Unsung History Podcast: Magnus Hirschfeld, Dora Richter, and the Institute for Sexual Science in Weimar Germany
Host: Kelly Therese Pollock
Guest: Dr. Brandy Scalace
Date: April 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this rich and timely episode, host Kelly Therese Pollock explores the largely overlooked but profoundly influential history of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, transgender pioneer Dora Richter, and the Institute for Sexual Science within the vibrant, tumultuous world of Weimar Germany. Pollock is joined by medical historian and novelist Dr. Brandy Scalace, author of "The Intermediaries," who guides listeners through the archival detective work and personal stories that reveal the origins of modern gender and sexual identity science—and the catastrophic backlash these early LGBTQ+ advancements faced from the rise of Nazism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Life and Work of Magnus Hirschfeld

• Early Activism & Scientific Humanitarian Committee
  • In 1897, Hirschfeld launched the Scientific Humanitarian Committee dedicated to the repeal of Paragraph 175 (00:39), the German law criminalizing homosexuality.

    "Hirschfeld himself was gay, but it was the suicide of one of his patients...that drove Hirschfeld into what became his life's work." — Kelly Therese Pollock (02:00)

  • Gathered 6,000 signatures; the petition was brought before the German parliament but failed to succeed (03:20).
• Scientific Contributions
  • Hirschfeld coined the term "transvestite" in 1910, recognizing a spectrum of gender and sexuality beyond the binary (04:05).
  • Developed new ideas about sexuality and gender, theorizing 43 million possible variants (05:15).
  • Worked with Berlin police to establish the "transvestitenschein," a certificate allowing legal cross-dressing with medical approval—an early step for trans rights, even though full legal transitions weren't recognized (05:55).

The Institute for Sexual Science

• Foundation and Impact
  • Founded in Berlin, 1919, as a research and counseling center, home to an extensive library (06:19).
  • Pioneered gender-affirming surgeries and hormone treatments.
• Film and Censorship
  • Hirschfeld co-wrote and acted in "Anders als die Andern" ("Different from the Others"), focusing on blackmail and the dangers created by Paragraph 175; it was ultimately censored (07:01).
• Political Turmoil & Destruction
  • Hirschfeld lobbied key political figures for legal reform (08:00). Parliament’s law committee barely recommended deleting Paragraph 175, but the climate shifted with the Nazi rise (08:54).
  • The institute was violently destroyed by Nazi supporters in May 1933; Hirschfeld died in exile (09:50).

Dora Richter: Pioneer of Transgender History

• Early Life and Identity
  • Dora always identified as a girl, despite her assigned birth gender; faced strict, rural upbringing and little support (30:47).
  • Her struggles began in early childhood: “She thinks of herself as a sister...this comes to a head when she's about four years old..." — Brandy Scalace (31:04)
  • Attempted to self-castrate as a child out of distress and misunderstanding about her body (32:06).
• Path to the Institute
  • Lived in various roles; often fled relationships afraid of being outed (32:57).
  • A boyfriend pointed her toward Hirschfeld after seeing related films—she traveled to Berlin and became a patient at the Institute (35:12).
• Groundbreaking Medical Transition
  • Underwent castration, penectomy, and became the first person recorded to receive a vaginoplasty (36:00).
  • Stayed at the institute as a maid, serving as a “den mom” to other trans women working there (35:52).
• Survival & Legacy
  • Contrary to earlier beliefs, Dora survived the Nazi attack, lived as a woman, ran a lace-making shop, and was remembered by townspeople as a joyful, eccentric woman with her pet pigeons (37:24; 38:00).

    "She just lived and died much the way I think she would have wanted to." — Brandy Scalace (39:19)

Archival Research and The Writing Journey

• Rediscovering Forgotten History
  • Scalace described the arduous archival process, international challenges, and methodological obstacles—particularly in sourcing rare documents, translating terminology, and reconstructing lost narratives (13:24–16:43).

    "I felt like an archaeologist...these little pieces of remaining fragments, and you have to try and build a picture..." — Brandy Scalace (13:28)

• Evolving Trans Terminology
  • The language of gender and sexuality (e.g., "transvestite," "intermediaries") was in flux; Scalace emphasizes the importance and complexity of applying terms and frameworks from past and present (17:03–19:54).

    "The wonderful thing about language is that it's living and it's constantly changing...words make the world." — Brandy Scalace (17:03)

Weimar Politics: An Almost-Radical Future

• A Window of LGBTQ+ Possibility
  • The Weimar Republic nearly succeeded at legal reform and public acceptance (20:25).

    "The most shocking thing...was that we almost won. There were almost not Nazis..." — Brandy Scalace (20:25)

  • Notions of gender and sexuality were more open among unexpected segments, such as uneducated working-class families (22:32).
  • Nazi backlash arose gradually, leveraging misogyny and social fears, ultimately co-opting, dividing, and destroying the unity of progressive groups (25:44–26:10).

Community, Tactics, and Factionalism

• Internal Divisions
  • Tensions within LGBTQ+ advocacy; some groups ("masculinists") focused only on gay men and perpetuated misogyny (26:10).
  • Hirschfeld, guided by feminist allies and personal growth, expanded his movements' inclusivity—whereas exclusionary groups later suffered under Nazism as well (27:24).
  • A lesson in unity:

    “The fissures between these groups were pried open by the right...They knew they couldn't win against them as a unified front." — Brandy Scalace (29:47)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Power (and Challenge) of Historical Recovery:

  "I spent a lot of time lying on my floor crying. But that is part of my writing process." — Brandy Scalace (16:20)

• The Enduring Resonance of Weimar’s Near-Miss:

  "[Nazis] were not all powerful. They were never a foregone conclusion...we were so close, and it would have just taken a little bit more of a tip..." — Brandy Scalace (24:37)

• On Individual Trans Lives:

  "She always says, I wanted to be loved as myself. She didn't want to be loved as a gay man, she wanted to be loved as a woman." — Brandy Scalace (33:33)

• On Community and Joy as Survival:

  "They didn't just fight...They had grand galas, right, where everybody dressed up and were fabulous...Your joy is permitted and, in fact, necessary as fuel to get you through these times." — Brandy Scalace (25:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction and Early Hirshfeld Biography – 00:00–10:24
• Dr. Brandy Scalace Joins – 10:53
• Archival Challenges and Research Process – 13:07–16:43
• On Historic Terminology & Language Evolution – 16:43–19:54
• Weimar Politics & Social Context – 19:54–25:44
• Community Division & Strategy Debates – 25:44–30:13
• Dora Richter's Life and Transformation – 30:13–37:23
• Dora’s Survival and Final Years – 37:24–39:27
• Writing Mystery Novels and Historical Fiction – 39:27–41:30
• Supporting LGBTQ+ Authors – 42:59–43:40

Takeaway Lessons

• The story of Hirschfeld, Richter, and their peers is a testament to resilience, joy, and progressive ambition—even in the face of repression.
• History shows possibilities that were nearly realized, reminding contemporary listeners that social regression is not inevitable and solidarity is essential.
• Recovery of "unsung" histories is both laborious and necessary, enabling new generations to draw hope, strength, and identity from the past.

Further Reading & Resources

• "The Intermediaries" by Brandy Scalace (W.W. Norton)
• Dr. Scalace's mystery novels: "The Framed Women of Ardmore House" and "The Dead Come to Stay" (Hanover Square Press)
• Hirschfeld Archive in Berlin

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