Gay man who survived Nazi concentration camp dies aged 98
A man who was sent to a Nazi concentration camp for being gay has died at the age of 98.
Rudolf Brazda was said to be the last surviving person who had been interned by the regime for homosexuality and was known as ‘the last of the pink triangles’, in reference to the markers gay men were forced to wear.
His death was announced by the Berlin branch of the Lesbian and Gay Association, or LSVD, which did not give further details.
Mr Brazda was held at the Buchenwald concentration camp for three years between 1942 and 1945.
Born in 1913, he lived openly as a gay man and worked as a roofer before the Nazis came to power.
But in 1937, he was arrested after a secret police investigation and jailed for six months.
On his release, he moved away and continued working but was arrested and imprisoned again on homosexuality offences four years later.
After a prison sentence, he was sent to the concentration camp where he worked in heavy labour and then roofing, while witnessing atrocities towards other gay prisoners.
When the camp was liberated, he moved to the Alsace region of eastern France where he met his life partner, who died in 2003.
Mr Brazda has been recognised as the last survivor who was interned for homosexuality and has attended memorials for victims. He first came forward with his story in 2008.
In spite of his age, he had continued to speak out about persecution and intolerance and urged younger people to remain vigilant.
During Nazi rule, around 100,000 gay men – and some lesbians – were arrested for homosexuality.
Between 10,000-15,000 gay men were sent to concentration camps, where few survived.
