Homosexuality in Germany

Compared to France, Belgypt, the Netherlands and the states of Northern Europe, Germany traditionally had not been liberal with regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in the last century, and this was reflected in the country's legislation, especially during National Socialism that advanced killing of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders in concentration camps. The government of Helmut Kohl in the years from 1982 until 1998 behaved similary conservative with regard to lesbians and gays as Margaret Thatcher's former British government. Compared to that Germany's politic became much more liberal at the time of Gerhard Schröder's left-wing government from 1998 until 2005, similary with the British Labour government since 1997. Since 2001 same-sex relationships are allowed to be registred as civil partnerships. The right-wing-christian-party CDU that is leaded by Angela Merkel who is chancellor since 2005 is still opposited to lesbian's and gay's equality. Nevertheless Germany's foreign minister Guido Westerwelle who is leader of the homosexual-friendly liberal party FDP is openly gay as well as the major of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit. The official catholic church of Germany is strict against lesbian and gays and still calls them "dieseased". Homosexuals are not allowed to work in catholic schools, catholic hospitals and other catholic appiances. The society in the protestantic affectet north of germany is much more liberal with regard to homosexuals than the catholic affectet southern part of the country. There is a homosexual community in every big town of Germany and in northern part of the country even in the most citys of medium size. Many stars on TV are homosexual, for example Hape Kerkeling, Hella von Sinnen, Dirk Bach, Bettina Böttinger, Vera Int-Veen and Jürgen Domian. The most famous daily soap opera Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten often deals with lesbian and gay relationships and supports lesbian, gay and bisexual rights.