International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Remembering the Pink Triangle

Each year on Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day invites reflection on the millions of people murdered under Nazi persecution. While the Holocaust is often discussed in broad terms, remembrance also requires attention to the groups whose stories were ignored or erased for decades. One of those stories is represented by the pink triangle.

During the Holocaust, people imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps were forced to wear coloured badges that identified the reason for their detention. Jewish prisoners were marked with yellow stars. Political prisoners wore red triangles. Men imprisoned for homosexuality were forced to wear a pink triangle.

Under Paragraph 175 of the German criminal code, homosexuality was criminalized. Gay men were monitored by police, arrested and sent to prisons and concentration camps. Historians estimate that tens of thousands were imprisoned. Many died because of forced labour, violence, medical abuse and starvation.

Within the camps, men marked with the pink triangle were often treated with particular cruelty. They were isolated from other prisoners and subjected to abuse by guards and fellow inmates. Survival rates for these prisoners were among the lowest in the camp system.

After the war

The injustice did not end with liberation. After the war, homosexuality remained illegal in Germany and other parts of Europe. Many survivors were not recognized as victims of Nazi persecution. Some were returned to prison to finish their sentences. Others were denied compensation and excluded from official remembrance. For decades, their experiences were largely absent from Holocaust education and memorials.

This absence matters. Holocaust remembrance is shaped not only by what is remembered but also by what is left out. The delayed recognition of pink triangle victims shows how prejudice continued long after the fall of the Nazi regime. It also highlights how memory can reflect the values of the societies preserving it.

Reclaiming the symbol

In the late 20th century, 2SLGBTQIA+ activists reclaimed the pink triangle as a symbol of resistance and remembrance. During the AIDS crisis, it became a sign of protest and solidarity. Over time, it evolved into a marker of resilience and survival. Today, it appears in museums, memorials and queer history projects around the world.

For historical organizations, this history is particularly significant. It connects Holocaust remembrance to broader struggles for recognition, safety and dignity. It also reminds us that 2SLGBTQIA+ history includes persecution and loss alongside progress and celebration.

 

That context matters when we talk about remembrance today. Remembering the pink triangle means acknowledging victims who were marginalized both during the Holocaust and long after it ended. Their stories were excluded from public memory for decades, not by accident but by choice. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, taking time to remember these lives helps make the historical record more complete and more honest.