Germany moved closer on Wednesday to clearing the names of gay men who suffered under a Nazi-era law. Schmehling is now one of an estimated 5,000 gay men who could receive compensation as Germany moves towards clearing their criminal records under the former Article 175. More than 42,000 men were convicted during the Third Reich, and sent to prison or concentration camps. When the law was still in force, gay men were forced to seek intimacy in public toilets, parks and bars that could only be accessed by ringing a doorbell, away from authorities' prying eyes. Nevertheless, every gay man in the country had to behave as if he were a criminal.

Source: The Local March 22, 2017 11:03 UTC