Beweise für die Unzucht

The exhibition ‘Beweise für die Unzucht’ (Evidence of Fornication) sheds light on the criminal prosecution of gay men and women in Austria between 1900 and 1971. On display are personal belongings and documents that were seized by the police at the time and used as evidence. Love letters, private photographs, diaries and everyday mementos provide an insight into the extent of state interference in the private lives of homosexual people. The exhibition also addresses the violation of privacy, dignity and personal freedom, as well as the ethical question of how these documents – which were not originally intended for public viewing – should be handled today.