Macabre but interesting historical fact about Nazi camps...

[Locut0s]

I'm sure many here knew about this before but I didn't. I was curious about the origins of the use of the downward pointing pink triangle as a symbol for homosexuality. I did not know that it originated in Nazi death camps as a way of marking gay prisoners.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_triangle

And further that a whole system of coloured triangles was used for such prisoner identification purposes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_concentration_camp_badges#Table_of_camp_inmate_markings

I knew of the arm bands and numerical markings. I was also vaguely aware of other types of markings but never looked them up.

[MicaelS]

1. There was a High-End Audio company called Pink Triangle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Triangle_%28audio_manufacturer%29

Pink Triangle Ltd was a British Audio manufacturer specialising in high end turntables. It was founded in London in 1979 by Neal Jackson and Arthur Khoubesserian. Both gay men, Jackson chose the name 'Pink Triangle' after the symbol used for homosexuals by Nazis in concentration camps. Manufacturing took place on an industrial estate in Maidstone Road, Sidcup, Kent.

Their first product was the Pink Triangle Turntable, also known as the PT1, which was in production from 1979 until 1985. Innovative features included a battery-operated DC motor and an acrylic platter. It was highly praised by the hi-fi press and sold in significant quantities, but was never as successful as the similarly priced Linn Sondek LP12 it was created to compete against.

In later years the company also manufactured amplifiers, digital-analogue converters and Compact Disc transports, however they did not sell in sufficient numbers to offset their manufacturing and research expenses. The company folded in 2003.

[Aristus]

2. Oh, yeah. I found that out years ago.

I was pretty well-versed on the concentration camp uniform classification system, anyway.

I did a play about 20 years ago, the main character of which was an escaped political prisoner from the camps. I made the insignia for his uniform.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. I was aware...see the avatar.

Jews and gays got two triangles, and they were 1/3 larger than all other triangles to make them easier to see by the guards and other prisoners.

There is a book called The Men with the Pink Triangle: The True Life-and-Death Story of Homosexuals in the Nazi Death Camps which is quite good. The movie, Bent is about being gay in the concentration camps. As of a few days ago, New Tel Aviv Monument to Honor LGBT Holocaust Victims.