Gerd Ziegler

Gerd Katter, born March 14, 1910, in Berlin, experienced a disconnect between their assigned gender at birth and their internal sense of self. Through exposure to early writings on sexuality and gender, Katter became aware of diverse identities. This led to a connection with physician Magnus Hirschfeld and his Institute for Sexology in Berlin. At sixteen, Katter sought gender-affirming surgery, a double mastectomy, at the Institute. Initially turned away due to age, Katter later received treatment and the procedure after a self-attempt.

In adulthood, Katter obtained a transvestite pass (Transvestitenschein), a document that allowed for presentation outside of assigned gender norms and offered some protection against legal persecution. Katter's personal documents, including these passes, are now valuable historical artifacts for studying gender identity in Weimar Berlin. Following medical and legal affirmations, Katter was presented by the Institute as a case study. Later in life, Katter completed a carpentry apprenticeship and worked in insurance while living in East Germany, maintaining socialist and antifascist beliefs. Katter also actively advocated for the recognition of Magnus Hirschfeld, especially after the destruction of his institute by the Nazis, seeking to honor his work and legacy.

Born Gerd Katter in Berlin in 1910, the individual experienced gender dysphoria from a young age. Discovering literature on diverse sexualities and gender expressions, including works by Max Hodann and Friedrich Radszuweit, and Magnus Hirschfeld's "Geschlechtskunde," Katter's understanding of identity was shaped. Through an acquaintance of Hodann, Katter was introduced to Magnus Hirschfeld. At the age of sixteen, Katter, accompanied by their mother, visited Hirschfeld's Institute for Sexology in Berlin with the intention of undergoing a double mastectomy, a form of gender-affirming surgery. Although initially denied due to age, Katter returned after an attempt at self-surgery, requiring medical intervention from the Institute's doctors to complete the procedure.

By eighteen, Katter sought official recognition of their gender identity by obtaining a "Transvestitenschein," or transvestite pass. These documents, issued by the German government, permitted individuals to present in ways that deviated from their birth-assigned sex and offered a degree of protection against laws concerning public indecency. Katter's surviving "Transvestitenschein" documents are considered significant historical records, offering insights into the role of identity documents in shaping gender in Weimar-era Berlin. Following the surgery and the acquisition of these documents, Katter was utilized by the Institute as a subject for demonstration to visitors, a role that Katter seemed to embrace with admiration for Hirschfeld and the Institute, as indicated by personal correspondence.

After these experiences, Katter completed a carpentry apprenticeship and later resided in Brandenburg, East Germany, working in the insurance sector and taking acting classes. Throughout their life, Katter held strong convictions in socialism and antifascism, becoming a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Kulturbund. In 1947, Katter wrote to Anton Ackermann, advocating for the rebuilding of Magnus Hirschfeld's destroyed Institute and for Hirschfeld's commemoration as a "victim of fascism." Katter strategically framed Hirschfeld as a German "fighter" against fascism, omitting his Jewish identity to emphasize his active resistance. Later, in 1985, Katter learned of the Magnus Hirschfeld Society and donated personal archives and recorded interviews, further contributing to the preservation of Hirschfeld's legacy.

“victim of fascism”

“gigantic fighter”

“ Opfer des Faschismus”