The passing of Rosa von Praunheim, filmmaker and activist, at the age of 83 on Wednesday marks a significant loss for Germany’s LGBTQ+ rights movement and the nation’s New German Cinema. Von Praunheim’s death leaves a complicated legacy, one simultaneously celebrated as a pioneer and scrutinized for its own internal contradictions.
For decades, Von Praunheim was a figurehead in the nascent political gay and lesbian movement. His 1971 film, “Not the Homosexual is Perverse, But the Situation in Which He Lives” remains a seminal work, sparking a crucial, albeit often disruptive, societal debate about homosexuality and its criminalization under Paragraph 175 of the German penal code. This law, which outlawed male homosexual acts, was only repealed in 1994, a moment which reportedly led Von Praunheim to gradually withdraw from the more overt political arena, concentrating instead on his prolific filmmaking career.
Throughout his career, spanning over 50 years, Von Praunheim produced over 150 short and feature-length films, frequently tackling queer themes with a provocation that sometimes bordered on the controversial. While widely recognized for his contributions – including the 1979 German Film Award for “Tally Brown, New York” and the 2012 Grimme Prize for his documentary “Die Jungs vom Bahnhof Zoo” – his methods and pronouncements often drew criticism. Some within the LGBTQ+ community voiced concerns regarding his sometimes sensationalist portrayal of queer lives and his tendency to utilize stereotypes for dramatic effect, questioning whether his approach truly advanced the cause of acceptance or simply generated publicity.
Von Praunheim’s recent marriage to his long-time partner, Oliver Sechting, just days before his death, highlighted a personal milestone. Yet, it also underscores a life lived publicly and intensely, one that consistently challenged societal norms and pushed the boundaries of artistic and political expression. His death prompts a reappraisal of his enduring influence, not only as a cinematic innovator, but also as a complex and occasionally divisive figure in the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ equality in Germany. It remains to be seen how his work and persona will be assessed by future generations grappling with the ongoing evolution of queer representation and political activism.
