Urningsverein

Urningsverein is a term used by historians to refer to late 19th- and early 20th-century German-speaking associations that organized around the social and intellectual interests of men who loved men. The word derives from the concept of the “Urning,” a designation developed by the sexologist Karl Heinrich Ulrichs for a man with a innate male-to-male erotic orientation. In this context, Urningsvereine were networks or clubs that provided mutual support, discussion, and, in some cases, publication of literature addressing male same-sex love.

The emergence of these associations occurred in a period when male homosexuality was criminalized under Paragraph 175 of the German penal code, and when public expression of such orientations faced legal and social penalties. Within this repressive climate, Urningsvereine functioned as discreet communities that shared ideas about sexuality, ethics, and social belonging. They often operated at the fringes of the broader early homosexual movement in the German Empire and the early Weimar Republic, seeking to educate members, cultivate a sense of identity, and sometimes engage in advocacy or cultural production.

Historically the term is linked with the broader milieu surrounding early gay activism in the German-speaking world, including the circulation of literature and periodicals such as Der Eigene, and figures associated with the early modern queer movement, such as Adolf Brand. The Urningsverein label is used primarily by scholars to describe a family of circles rather than a single fixed organization; individual groups varied in size, aims, and degree of openness. In later periods, as legal and social climates changed, the terminology and form of organizing evolved, but the Urning concept remained a notable early step in the history of LGBTQ activism in Germany.