocaust as a result of thousands of years of German anti-Semitism." This seems impossible to me, since specifically related to the German identity, this only begins to develop in the 15th century. Before that, the reference point had been the Franks. It also seems impossible to me that Germany has been anti-Semitic for thousands of years, since the first Jews with the Romans entered the area of today's Germany almost 1900 years ago.
      Finally, you present the Holocaust as inevitable. That is a deterministic argument that no historian would make. but I assume that you have not familiarized yourself with the methodology of historians either professionally or in university. Otherwise you would know that history is not inevitable and that the event occuring was just one possibility among many.

    • @BlackTar100
      @BlackTar100 Рік тому +1

      @@chana7276 So much ignorance in one comment. I hope you are not American because boy do I have news for you.
      That being said, Germany didn't invent anti-antisemitism, genocide or war. We have always had anti-antisemitism, genocide and war and we will continue to have anti-antisemitism, genocide and war. The whole mantra "never again" is bs. Look at all the wars and genocides that have happened since WWII? Presently genocide is going on in Yemen. There are countless wars going on for the last 21 years that the US started, ALL illegally. No push against the US whatsoever from people like you. It sickens me.

  • @cuckmulligan7602
    @cuckmulligan7602 2 роки тому +75

    I loved Veidt in Casablanca but boy if I'd seen The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in my youth (rather than Tim Burton's many failed attempts to recapture what Cesare had going on) I'd have figured things out waaay sooner.

    • @lynnpayne9519
      @lynnpayne9519 2 роки тому +3

      I brought my son to see that movie when he was 12.

  • @paperkay
    @paperkay 2 роки тому +89

    Connie! We love Connie. It feels so weird having an interest in a guy in a role from literally 100 years ago.

  • @seraphinasullivan4849
    @seraphinasullivan4849 2 роки тому +105

    My one true weakness, Conrad Veidt, the one and only man I'd let try to romance me
    I wanna build a time machine and ask him to read lines from Goethe's Faust, where Faust sees Gretchen for the first time and is all taken aback. Holy fuck I would just melt

    • @quaseumhomemrenascentista6911
      @quaseumhomemrenascentista6911 2 роки тому +7

      Aaaah, I see I have a rival.

    • @marthajones9284
      @marthajones9284 2 роки тому +18

      I am a bit confused is the meeting of Faust and Gretchen viewed as romantic? It is quite creepy considering the age difference between them 😬

    • @BeautifulMutant
      @BeautifulMutant 2 роки тому +3

      Honestly, if the Doctor was real and they offered me a trip in the TARDIS to meet anyone I wanted from the past, I'd pick Conrad Veidt.

    • @seraphinasullivan4849
      @seraphinasullivan4849 2 роки тому +7

      @@marthajones9284 he has some lofty lines about how beautiful she is, saying he won't forget her until the end of days. As for the age difference, don't forget that he was magically made young again by the witch. Like he doesn't just look young, it affected his brain and the way he thinks too. It's implied to be one of the reasons Mephistopheles thought it would help him win the bet. The full effect is easier to see when it's acted as opposed to just words on a page, which can make it seem like Faust just suddenly got moodier if you missed the fact that he's not an old man anymore.
      In any case, i would be asking my celebrity crush 102 years my senior to read it for me

    • @marthajones9284
      @marthajones9284 2 роки тому +6

      @@seraphinasullivan4849 I might have written that remark a bit too harshly, as a german who had too read it and analyse it to death in school it just did not seem like a story you would look at as romantic. But of course there can be other interpretations

  • @ecamille1542
    @ecamille1542 2 роки тому +32

    Clicked this so fast. Conrad Veidt is one of my absolute favorite actors. He was beautiful, not just in his interesting and somewhat sinisterly handsome appearance, but in his acting style and the way he lived his life.

  • @peterd.9522
    @peterd.9522 11 місяців тому +20

    This narrative addresses the parallels between the 1920's and the 2020's, in ways that had not resonated with me before. Thank you for the video.

  • @deadchannel9105
    @deadchannel9105 2 роки тому +375

    As a queer person, absolutely adore “The man who laughs” and I had no clue that Conrad was bi !!! That’s so neat

    • @Maniafilia
      @Maniafilia 2 роки тому +7

      Can we really say was bi or queer? I think is more accurate to say queer bc we can't really be more specific, specially when he flirted with anyone we can even say he was pansexual. But as I said, we can't really be specific, so queer should be the best word as well as a gesture bc there is a rejection of the concept in general in the community and would be awesome so have that concept present when we speak about past people

    • @ginkgothestink-o6949
      @ginkgothestink-o6949 Рік тому +1

      Amira B pansexuality belongs under the bisexual umbrella

    • @roflcopterIII
      @roflcopterIII 4 місяці тому +3

      ​​@@Maniafilia Bisexual is not a dirty word and it's perfectly fine to wonder if someone was. I *despise* people specifically throwing queer around as a term in this case because it specifically gives this whiff of deliberately trying to avoid the ideas associated with bisexuality by couching it in a vague and more socially acceptable term.

    • @Maniafilia
      @Maniafilia 4 місяці тому +1

      @roflcopterIII I don't think bi is a "dirty word", but that u don't like and reject the use of queer or pan says a lot about u and how u really want to ignore the history and academic use of the term. U just want him to be under the same term that u. U nor I not anyone can call him bi bc we don't know, thats why we should call him queer if u want to call him something. We don't know what teem he would like to use if he would want to use any. Stop trying to call out ppl just bc u don't know any better

    • @roflcopterIII
      @roflcopterIII 3 місяці тому +1

      @@Maniafilia why is pan more acceptable in this case?

  • @alannacrow9544
    @alannacrow9544 2 роки тому +88

    My first true history love was Weimar Berlin, still have boxes of books on the subject- this makes me very happy :-) Thank you for all your videos, can't wait for your book!

    • @weeredfrog
      @weeredfrog 2 роки тому +7

      What would you say was the best book you read on it? I'm looking for recommendations on what to read

  • @sveme5450
    @sveme5450 2 роки тому +58

    Thanks, now im crying. Sincerely, a German queer person who spent the recent months trying to familiarize themselves with the queer German history they were never taught

    • @johndoe-ek6vl
      @johndoe-ek6vl Рік тому

      edelmann, huh....

    • @icravedeath.1200
      @icravedeath.1200 Рік тому +1

      That's wonderful

    • @lmaolmoo4147
      @lmaolmoo4147 Рік тому

      They don't teach it because they thought you'd be smart enough to understand that it was pushed by non German Jews and it's the literal cause of the rise of the third Reich.

  • @anon3631
    @anon3631 7 місяців тому +75

    And for absolutely NO REASON at all, people voted...

    • @closetglobe.IRGUN.NW0
      @closetglobe.IRGUN.NW0 6 місяців тому +5

      Great depression

    • @silent_bag2350
      @silent_bag2350 6 місяців тому +2

      as someone who is doing coursework on this topic, THIS IS SO WRONG, people were indoctrinated, their propaganda was amazing for the time, they used means of terror, they practically erraticated their opposition

    • @just_a_turtle_chad
      @just_a_turtle_chad 6 місяців тому +28

      Maybe he had a point???

    • @foxbox2879
      @foxbox2879 5 місяців тому +3

      You really know your history. Lol

    • @Terranallias18
      @Terranallias18 4 місяці тому +2

      "Yes it was the gays fault, and they deserved to be murdered" absolutely deranged take. Ask God for forgiveness

  • @daganlove8536
    @daganlove8536 2 роки тому +36

    Early 1900s Europe be like "be gay do war"

  • @clarimm6675
    @clarimm6675 2 роки тому +68

    Me a German who went through 13 years of education and history classes in Germany: interesting 👀

    • @johndoe-ek6vl
      @johndoe-ek6vl Рік тому +3

      the things they DIDN"T mention.... is it starting to make sense now?

    • @patternrecon5271
      @patternrecon5271 Рік тому

      You must understand. The leading Bolsheviks who took over Russia were not Russians. They hated Russians. They hated Christians. Driven by ethnic hatred they tortured and slaughtered millions of Russians without a shred of human remorse. The October Revolution was not what you call in America the "Russian Revolution." It was an invasion and conquest over the Russian people. More of my countrymen suffered horrific crimes at their bloodstained hands than any people or nation ever suffered in the entirety of human history. It cannot be understated. Bolshevism was the greatest human slaughter of all time. The fact that most of the world is ignorant of this reality is proof that the global media itself is in the hands of the perpetrators."
      Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

    • @clarimm6675
      @clarimm6675 Рік тому +2

      @@johndoe-ek6vl there actually wasn't much they didn't mention which was quite scarring honestly

    • @johndoe-ek6vl
      @johndoe-ek6vl Рік тому +1

      @@clarimm6675 I live in a clown world full of lies and deception. I can't take anyone seriously anymore.

    • @kiritokun2424
      @kiritokun2424 Місяць тому

      ​@@johndoe-ek6vlwhat did they not mention?

  • @bobbob9821
    @bobbob9821 20 днів тому +7

    And then one day, for no reason...

    • @sakkra93
      @sakkra93 День тому

      Millions of Germans voted to end the madness...

  • @Fuchswinter
    @Fuchswinter 2 роки тому +126

    It's extremely sad and tragic to see how much queer historybwas nearly erased. I'm glad Kaz does videos on it :D

    • @ae-cha641
      @ae-cha641 Рік тому +2

      Be happy that certain filthy books were burned. Hail the man with the funny mustache🙋🏼‍♂️✋

    • @zm1786
      @zm1786 8 місяців тому +5

      they have no kids to pass on their legacy

    • @mhm77887
      @mhm77887 8 місяців тому

      @@zm1786 just get out

  • @luciaminy-giani3305
    @luciaminy-giani3305 2 роки тому +41

    Watching these videos while baking is my favourite things (making vegan pumpkin blondes today)

  • @valentinarulloni9265
    @valentinarulloni9265 2 роки тому +50

    I love Conrad! All you videos feel catered to me. I’m sure this one’s just as great as all your lovely stuff

  • @pagano60
    @pagano60 2 роки тому +40

    It's intriguing that (to my knowledge) the earliest pro-gay feature film, "Different from the Others," and the earliest pro-lesbian feature film, "Mädchen in Uniform," both came out (so to speak) of Weimar Germany. That must speak to the openness of German society at the time and maybe help explain the wrathful retribution against such a society by the rise of the Nazi regime.
    P.S. The stuffed animals are interesting.

    • @johndoe-ek6vl
      @johndoe-ek6vl Рік тому

      it was mostly the pedo stuff that set germany off, groomer.

  • @sarahsugersarah
    @sarahsugersarah 2 роки тому +20

    what i said: mom im trans
    what my mom hears: im a gender outlaw

  • @erraticonteuse
    @erraticonteuse 2 роки тому +97

    36:44 Yep, despite what conservative reactionaries think whenever confronted with a different analysis of history than what they were taught, history is not an "objective" recitation of "what happened". History is about what happened _to get us where we are now_ which necessarily requires understanding the subjectivity both of what people in the past thought, felt, and believed *and* the application of different theoretical frameworks to "what happened". It's why bigots love to dismiss marginalized voices about systemic, institutionalized issues by saying "Those problems were already fixed in the past, any problems you face now are because those people need to take responsibility for themselves." While I'm sure some of them are being disingenuous, I think most of them probably genuinely believe the barebones history about the various rights movements they were taught as "what happened", and any modern phenomena that contradict their understanding of oppression as being "over" can't *possibly* be the result of history they don't know and therefore *must* be the result of individual aberration. They don't understand that the past *causing* the present does not mean that history *dictates* the present.
    Also, 6:19 I always thought it was ironic bordering on hypocritical that Prussia was basically the only German state that still criminalized homosexuality at the time of unification, when the main reason they were the dominant German power at the time was because of Frederick the Great, a man so gay he built a "Temple of Friendship" that's filled with plaques of Achilles and Patroclus, Damon and Pythias, etc. and whose palace statuary includes FOUR of Emperor Hadrian's lover Antinous.

    • @gozerthegozarian9500
      @gozerthegozarian9500 2 роки тому +1

      This is a very good comment, worthy of being its own video essay!

    • @sparkledwater5545
      @sparkledwater5545 2 роки тому +10

      @@SilasVanBuren wtf what has that to do with the topic?

    • @ThermicLight
      @ThermicLight Рік тому +3

      It's rather curious that an awful lot of you folks here keep drowning on about conservatives being to blame despite far left politics at that time viewed homosexuality with the same contempt.

    • @ThermicLight
      @ThermicLight Рік тому +2

      @@sparkledwater5545 - When kink became flown under the banner of pride, even being flashed in front of children, don't be surprised then when people see the conflation and speak up against it. Don't like it? Maybe tell those peddling such perversion to get out of the movement instead of getting upset at those protecting children.

    • @erraticonteuse
      @erraticonteuse Рік тому +9

      @@ThermicLight Do you have any critique of substance to make of what I said, or has this copy/pasted response already exhausted your intellect?

  • @robinhazen8034
    @robinhazen8034 2 роки тому +21

    Thank you so much for making this video. I'm a huge fan of Conrad Veidt & it's lovely to see him represented so well on UA-cam! My synagogue just memorialized the anniversary of Kristallnacht a few days ago, an immensely tragic event, the scope of which no one could even have imagined at the time it started. Your video which discusses the rise of the Nazi regime is very well timed for this week. Blessings to your grandpa!!

  • @charlieee625
    @charlieee625 2 роки тому +24

    Thanks friend! I’m writing a biopic about Conrad Veidt. Your well-read, queer take on him, and other major players in Weimar’s queer culture, reinforces that it’s timely-and in fact urgent-to reexamine this period in history. Connie (as his friends called him) continues to offer us lessons in survivance in oppression and standing up to authoritarianism, even if it leads to exile, heartbreak, and an untimely sad ending.

  • @juanitacarrollyoung2979
    @juanitacarrollyoung2979 2 роки тому +22

    A beautifully made and thought out presentation. Sitting here scratching my head that 100K + viewers aren't on it.
    Plus what someone else said about your outfit being on point 👌

  • @baileyclanbookclub
    @baileyclanbookclub 8 місяців тому +35

    "I will NOT be covering literally every detail"
    What, like the while kids and animals stuff?

    • @rrrahu1
      @rrrahu1 3 місяці тому +1

      What exactly is the “children and animals stuff”? Curious

    • @Ek-re8ts
      @Ek-re8ts 2 місяці тому +1

      @@rrrahu1 child prostitution and zoophilia. The things that are popular amongst the current day degens and rainbow waving kind.

    • @hsjshdhsjshsh958
      @hsjshdhsjshsh958 3 дні тому

      @@rrrahu1 N@zi propaganda

  • @Anna-zi7sx
    @Anna-zi7sx Рік тому +53

    Whoever Is interested in this time period: I recommend the series Babylon Berlin (in the German sub, please the English dub is horrible). In my opinion it’s one of the best show we’ve ever produced.
    It’s technically a noir/detective/crime show but it’s honestly so much more than that. Berlin in the Weimar Republic really was a character of its own and there’s so much historical accurate stuff. It manages to portray germanys "decline" in such an interesting and believable way, you can really feel how it all happened.
    It also manages to show you all the various political and ideological groups of the time but like in a very nuanced way? Idk I just can’t recommend it enough.
    (Yes there’s plenty of gayness, especially in season 3)

    • @CatalinaLinal7710
      @CatalinaLinal7710 Рік тому +4

      Thanks for letting me know this exists! I'm so interested in the queer culture of my country before the world wars ^^

  • @gothicc6544
    @gothicc6544 2 роки тому +28

    I'm a Conrad stan 😩 He was an amazing actor and even better person off screen.

  • @astonishinglyy
    @astonishinglyy 2 роки тому +39

    I’m really happy I found your channel! I’ve always wanted to learn more abt queer history bc it’s one of my only ways to feel connected to the community since I can’t come out but I have no idea where to start or what I’m supposed to look for so ur channel is basically like dora but instead of Spanish it’s queer history for me lol

  • @stratovolcano7813
    @stratovolcano7813 2 роки тому +42

    this video is so funny, i love how you break down history and important social movements! i would loveee to see marlena dietrichs life story

  • @shannonc.5837
    @shannonc.5837 2 роки тому +17

    honestly this is my new favourite video on youtube. i knew conrad veidt was bi and opposed the nazis, but that’s about it. he’s one of my favourite silent film actors and i can’t thank you enough for this video! he was an absolute king

  • @daimhinaubrey3194
    @daimhinaubrey3194 2 роки тому +7

    omfg. the more i listen to you talk about veidt, the more he seems like the man i’d absolutely have a poster of on my wall. what a brilliant person. i’m glad he lived.

  • @slinkhd_2601
    @slinkhd_2601 2 роки тому +14

    As a Queer Person that is from Berlin and has quite some interest in my countrys and Citys queer history I thank You alot for this video!

  • @consentclub8431
    @consentclub8431 2 роки тому +23

    I'm sure this video wasn't the easiest to prepare for, and I sincerely appreciate the work you put into this content ❤️

  • @saintsebastian_e
    @saintsebastian_e 2 роки тому +6

    HOLY SHIT im so happy i found this video. i was mega obsessed with conrad veidt/the man who laughs for like 2 years straight but it's so hard to find other people who like them the same way. kaz i appreciate u, this vid was highly highly needed

  • @sarahsizemore7509
    @sarahsizemore7509 2 роки тому +6

    The man who I viewed as a grandpa was a Polish-American WW2 veteran who helped liberate 2 of the camps during the war. He passed away recently, and I attended his funeral just nearly a year ago. I’m constantly struck by how much was lost when we lost him, how much history is lost when we lose any of the survivors or veterans, and how much harder it is to truly make people understand the depth of tragedy that happened there when so many of the survivors and witnesses are gone. It makes it that much more important to tell the stories like this, which show how no matter the time period, there have always been people fighting for good.

  • @user-wi4lg1ym7v
    @user-wi4lg1ym7v 2 роки тому +12

    I was so swooned by Conrad that I dropped my phone into the bathtub and the 'film' turned really silent for a while XD But really, Weimar culture is one of the most fascinating topics out there and I am so thankful you did it credit. Waiting for the solo Marlene video! xxx

  • @secretarit1
    @secretarit1 2 роки тому +17

    Ok, when you said that Conrad was the Nazi in Casablanca I said "fuck!" out loud. I had no idea!

  • @abcdefg1996
    @abcdefg1996 Рік тому +32

    as a queer german person, this was really interesting! it's so disappointing that we don't learn any of this in school!

  • @low-keylyesmith3048
    @low-keylyesmith3048 2 роки тому +7

    Your channel was recommended to me by YT because of OFMD. As a bi undergrad who loves academic history and the concept of history from below, your channel and the way you seem driven to uncover the queer history of so many times and places is just absolutely amazing and inspiring 😍 Thank you for that 💖💜💙

  • @annasandhofer4821
    @annasandhofer4821 2 роки тому +62

    Magnus Hirschfled and homosexuality in the Weimar Republic is a topic I've been looking into a lot lately so I was incredibly excited when I got the notification for this video! I think you did a wonderful job covering this topic. Linking the Weimar queer rights movement to Germany's expressionist art is something I hadn't really thought about before, but adds a really fascinating perspective. Also I'm definitely going to look more into Conrad Veidt now. Thank you so much for making this video, it makes me so happy to see more people discussing this incredibly important part of history that sadly quite often goes overlooked...

    • @jb400years4
      @jb400years4 Рік тому +1

      Don’t leave out the boy love.

  • @corinnae.7877
    @corinnae.7877 2 роки тому +28

    As a asexual German history freak, thank you for this video.

  • @marthalewenstein1412
    @marthalewenstein1412 2 роки тому +34

    Thank you for this! I'm a Berliner and I'm so happy that you shone a light on this part of our history. Of course it's important to talk about the atrocities of the 3rd Reich especially with the rise of antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia and general right wing, ultra national speech all over the world. Yes we made a lot of progress, but like in the Weimarer Republik, Propaganda and Popularism can destroy any society. The Weimar Rep. was probably the most progressive Country in the so called West and it still broke down under the economic crises. The solution of social problem is never "its the minorities' fault" nor "you are the best, just because you are (Insert nationality/race/sexuality/gender)" but everytime people start to believe this, because is simple. Let's work together at not forgetting the past, so we may understand our present and work on a better future

    • @wolkenlos5351
      @wolkenlos5351 2 роки тому

      ❤sehr schön.
      Wir sind auch heute ein Teil von dem was heute ist und das es so kam.Es geht schon tausende Jahre so.
      Grüße aus Weimar💞

    • @ThermicLight
      @ThermicLight Рік тому +2

      It's rather curious that an awful lot of you folks here keep drowning on about the far right being to blame despite far left politics at that time viewed homosexuality with the same contempt.

    • @terrystevens3998
      @terrystevens3998 Рік тому +3

      @@ThermicLight people talking about far right movements are not talking about a party.. they are talking about far right ideology.. homophobia, transphobia, sexism, religious zealots.. if we have a party that is left wing adopting those far right ideas then it is a far right wing party. If you admit they are bad then stop identifying with them. Adopt progressive open politics that embraces everyone and is open to change and sexual liberation and racial equality.

    • @ThermicLight
      @ThermicLight Рік тому

      @@terrystevens3998 - Does this far right ideology at least go by a name or two?
      Besides I am having a hard time identifying racism, sexism, zealotry, etc, as especially characteristic of the right. Namely despite the political rhetoric the left likes to espose I've come across some of the biggest sexists and racists on the left. As many in that camp think it's entiely excusable to trash on anyone white and or male. Many even make a living in doing so.
      Then there are ordinary coffee shop leftists who espose compassion and tolorance but behind closed doors, after having a bourbon or two, express all kinds of contempt. Be it against men or women, black or white, etc.
      So yeah just trying to make sense of all this being that I see a lot of contradictions.

    • @terrystevens3998
      @terrystevens3998 Рік тому +2

      @@ThermicLight it is all about power dynamics.. an employee complaining about a boss is different then a boss complaining about an employee.. look at the society and who in that society has power.. if someone is complaining about a group who has power and is oppressing them that is a fight for equality.. or to raise that group to equal power of the other.. if the group being complained about is a minority that is oppressed or historically stigmatized and the group complaining is the heteronormative group then that is done to oppress an already oppressed group. That is why complaining about trans rights is fascist and complaining about straight people no longer getting every roll on tv fascist vs women’s rights is left or ending racism is left.
      Being mad about white males not getting the respect they deserve is fascist because being white and male is the peak power position in society. Look at the stats of wealth and power positions.. we would have to reach a place where women are running shit or black supremacy rules for it to be fascist to oppress white males.. and in that case it would be the left wing position to fight for them to gain equality

  • @MrRagnar123456
    @MrRagnar123456 2 роки тому +13

    Fantastic video. I'm German and I am extremely interested in this time period. I also love Conrad Veidt, Brigitte Helm, German Expressionism and so on. Usually, when I watch videos about this time period I find a lot of mistakes. But not in this case - excellent research and video.

  • @NyxaGrayheart
    @NyxaGrayheart 2 роки тому +8

    I'm so glad I found you. This actually really helps calm me knowing more about the history. Thank you Kaz.

  • @leilaal-shibibi6116
    @leilaal-shibibi6116 2 роки тому +6

    hands down, my favorite youtube channel! as an art history major, everything you touch on is so interesting

  • @AnthroFiend
    @AnthroFiend 2 роки тому +9

    As a longtime fan of Caligari and German Expressionism in general who only recently found out what a queer icon Veidt was, thank you so much for this! Also, mad props for being one of the few people I've heard pronounce Cesare's name correctly.

  • @taylorkirkland62
    @taylorkirkland62 2 роки тому +11

    Dr. Caligari is probably my favorite film of all time, and I never picked up on the queer subtext. As always, this was a really fascinating and informative video!

  • @sebastianrivera6976
    @sebastianrivera6976 2 роки тому +13

    I was obsessed with The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari in my teen years. I am forever thankful to Tim Burton since he was so inspired by it (and German Expresionist films)!

  • @lethargicAilurophile
    @lethargicAilurophile 2 роки тому +8

    Hey thanks for this! I took a 'Modern Art History in Europe' class and when my professor was talking about the violence manifesting in the art she was very vague and never talked about the connection between that and the queer figures... Puts things into some CONTEXT

  • @Kholan95
    @Kholan95 2 роки тому +24

    It would be awesome if you'd consider covering the history of German Robles, a Mexican actor known for his role as Count Lavud in the 1957 film, El Vampiro. He is a hero for renowned author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who is known for Mexican Gothic and Certain Dark Things. She also wrote her doctoral thesis on the role of women in Lovecraft's work.
    Something that I am invested in is indigenous American representations of queerness and it's relationships with colonial queerness (an example is Queer Decadence literature). This might be able to be tied in the Mexican context to the relationship it has with Spanish perspectives towards indigenous queerness historically in colonial times, le fin du Sieclé decadence, and the growth of the silver-screen era to now. It is ironic that Spain is far more accepting of queerness than Mexico at this point, which correlates in some ways with the USA and Britain.
    Anyways, this is coming from an indigiqueer person in the Southern US but I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work and am interested in her influences.

  • @autumn7809
    @autumn7809 2 роки тому +4

    My grandmother was a German citizen. Not a Holocaust survivor, she was actually a member of the Hitler's youth in her childhood. I am in *no way* equating that life story with the pain and trauma of victims of the Holocaust, but growing up that way - a child living in a war torn and economically depressed country, becoming a refugee, being smuggled out of East Germany in a trunk- and becoming an adult who must grapple with the realization, horror, guilt and deconstruction of what your home and society did leaves a mark of its own. My upbringing too was lived in the shadow of the third reich and it is startling how the framing around this piece of history is changing. I remember being in middle school, my classmates making jokes abt these atrocities while I was swept away in a very specific blend of grief, horror, nausea, guilt, shame, and reverence. Even then, that behavior disgusted me much more than affectionately being nick named "Nazi"-- though as an adult that also disturbs me; why would it ever be ok to bring up that word in a tone of levity? Germany and its people -- who are not and never were an ethnic monolith-- held so much beauty and joy and resistance, and anyone who dares to claim ethnic superiority by trying to align themselves with their ancestry betrays the millions of people who may have been ethnically German but fought for the rights and dignity of their marginalized bretheren. The fight against fascism requires that everyone know this history, not in broad strokes, but in fullness, both in the personal sphere and the general. That's the only way to stop it from happening again.

  • @moodybunn
    @moodybunn 2 роки тому +9

    Marlena has been my historical crush for ages now

  • @n.b.1483
    @n.b.1483 Рік тому +27

    Well done. The final five minutes of this are terrifying and if one doesn’t see the parallels between the Weimar and the USA today are willfully blind. There is one half of the nation that would gleefully see history repeat itself in the US.

    • @alanchristensen5735
      @alanchristensen5735 9 місяців тому +2

      Absolutely right. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

    • @martinemjt
      @martinemjt 9 місяців тому +2

      i live in canada and thinking the same thing!!!! one extreme always leads to the other if we are not careful .

    • @jessicaK_wolfspirit00
      @jessicaK_wolfspirit00 8 місяців тому

      You should look into Project 2025. It's basically a Nazi takeover 2.0.

    • @iosuai1351
      @iosuai1351 8 місяців тому

      Yes that one half that wants pedophilia to be rampant and for nobody to have an issue with bestiality, man someones gotta do something.

  • @ditchbitch99
    @ditchbitch99 2 роки тому +22

    sadly i'd only known of veidt because of that one villain one of his characters inspired (who is also famously queer-coded/queer, hm) and 'different from the others' through like, gay cultural osmosis i guess. anyway, i've got a ton of movies on my watchlist now and i'm very grateful for it.
    on a more serious note, learning more about how relatively progressive germany was just years before hitler took power is fucking terrifying as a queer person. i hear people dismiss reflection on history far too often, but we need to keep the past fresh in our minds to avoid repeating tragedies.

    • @timothymarkin4481
      @timothymarkin4481 Рік тому +1

      You didn’t specify WHICH villain Veidt’s performance inspired; it was the Batman villain The Joker. And yes, under writers like Grant Morrison (himself non-binary), The Joker is queer-coded (I’m thinking specifically of the Arkham Asylum graphic novel).

    • @ditchbitch99
      @ditchbitch99 Рік тому

      @@timothymarkin4481 i thought the joker reference went without saying lol my bad. but oh i hadn't heard about grant morrison coming out as nb! good for them.
      also yeah, joker was heavily queer-coded in that graphic novel. he was originally supposed to be in drag in that one too, right?

  • @helenelewerenz5316
    @helenelewerenz5316 2 роки тому +9

    Greetings from Germany💕 It’s really interesting to get your perspective on this topic. If anyone is interested in the 1920‘s of Berlin I can recommend the show Babylon Berlin. Idk if it’s also available in English though.

    • @erraticonteuse
      @erraticonteuse 2 роки тому +1

      It's on US Netflix! Thanks for the recommendation, I will have to check it out.

    • @lucbbb5464
      @lucbbb5464 2 роки тому +2

      @@erraticonteuse See if you can get the original German dub though. It's the best version by far.

  • @satya4234
    @satya4234 2 роки тому +4

    This is a great video. I love that you give so much context and in a very concise way. I think this might be my favourite video of yours. Thank you for bringing to our attention the incredible person and icon that Conrad Veidt was.

  • @bubblebubble7494
    @bubblebubble7494 2 роки тому +11

    As a german I have to say two things
    The way you pronounce the words is very beautiful ( ans very correct just a but softer)
    And it is gonna be soooooo interesting to watch this video

  • @juliaranks8150
    @juliaranks8150 2 роки тому +4

    Thank you so much for your work. I've loved German Expressionist films for a long time, and I learned so much. You made me love Conrad Veidt all the more ❤

  • @caruusel
    @caruusel 2 роки тому +19

    As a queer german I mourn for all that was lost to us during the third reich, just imagining what could've been makes me so sad cause we will never know. Thank you for this video

  • @heysaladdaze
    @heysaladdaze 2 роки тому +5

    I partially covered this a few months ago, I wish I'd been able to present it as in depth and well as you! Another great video as always :)

  • @hades_head_empty
    @hades_head_empty 2 роки тому +13

    29:21 this is pretty off topic, but it's comforting to see how many commas she put into one sentence. makes me feel better about some of the things i wrote like that when i was younger. it sucks that it's looked down upon. i tend to resort to every kind of way to extend a sentence because of it just being the way my mind works; a semicolon, parentheses, dashes (like she used a few times), colons, and of course: commas. i halfway tried to have some of those in that sentence, but it also just naturally fit with my style. i'm obviously a huge grammar nerd, lol. and this style (no capitalization, colloquialisms like lol, etc.) obviously isn't in my more serious writing, but it does fit my vibe, and just the way my brain naturally thinks.
    sorry for the rant, i just have a lot of thoughts.

    • @hades_head_empty
      @hades_head_empty 2 роки тому +1

      also anyone who insists on "him or her" or whatever isn't a real grammar aficionado, just using "academic" rules as an excuse for their outdated views (just like christians who aren't really christians because they use the bible as an excuse to spread hate)
      hot take? no. cold facts. try to tell me i'm wrong, but you'd be wasting your time. "you" being aforementioned grammar assholes

    • @ichliebebaeumeweilbaum
      @ichliebebaeumeweilbaum 2 роки тому +5

      You would love German! You'd get incredibly long sentences with dozens of commas!

  • @filmbuffvictor
    @filmbuffvictor 2 роки тому +7

    I'm so happy this popped up in my feed! It was a very engrossing overview of a topic that should get waaaay more attention, and I'm thrilled you're spreading the Conny love in the process!
    Small correction: Waxworks was the film released the year before Viola's birth, not The Man Who Laughs. Both are directed by Leni, so I understand the mix-up! :)

  • @marthaw.7114
    @marthaw.7114 2 роки тому +13

    Such a good video! I am from germany and it is very good to see this sad and complecated history being represented like that.
    PS: please do a video on Marlene Dietrich! She is such an incredible women.

  • @ceciliadeabobora9149
    @ceciliadeabobora9149 2 роки тому +5

    okay the timing??? I did a full article about this for my college, I'm shocked lol

  • @amolerat4456
    @amolerat4456 2 роки тому +23

    Thank you for makeing this I’m a queer Jewish 3 gren Survivor and this was very important to me

  • @reneegoldschmidt1453
    @reneegoldschmidt1453 Рік тому +6

    why did I never had that in school? I am from germany. we had the weimare republik like a thousand times in history class

    • @Zockanumber1
      @Zockanumber1 Рік тому +1

      Die ganzen Schulen und Lehrer sind ja in der Regel super konservativ. Werden wahrscheinlich noch Jahrzehnte vergehen bevor sowas Mal thematisiert wird. Wenn überhaupt

  • @zoctalk6077
    @zoctalk6077 2 роки тому +2

    Its so cool how u have so many in depth videos on so many different topics. Like your videos always get me to want to learn more and they are just fascinating gateways into learning about so many different things.

  • @gin5193
    @gin5193 Рік тому +4

    1930's Expressionist and Dadaist collages to me are the best examples to resume how people felt during those years! Loved the link with art (Metropolis is still one of my favourite movies). Thank you for this interesting video, I've just subscribed to your channel ❤️

  • @evilspacezombie9
    @evilspacezombie9 11 місяців тому +4

    Seeing a video about this makes me extremely happy. My dad is Polish but grew up in Germany and my mom's family is originally from there but came to the US in the 19th century. My name is very obviously German and I've been learning German since I was ten. I live in Western Pennsylvania and a good amount of people here are descendants of German immigrants but still the only German history many people here know or acknowledge are the horrors of WWII, to the point I've had people make nazi jokes at me with no consideration for the fact that my dad's family is actually Polish (pretty obvious if you see my last name, it's a German-ized version of a Polish surname. They're pretty common.) and I'm openly autistic and queer so obviously not someone that nazis like. It always makes me happy to see people acknowledge this time period, because Germany between the two world wars was really interesting!

    • @Jesio11
      @Jesio11 7 місяців тому +3

      The degeneracy of this period is what caused the Nazis’ rise. Directly.

  • @sophiatalksmusic3588
    @sophiatalksmusic3588 Рік тому +3

    Just started watching Veidt’s films and now I’m hooked! He was such an incredible actor; I’m especially impressed by his performance in “The Man Who Laughs,” where he can only emote with his eyes, but still delivers a full range of emotions.

  • @morgansalamander2351
    @morgansalamander2351 2 роки тому +3

    I get more excited when you have a new video than any other! I really appreciate the effort to list all of your sources, as well - I always leave wanting to know more about the topics. Also YES PLEASE do a video of Marlene Dietrich!

  • @nathanielwestermann
    @nathanielwestermann Рік тому +215

    I'd like to take a moment to thank the Jewish community for the significant role they've played in the development and promotion of gender theory, gender-affirming care, and child sexual education. We'll always remember you.

    • @blackmesa1565
      @blackmesa1565 Рік тому +28

      ✡️

    • @jb400years4
      @jb400years4 Рік тому +4

      This is antisemitic.

    • @jamesrobiscoe1174
      @jamesrobiscoe1174 Рік тому +10

      I don't know the meaning of those symbols, but in English I must say your acknowledgment of the pursuit of science by the Jewish people has always been admirable to me. The quest to explore the relationship between humanity and the Creator has been part of their very existence since ancient history.

    • @Abridgelion
      @Abridgelion Рік тому +19

      Certified Poe's Law(TM) moment.

    • @icravedeath.1200
      @icravedeath.1200 Рік тому +6

      Huh.

  • @tinymxnticore
    @tinymxnticore 2 роки тому +9

    This was such an interesting and layered video. I found your channel from the Green Knight and I adore your content about queer history. All that said, your "What about BEARS, Magnus? What about THE BEARS?" at 14:14 lives rent-free in my head now!

  • @faithrudd2549
    @faithrudd2549 2 роки тому +6

    I did a bit of reading about Veidt recently for university and my god, everything I learn about him makes me love him more.

  • @ladyredl3210
    @ladyredl3210 Рік тому +24

    As a lesbian, the similarities between this period in Germany and what is happening now here with the right wing is terrifying. I will too, continue making art and hope cooler heads prevail , but I'm not holding my breath.
    Thanks for the history as ever, Kat.

    • @Gnashercide
      @Gnashercide Рік тому

      Bullshit

    • @lmaolmoo4147
      @lmaolmoo4147 Рік тому

      It's because it will always happen. You are not natural. The right wing rising is the natural counter to your culture being forced in a society. It will always happen this way until forced progressivism is stopped and humans can be normal.

  • @niamh7047
    @niamh7047 2 роки тому +4

    Such a great video! (as always). Didn't know much about Conrad Veidt so this was so informative and fascinating. Thank you for all the hard work that you put into making these videos, they're brilliant

  • @gaywizard2000
    @gaywizard2000 Рік тому +7

    German Expressionism is one of my favourite art history periods! The German art after the War is pretty interesting too, imagine losing culture for 15 years or so, it would be like if everyone now suddenly dropped social media and started reading and going out again! Lol

  • @ievadee
    @ievadee 2 роки тому +3

    As soon as I saw the notif for this video I was delighted you decided to cover this topic, it's such an underrated and fascinating era of history; beyond the (absolutely wonderful, very queer) aesthetics of the era, there is so much to learn from history here. You did the theme justice, and I painfully sympathize with your statement at the end regarding apathy and denialism in the face of past horrors. I'd also love to watch an entire video on Marlene Dietrich if you ever feel like making one, she's one of my fav historical figures!

  • @ladyofshalott
    @ladyofshalott 2 роки тому

    I absolutely love your videos with how informative they are and even with extremely serious topics, you add in parts that are absolutely joyful.

  • @artesiandifferent
    @artesiandifferent 2 роки тому +5

    This was fantastic. Really brought the bits and pieces I knew about culture in the Weimar republic into focus in a more immediate and relevant way.

  • @karminsandiago1715
    @karminsandiago1715 Рік тому +4

    I think theres a saying “those who don't believe in history are doomed to repeat it“ or something along those lines, these things happened if you like it or not they happened and it's horrible it had happened, stay safe kaz

  • @kitdarwin9557
    @kitdarwin9557 2 роки тому +6

    As a German it's so interesting to see the history of the Weimar Republic from a queer art and media perspective when otherwise, school only teaches the surface level political conflicts.

  • @ultracrepidarian9871
    @ultracrepidarian9871 Рік тому +1

    this was an incredibly informative video, thank you so so much for this! it's so frustrating how I didn't learn anything about this in school, and I live in germany! i hope more people will learn about this, it is so important to keep this history alive.

  • @VtheWanderer
    @VtheWanderer 2 роки тому +6

    Thank you for the time and effort you put into crafting these videos.