Rudolf Brazda was the last known concentration camp survivor deported specifically for homosexuality. He began to speak out publicly about his experiences only in the final years of his life, telling the world about the persecution gay men and lesbians faced at the hands of the Nazis, specifically the experience of gay men in the camps which was often extremely harsh.
They targeted gay men for persecution, expanding and reinforcing the pre-existing legislation known as Paragraph which criminalised homosexual acts between men. They also targeted lesbians, albeit less severely than they persecuted male homosexuals. Rudolf Brazda, the youngest son of Czech immigrants, was born on 26 June in Brossen, part of the modern German town of Meuselwitz. His parents had moved to Saxony from Bohemia to find work. In Meuselwitz and Altenburg, he found a tolerant atmosphere and befriended other gay and lesbian people in local clubs and meeting houses.
Despite the prejudicial legislation in place, there was little discrimination at the time and Brazda could be open about his sexuality. At the age of 20, he met Werner at a swimming pool, a man who would soon become his first boyfriend.
As early as , the Nazis began raiding gay clubs in larger cities and the pre existing, thriving gay and lesbian culture in Germany was destroyed. It is estimated that tens of thousands of people faced persecution for their sexual orientation. Significant numbers of gay men were arrested, of whom an estimated 50, were sentenced to prison terms varying from a few months to several years. Most were not sent to concentration camps but were instead exposed to inhumane treatment in police prisons.
Some were subjected to hard labour and torture. Love letters and poems that he had written to his partner were used against him. Werner, who had enlisted in the military, was also arrested and the two soon lost contact with one another. Brazda served a six month sentence before being deported to Czechoslovakia. Although he was a Czech citizen, he was not familiar with the country nor did he know the language, so he moved to the German-speaking Sudetenland where he found work as a roofer.
