Homosexuality in the German Armed Forces: A History of Taboo and Tolerance

Until 1979, homosexual men were systematically exempt from military service in the Bundeswehr. Although homosexuality alone was no longer a cause for being unfit for service, the principle applied to homosexual soldiers was: compulsory military service yes, career no. In most cases, same-sex orientation made it impossible to become an officer. And it was classified as a security risk. It was not until 2000 that the Federal Ministry of Defense changed its course. Klaus Storkmann is the first to examine the Bundeswehr’s handling of homosexual soldiers on the basis of interviews, court records and papers of the Federal Ministry of Defense. A comparison with other armed forces and the public service in the Federal Republic of Germany places the Bundeswehr actions in a larger context. The study proves that homosexuality has always been an issue in the military and continues to be so in many places; it is based on retrospective views on former German armed forces, in particular the National People’s Army of the GDR, and includes side glances at armies of other states.

Klaus Storkmann, Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the German Armed Forces, Potsdam, Germany.