Friedrich Radszuweit
Friedrich Radszuweit (15 April 1876 – 15 March 1932) was a German publisher, author and LGBT activist, who was of major importance to the first homosexual movement.
Friedrich Radszuweit

Friedrich Radszuweit, German editor, dead 1932. · Public domain
- Born
- 1876.
- Died
- 1932. · Berlin.
- Nationality
- Germany.
- Occupation
- entrepreneur, publisher, writer and lgbtq rights activist.
- Fields
- Paragraph 175, publishing house, homosexuality and literary activity.
- Languages
- German.
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Friedrich Radszuweit (15 April 1876 – 15 March 1932) was a German publisher, author and LGBT activist, who was of major importance to the first homosexual movement.
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wikidata · Q833897 · wikipedia · Friedrich Radszuweit
In this article
Early life and career
Early life and career
• Illustration — Die Freundin (May 1928) Radszuweit was born in Klein-Stobingen, a small hamlet in Insterburg district, East Prussia, today located in Russia. He moved to Berlin in 1901 and opened a shop for women's clothes. In 1923, Radszuweit, who was gay, became president of the organisation Bund für Menschenrecht E.V. (BfM), which worked for the rights of gay people and for the deletion of Paragraph 175 in Germany. He started his own publishing company and published the monthly magazine Zeitschrift für Menschenrecht from 1923 to 1933. The company also published several LGBT books and homoerotic graphics. The company also produced the first gramophone record with homosexual themes, including Bubi laß uns Freunde sein by Bruno Balz and Erwin Neuber. Other magazines published include Die Insel, Magazin der Einsamen (1926–1931), and the transvestite magazine Das 3. Geschlecht (five issues: 1930–1932). He also started the lesbian magazine Die Freundin, Wochenschrift für ideale Frauenfreundschaft. Radszuweit wrote the novels Männer zu verkaufen, Ledige Frauen, Die Symphonie des Eros and Paul Tritzkis Lebensweg. In 1927, he produced a flyer for the members of the Reichstag advocating reform of § 175.
Death
Death
In April 1932, Radszuweit died in Berlin of a heart attack. His businesses were taken over at his death by his lover Martin Butzkow (1900–1933), whom he had adopted to allow him to be his heir.
Works
Works
• Männer zu verkaufen, Leipzig, Lipsia-Verlag, 1932, 6. edition • Die Symphonie des Eros, Berlin-Pankow, Kaiser Friedrich-Str. 1, 1925 • Paul Titzkis Lebensweg, Berlin-Pankow, Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 1, Orplid-publishing, 1924
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1876
Friedrich Radszuweit was born on 15 April 1876.
1932
Friedrich Radszuweit died on 15 March 1932.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q833897: Friedrich Radszuweit
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Friedrich Radszuweit”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Marriage registration StA Berlin VIII Nr. 1233/1901
- 2.Steakley, James D. The Homosexual Emancipation Movement in Germany. Arno Press. 1975. 0-405-07366-6.
- 3.Radszuweit, Friedrich. Irrlehren über die Homosexualität. § 175 muss abgeschafft werden ! Denkschrift an den Deutschen Reichstag zur Beseitigung einer Kulturschande, published by Bund für Menschenrechte, Berlin 1927, 14 pages
- 4.Whisnant, Clayton J. Queer Identities and Politics in Germany: A History, 1880 1945. Columbia University Press. 2016. 9781939594105.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 2
- Bernd-Ulrich Hergemöller, Mann für Mann, Hamburg
- John Lauritsen and David Thorstad, The Early Homosexual Rights Movement 1864-1935 (Times Change Press, 1974).
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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