The Nazi youth harassment of Hirschfeld and the violent attacks against his institute are a frightening mirror of modern-day attacks on LGBTQ centers. Trans activists were given the chance to represent themselves at conferences hosted by the institute, and they were among the institute’s more than 40 employees.īut the Nazis's destruction of the institute’s library destroyed all of the medical records, which contained detailed notes about the nuances of the complicated procedures, alongside untold volumes of thoughts, stories, and studies on LGBTQ people. Unlike Hollywood producers, who cast Eddie Redmayne to play Lili, Hirschfeld had no problem giving prominent roles to actual transgender people. Lili Elbe, the real-world basis for the film The Danish Girl, also underwent surgery there. Hirschfeld’s well-known name gave him the chance to intervene on behalf of at least one transgender woman arrested for 'female impersonation.' That woman went on to become one of several who had the chance to take advantage of his institute’s pioneering gender affirmation surgeries.
