“An imposing recognition of the love of man for woman, a powerful manifestation of the provision for the preservation of the species, and a contradiction to the fear that the uranian element in the population could ever seriously impair the well-being of the great majority” (Hirschfeld).
As “bisexual”—that is, as exhibiting tendencies towards both sexes—the average of the three enquiries reported 3·9 %, of whom, however, 0·8 % were mainly homosexual.
The total number of the purely and mainly homosexual was thus 2·2 %. Hence, according to the results of the last census of 1900, in the total population of the German Empire, numbering 56,367,178, there would be about 1,200,000 homosexuals; whilst of the population of Berlin, numbering 2,500,000, 56,000 would be homosexual.
In the interest of the scientific and social study of homosexuality, it is urgently necessary that these statistical investigations should be pursued, for if it should appear that the above estimates really apply to the whole Empire—which I do not feel justified in assuming without further evidence, since it is naturally possible that Berlin might contain a relatively greater number of homosexuals—uranism would, in fact, have a greater social importance than it has hitherto been assumed to possess. In any case, the number of urnings is large enough to make them appear a remarkable anthropological variety of our race.
The truth of this assertion is supported by the fact of the ubiquitous diffusion of uranism in time and space. In addition to homosexuality as a popular custom, genuine homosexuality also played a part in antiquity; and F. Karsch[515] has proved in an admirable book its occurrence among all savage races, although unquestionably numerous cases of non-genuine homosexuality must have been included. That homosexuality is in no way a sign of “degeneration” is proved also by the fact that it is more widely diffused among the still thoroughly vigorous Germans and Anglo-Saxons than it is among the Latin peoples. It is especially frequent in the German Ostsee provinces. It existed among the ancient Scandinavians.[516] Recently F. Karsch has announced the publication of ethnological researches on homosexuality, the first volume of which has already been issued, under the title “Homosexual Life among the Inhabitants of Eastern Asia: the Chinese, the Japanese, and the Koreans”[517] (Munich, 1906). In the preface he states expressly that he treats not only of original homosexuality, but also of artificially produced or acquired homosexuality—that which I call “pseudo-homosexuality.”
My earlier view, that true homosexuality is rare among the Jews, I find it necessary to revise, for recently I have made the acquaintance of numerous Jewish homosexuals.
For the earlier history and literature of homosexuality the most important, and, in fact, nearly exhaustive, sources are the article “Pæderasty,” by Meier, in Ersch and Gruber’s “General Encyclopædia,” section iii., part 9, pp. 149-189 (Leipzig, 1837); Rosenbaum’s “History of Syphilis in Antiquity,” pp. 119-227[518] (Halle, 1893); and, finally, the writings of the earliest German student of homosexuality, containing numerous interesting data, the Hanoverian official Karl Heinrich Ulrichs,[519] who, under the pseudonym “Numa Numantius,” published numerous works devoted to the emancipation of homosexuals, and to the proof of the congenital nature of homosexuality. The general title of these works is “Anthropological Studies on the Sexual Love of Man for Man.” They were published under various peculiar separate titles, such as: “Vindex” (Leipzig, 1864); “Inclusa” (Leipzig, 1864); “Vindicta” (Leipzig, 1865); “Formatrix” (Leipzig, 1865); “Ara Spei” (Leipzig, 1865); “Gladius Furens” (Kassel, 1868); “Memnon” (Schleiz, 1868); “Incubus” (Leipzig, 1869); “Argonauticus” (Leipzig, 1869); “Araxes” (Schleiz, 1870); “Uranus” (Leipzig, 1870); “Kritische Pfeile” (Stuttgart, 1879). In addition, Ulrichs, whose lifetime extended from 1825 to 1895, published uranian poetry under the title of “Auf Bienchens Flügeln” (“On the Wings of the Bee”); Leipzig, 1875. These writings, most of which are very rare in their original editions (although many were reprinted in the year 1898), contained a number of new points of view for the consideration of homosexuality, which have been recognized as sound by recent investigators.
Important contributions to the knowledge of homosexuality are afforded us by the studies of the life and works of celebrated and intellectually distinguished urnings. As unquestionably homosexual we may mention the poet Platen,[520] Michael Angelo,[521] Heinrich Hössli,[522] Heinrich Bulthaupt,[523] Johannes von Müller (the historian),[524] King Henry III. of France,[525] the musician Franz von Holstein,[526] Peter Tschaikowsky,[527] the authors Count Emmerich von Stadion and Emil Mario Vacano,[528] Duke August von Gotha,[529] George Eekhoud,[530] and the Belgian sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy (1602-1654).[531] The following celebrated persons have also been regarded as urnings, but, as it appears to me, on insufficient proofs: Frederick the Great; J. J. Winkelmann, who at most was bisexual, since we know of passionate letters written by him to a woman; and Alexander von Sternberg,[532] of whom the same is true; the reformers Beza[533] and Calvin,[534] who have unquestionably been wrongfully accused; and finally Byron and Grillparzer,[535] without troubling to enumerate hypotheses utterly without foundation. It is unquestionably a fact that a large number of intellectually prominent men were genuine homosexuals, and that their abnormal congenital tendencies did not prevent their doing important work in other spheres of activity. But this happened notwithstanding, and not, as many talented apologists wish to prove, because of their uranism.
When we pass to consider the activity of homosexual love, we find that homosexuals may, and actually do, love either other homosexual or heterosexual individuals. According to the account given by Meisner (“Uranism,” pp. 19, 20), the amatory ideal of most homosexual men is a heterosexual man, and intercourse between two urnings is, properly speaking, only a matter of necessity. But by several homosexuals with whom I discussed the matter this view was declared to be erroneous; in the majority of cases the attraction between two homosexuals plays the principal rôle. Ulrichs endeavoured to provide a theoretical justification for the sexual relationship between two homosexuals, and maintained (cf., for example, “Inclusa,” pp. 64, 65) that Nature destined the heterosexual, or “dioning,” as he calls them, by no means for woman alone, but also for the urning, for the “fulfilment of the sexual purposes of Nature, not directed towards reproduction.” According to Hirschfeld (“Urnings,” pp. 22, 23), it is unquestionable that, whilst many homosexuals greatly prefer to associate with those who also feel in a uranian manner, and whilst to many also it is a matter of indifference whether or not those with whom they have sexual relations are themselves endowed with contrary sexuality, quite a number of urnings feel attracted exclusively to normal, sexually powerful natures. As a rule, it is not difficult for homosexuals to gratify their inclinations in intercourse with heterosexual individuals. A middle-aged urning informed me that young heterosexual men almost always acceded in this matter to the expressed wish of homosexuals—in the first place from simple curiosity, and in the second place by no means rarely from sexual excitement. Indeed, according to this authority, effeminate homosexual men often produce in powerfully sensual heterosexual men the impression of femininity, and are seduced by the latter to mutual masturbation, especially in a state of alcoholic intoxication. Not infrequently does it happen—a striking example having come to my knowledge—that a young heterosexual has a love intimacy with a girl, and yet occasionally, when he is for any reason unable to have sexual intercourse with her, he very willingly transfers his affections to a homosexual man. Male prostitutes are also, to a large extent, heterosexual men who give themselves to homosexuals for pecuniary reward. Occasionally, moreover, heterosexual men mistake very effeminate urnings going about in women’s clothing for genuine women, and have intercourse with them in this belief—a belief which these latter are clever enough to keep up until the last possible moment.
Passing now to the consideration of the special circumstances of sexual attraction, we find that the true love of boys,[536] or rather the love of children (pædophilia), is rare in homosexuals. The age chiefly preferred is that between seventeen and twenty-five years, alike by mature homosexual men and by old men. On the other hand, it is by no means an exceptional phenomenon for youths, or even mature men, to feel attracted exclusively by elderly men (the so-called “gerontophilia”). There exists also a heterosexual “gerontophilia”—that is to say, abnormal love exhibited by young men for old women, or by young women for old men. Thus Féré reports (“Note sur une Anomalie de l’Instinct Sexuel: Gerontophilie,” published in the Journal de Neurologie, 1905) the case of a man twenty-seven years of age who was sexually attracted only by white-haired, elderly women. He referred this to an impression received in very early youth. When four years old he slept in the same bed with an elderly lady, a family friend, who was visiting the house, and he then for the first time experienced sexual excitement. He had a dislike to young girls and young married women. A white-haired elderly woman whom he loved dyed her hair light brown, whereupon he ceased to care for her. Further, effeminate urnings prefer virile homosexuals; whereas many of these latter have a great dislike to effeminates and to men in women’s clothing—to those male “women” who adopt by preference feminine nicknames, such as Louisa instead of Louis, Georgina instead of George, and who speak to one another as “sister,” just as the Roman Emperor Heliogabalus wished to be addressed as “mistress” instead of “lord.” Many urnings love beardless men; others love men with a moustache or a full beard; many homosexuals are fascinated by bright-coloured cloth, just as women are. Moreover, every possible individual detail may here have an attractive force, just as is the case with heterosexual love (the hair, the stature, the gait, the eyes, the intelligence, and the character).