Gay voices from East Germany Book

Introduction by John borneman

I. Erich and Karl Introduced by Geoffrey J. Giles

1. "You won’t hear heroic tales about our kind"
Erich, 1900-1986, worker
2. "This is my young friend; we’re in love"
Karl, born 1907, druggist

II. Reinhold and Bert Introduced by Steven Stoltenberg

3. "I’ve got a headache from all your questions"
Reinhold, born 1935, worker on a collective dairy farm
4. "The way you look, you don’t have a chance of getting in"
Bert, born 1961, worker

III. Lothar, Peter, and Volker Introduced by James W. Jones

5. "I am my own woman"
Lothar, born 1927, curator
6. "Married without children"
Peter, born 1944, typesetter, and Volker, born 1948, foreign trade salesman

IV. Winne Introduced by James Patrick Hill and John Borneman

7. "What should I do with such a hot-blooded guy?"
Winne, born 1964, library worker

V. Body and Joseph Introduced by Jeffrey M. Peck

8. "You don’t get points for drinking"
Body, born 1947, worker
9. "Society could have gotten more from me"
Joseph, born 1944, economist

VI. Theodor and Dieter Introduced by James R. Keller

10. "I am not a banner waver"
Theodor, born 1963, waiter
11. "I’m a man and I want to live with one"
Dieter, born 1946, worker

VII. Nicholas and J.A.W.
Introduced by J. D. Steakley

12. "Every one of us is forced to reinvent himself"
Nicholas, born 1944, self-employed
13. "The harlequin and the faun"
J.A.W., born 1917, painter and art educator

Notes Contributors to the English Translation