50 Years of Pink Triangle? An Emotional Film Evening at Lichtwerk Bielefeld
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A Cinematic Historical Document Against Forgetting
On Friday, November 6, 2026, the Working Group for Queer History Bielefeld e. V. will commemorate the premiere of the documentary Pink Triangle? That's been over for a long time ... exactly 50 years ago at Lichtwerk. The film screening followed by a discussion combines historical research, queer memory culture, and political education.
A Documentary Film Between Persecution and Emancipation
The film produced in 1975 and 1976 at the Faculty of Sociology at the University of Bielefeld examines the persecution of homosexual men during the National Socialism and the continuities of discrimination in the Federal Republic. It focuses on eyewitnesses and victims, whose voices connect the history of the pink triangle with personal experiences.
The pink triangle was used in Nazi concentration camps to designate homosexual prisoners. The film makes visible how state repression, societal exclusion, and the tightened Paragraph 175 continued beyond the end of National Socialism. At the same time, it documents the beginnings of gay action groups in the 1970s.
Film Art as a Historical Source
The 50-minute documentary by Detlef Stoffel, Christiane Schmerl, and Peter Recht is not only a filmic work but also an important testimony of visual sociology. Interviews, historical contextualization, and political analysis come together to create an impactful form of work contemplation. The reduced aesthetics of the historical document focus attention on faces, voices, and experiences.
Among those at the center are Corny Littmann, Harald A. Bähr, Rüdiger Lautmann, as well as Olav and Ingrid Meyer-Sievers. The film poster and quotes have been part of the permanent exhibition You are Part of History – Germany since 1945 at the House of History in Bonn since December 2025.
Talk with Filmmakers and Eyewitnesses
After the screening, the cinema hall opens for a discussion. Expected guests are filmmaker Prof. Christiane Schmerl and Peter Recht and Detlef Stoffel, protagonist Olav Meier Sievers, eyewitness Joachim Bartholomae from the bookstore and publisher Männerschwarm, and director Stefan Westerwelle. The evening will be led by documentary filmmaker and lecturer Beate Middecke.
The discussion relates the historical film to the present and questions memory, visibility, and the political struggles of queer people. Thus, the cinema evening becomes a unique artistic experience: film history, oral history, and cultural education converge.
An Evening for Queer Memory Culture
The event is being created in cooperation with BIEqueer e. V., the autonomous gay department of the University of Bielefeld, SilverGays Bielefeld, and the Equal Opportunities Office of the City of Bielefeld. It is funded by the Arcus Foundation.
Lichtwerk offers the right space for this aesthetic experience between concentrated film screening and open exchange. Visitors can expect a historically accurate, emotionally touching evening that makes the significance of archival material and personal memory palpable for a democratic society.
Conclusion: Making History Visible Together
Pink Triangle? That's been over for a long time ... compellingly illustrates how closely film, memory, and societal change are interconnected. The anniversary event invites everyone to experience this important historical document live, listen to the voices of eyewitnesses, and reflect on the impact of queer history up to the present day. A recommended evening for all interested in film art, contemporary history, human rights, and cultural education.
Official Channels of AG Queer History Bielefeld e. V.:
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- Website: https://queeregeschichte.myportfolio.com/aktuell-50-jahre-film-rosa-winkel
