I, Pierre Seel, Deported Homosexual

The survival story of Pierre Seel describes how he was sent to an interment camp as an accused homosexual, recounts his witnessing his lover's execution, and reveals his bitterness over having to hide his sexual orientation in order to survive.

After years of anguished silence, French-born Seel came out of the closet in 1981 at the age of 58 to bear witness to the Nazi deportation of homosexuals during WWII. In this brief, powerful memoir, he recalls the details of his arrest and torture by the Gestapo and his horrific experiences at a concentration camp in Alsace, where homosexuals were the most despised of prisoners. Inexplicably released in 1941, he was drafted into the German army, saw action on various fronts and managed to survive the war. Convinced by a priest that he was in a state of mortal sin, Seel set out to eradicate his homosexuality, keeping silent for years about his "pink triangle" past. But in 1981, outraged by a prominent bishop's characterization of homosexuals as "sick," he became inspired with a sense of obligation to obtain recognition for what had happened to some 350,000 homosexuals during the war, and his public statements became a cause celebre in France. Seel remains active at 72 in his personal crusade, publicly airing the long-overlooked tragedy of the homosexual holocaust. His account of his suffering and his plea for justice are heartrending in their dignified restraint. Illustrations.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Seel was abducted by the Germans from his home in Alsace, France, because his name appeared on a police list of suspected homosexuals. He was then subjected to ghastly torture, later conscripted into the German army, and eventually taken prisoner by the Russians. His testimony and plight do not end there. After years of a difficult marriage and attempts to overcome his shame, he now seeks the same recognition other victims of the Nazis receive from the French government. This harrowing tale may be overwhelming for some, but it gives new depth to human witness of the most horrific act of the century. Though there is an enormous Holocaust literature, relatively little deals with the Nazi internment of gays. A notable exception is Heinz Heger's The Men with the Pink Triangle (Alyson Books, 1994. 2d ed.). For public libraries.
David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.