Talk:Black triangle (badge)

Comment - symbol
Are there any other sources that can be cited regarding the use of this symbol in Nazi germany? This may be perfectly valid stuff, but rhetorically speaking, the history here and at the linked site sound very urban legend-like. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.67.213.96 (talk • contribs) 22:12, 25 April 2006 (UTC)

Paragraph 175 and lesbians
Although one Nazi journalist called for Paragraph 175 to be applied to lesbians as well as gay men, it never was. They were never among the groups marked for removal to the camps, under the black triangle or any other. Some lesbians were targeted for violence or imprisonment by the Nazis, but these were arbitrary actions by soldiers who knew they did not have to follow even their own laws.

Lesbian history of the period is pretty well-documented in such books as Claudia Schoppmann's Days of Masquerade: Life Stories of Lesbians During the Third Reich.Dybryd 00:51, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

DELETE THIS PROPAGANDA -- This is all POV
This whole "article" is simply a propaganda and rebranding exercise for militant lesbians to claim this symbol as their own. To do this by detracting from the Nazi use of the symbol is horrific, disgusting and a total misrepresentation of fact.

This propaganda is not supported by any genuine evidence, and should be removed forthwith.

'''This is simply one further example of the normal of Wikipedia -- a wikinazi cabal attempting to change history to suit their version of wikialty. No doubt with "admin" assistance, as per usual.''' —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.141.210.169 (talk • contribs) 18:15, 14 January 2008


 * You say the contents of this article is not supported by genuine evidence. Might I ask on what you base that on? Where, who or what is your source for these claims? Fred26 (talk) 11:17, 31 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Since the article makes it very clear that no good evidence links the black triangle to lesbianism, and the claim that the Nazis persecuted lesbians is tenuous at best, I cannot see what is being complained about here - so I am removing the tag. I have added that the triangle was also labelled "arbeitsscheu" in one table of the meaning of badges (not the one currently illustrated here, but this one). Paul B (talk) 14:53, 14 March 2008 (UTC)


 * The black triangle is a well-known feature of the Nazi concentration camp system. The fact that this article is a product of the "WikiProject LGBT studies" is very odd. The triangle's supposed use as a lesbian symbol, while not wholly undocumented, is very obscure and its inclusion here is not, I would suggest, for the purpose of information, but propagation.  In any case, it is based on a sad misunderstanding of the symbol's actual use as a label for those deemed lazy, malingerers, vagrants, and those unable to work due to mental retardation or illness.  There seems to be regret that the National Socialists never made a formal effort to put lesbians into the camps.  (One would expect an opposite reaction, but it does seem unfair that this particular oppression club--seemingly so inclusive--should close its doors to homosexual women.  Oppression through non-oppression is oppressive too, I guess.)  The article should probably be made to redirect to Nazi_concentration_camp_badges which is reasonably substantive  article.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.242.118.143 (talk) 06:27, 19 September 2010 (UTC)
 * Its use by lesbians is part of the history of the badge. The fact that it has minimal connection to Nazi usage is clearly asserted, so again - what's the problem? Paul B (talk) 10:09, 19 September 2010 (UTC)


 * The article could use some improvement, but loaded terms like "wikinazi" are not going to do so. It sure looks like the Black Triangle was essentially a "none of the above" for those who fit none (or maybe too many) of their other categorizations.  And I thought the old Apartheid divisions were tedious to understand.  (Off topic: That's some pretty ingrained bigotry, when you actually need a filing and coding system to keep track of why you hate someone and how much.)  It is another on my long list of "clean up if I get time and nobody beats me to it." I seem to remember a source from one tome I read about ten years ago, researching. I only ended up on this article because I was trying to get a breakdown on the many different badges I was seeing besides the ones they show in the movies. It needs updating, not deleting - maybe merging into one of the other related articles.Bookbrad (talk) 09:57, 25 September 2015 (UTC)

Translations of Text in Poster


Grundfarben - basic colors

Abzeichen für Rückfällige - badges for recidivists (repeat offenders?)

Strafkomp / Strafkompanie - criminal associates (those who keep company with them)

Raffeschänder / Raffeschänderin / Rassenschänder - race defilers

Fluchtverdächtigt / Fluchtverdächtiger - Fleeing suspects

Häftlingsnummer - inmate number

98.204.35.128 (talk) 13:44, 13 May 2011 (UTC)


 * Several of the above translations are completely wrong, misspelled or could be better translated. Tjlynnjr (talk) 04:52, 2 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Gee, that's so helpful. Why don't you do it then? Paul B (talk) 12:23, 2 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Thank you. I am not in the habit of editing others comments on talk pages. I believe it might be in poor form. Is it permitted ?. Perhaps I will write a new section here, what do you think ? If you have not done so already please consider donating to Wikimedia Tjlynnjr (talk) 18:20, 4 April 2015 (UTC).
 * Why would anyone expect you to edit another editor's comments? Your current contribution is as pointless as your last one. If you actually have something to contribute please do so. btw, there are no translations of these captions in the article. I don't think they are needed. They might be relevant to the page on the image. Paul B (talk) 23:01, 4 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Thank you for your comments. Let's forget the whole thing. If you have not done so already please consider donating to Wikimedia Foundation Tjlynnjr (talk) 02:43, 5 April 2015 (UTC).

Comment The file's Summary has perfactly usable translations of the terms. Paradoctor (talk) 00:58, 11 December 2021 (UTC)

R. Amy Elman
The cite for the statement that "Nazis considered homosexual women asocial and a threat to German society, and the badge was used to identify them" is a bit strange. The cited article by Dr R. Amy Elman is available online here: http://remember.org/educate/elman the relevant text appears to be: “Lesbians,” writes Irene Reti, “were among those women imprisoned as asocials considered a threat to German society before 1939” (1993, p. 95). The cite to Irene Reti's work is her book Unleashing Feminism: Critiquing Lesbian Sadomasochism in the Gay Nineties. I don't have access to it, but according to the book description it is a collection of ''Radical feminist essays, poems and short stories that expand the scope of the discussion about sadomasochism and pornography. Unleashing Feminism is an earnest plea for a revitalized, powerful feminism, in an era where earnestness is caricatured more and more as old-fashioned and silly, uncool, uptight.'' That would point to it not being meant to be a scholarly work, and in any case her phrasing wouldn't support the rather strong statement made here. Maybe someone who has access to her book can verify the context, though.

Elman also cites another source saying: “The average lesbian enjoyed a kind of legal immunity” by ''Plant, R. (1986). The pink triangle: The Nazi war against homosexuals.'', which would strongly contradict what the Wikipedia article says.

So in combination I don't think Elman's article can be used to support this statement. I'm not even sure whether it aligns to her opinion on the matter.

Stefanmuc (talk) 16:38, 22 November 2018 (UTC)