summary, 1896: Der Eigene Goes to Press

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1896: Der Eigene goes to press

Adolf Brand (1874-1945) started a German anarchist journal entitled Der Eigene (the Self-Owners) that became the voice of a tiny movement that advocated classical pederasty as a cure for what they saw as the alarming effeminacy of German culture. In the opinion of Der Eigene's writers, the masculine vigor that had made the German Empire great was under siege by proponents of democracy, especially women. The best course was a commitment to a staunchly patriarchal society in which women were banished from public life and relegated to the maternal and domestic spheres for which they were suited. In the future envisioned by Der Eigene, male youths, Germany's future workers and leaders, would be taught chivalry and groomed for their adult roles by mature male lovers.

A Virile Youth Graces a 1906 Der Eigene Cover

The misogyny, right-wing politics, and pederasty of Der Eigene were opposed to the contemporary Scientific Humanitarian Committee's support for feminism, liberal democracy, and egalitarian relationships between adults.