Pink Triangles

In some of the early concentration and ‘security camps’ a blue bar worn on the breast and sleeve identified homosexual inmates. It also identified catholic and asocial prisoners.

Some homosexuals were also identified with a large black dot on the jacket sleeve or left chest area. On the back of the jacket was also marked a large ‘175’, which would have been instantly recognisable by both guards and other inmates.

The pink triangle, or Rosa Winkel, was the most associated symbol for men held under § 175. Inmates were made to wear a large piece of pink cloth on the breast side of their clothes and a larger one across their backs. The pink triangle was made 2cm larger than any of the other identification triangle so that guards and other prisoners could clearly see when a homosexual prisoner was approaching. 

*The gay liberation movement of the 1970’s chose the pink triangle as the popular symbol for gay rights, identity and pride. Worn as a simple badge, the symbol is both easily recognisable and also stands in the face of oppression and persecution. In the 1980’s the US lead ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) chose to use the triangle as its sign and inverted it to signify an active fight back against intolerance. 

Prisoners with the pink triangle made little contact with other prisoners for fear of further persecution. By associating with the pink triangles, other detainees would have almost certainly drawn unwanted attention on to themselves and the best way of avoiding further abuse was clearly to remain as invisible as possible.

In some camps the pink triangles were integrated with other prison blocks but other camps, such as Sachsenhausen, special 175 blocks were erected to house homosexuals in segregation. In these blocks the pink triangles were made to sleep only in their nightshirts with hands outside the thin blankets and clearly visible. This was to prevent any physical contact with other inmates sharing the bunk. The overhead lights were also left on at all times making it harder to sleep for any period of time.

In spite of the harsh conditions in the camps, or even because of it, relationships were formed. Survivors talk of beneficial sexual and emotional bonds that existed between inmates and camp commandants, block leaders and even in some cases, SS guards. Guards and capos- the block leaders often took a male prisoner that they liked and kept them as ‘pets’. In the absence of women, who were forbidden entry to men’s blocks, it appeared that sexual drives were often stronger than sexual boundaries. Those ‘lucky’ enough to be chosen as pets would receive extra food rations in return for sexual favours and often avoided the hard labour forced onto the other prisoners. 

While the majority of these relationships were clearly driven by desperate times and survival tactics, others were driven by genuine affection in the face of unbelievable hardship.

Quote:
Kitty Fisher, a Jewish inmate sent to Auschwitz in 1944 at the age of 16, credits a pink triangle inmate for both her sisters’ and her own survival. On arrival to the camp, a male prisoner, who had been at Auschwitz since 1940, helped her. He helped her with food and regularly gave her and her sister hope. Before he saw her for the last time, he advised her on a large selection that would ultimately serve to liquidate the camp. He told her to pretend she was a weaver and to tell the SS that her and her sister were trained. This advice ultimately saved her life:

“During my stay in Auschwitz that strange man came to these two girls from a strange country he didn’t even know and who were Jewish, and he brought them two jacket potatoes and may his memory be blessed because he contributed to my survival – and that is a fact”. 

Gad Beck online exhibition and testimony: 
Multimedia exhibit as part of the USHMM online site, curator: historian Klaus Mueller.
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/doyourememberwhen/co/co.htm 

http://www.peterflinsch.com/f/hour/hour.htm
interview with Peter Flinsch