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Loading... Sodom and Gomorrah: On the Everyday Reality and Persecution of Homosexuals in the Middle Agesby Bernd-Ulrich Hergemöller
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Sodom and Gomorrah provides a meticulously researched account of the lives, suffering, and everyday reality of homosexual men in Europe, Between AD 500 and AD 1500. The author begins by tracing the development of relevant criminal law from the Romans to the beginnings of modern Europe, and goes on to explore the differences and similarities in approaches towards homosexuality in present and past cultures. Pertinent legal cases in Germany and Italy are reviewed, and the first English language translation of 15th century documents relating to same-sex trials in Cologne provide valuable insight into prevailing attitudes. Following a discussion of the anti-sodomite discourse of theology of the period, there is further exploration, not just of the negative, persecutory aspects of same-sex existence in those times, but also of the many positive elements of it in everyday life. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)305.90664Social sciences Social Sciences; Sociology and anthropology Groups of people People by occupation and miscellaneous social statuses Sexuality; Migrants Gay, lesbian, queer studiesLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Homosexual behaviour was forbidden, of course, but apart from the handful of accounts which do exist of trials in which anal sex and homosexual paedophilia was the primary charge in Europe, people engaging in homosexual behaviour seem to have led a rather undetected life. The other trials which do mention homosexuality seem to do so only on the grounds of adding more charges and underlining the moral depravity of the people charged - usually with large-scale theft and/or murder.
It is noteworthy that homosexuals were referred to as "Ketzer" (heretics), and anal sex was known as "ketzern" - to go against the order of nature as god apparently intended it was heresy. When the witch hunts began and the tempers started to get tetchier the mere accusation was enough to light torches and the wooden stakes.