Celebrating Christopher Isherwood, Berlin Cabaret Era

During my three week train adventure in 2008, I wanted to visit the era in Berlin prior to the Nazi take over in the 1930's. Jeremy Minsberg, pictured here led me to the spot of the Eldorado Bar, which was a famous Berlin Tourist attraction, that was closed down by the police on March 1, 1933. This memorial to Christopher is just down the street. In reading the book, Self Confidence and Persitence, I learned of Hirshfeld's progressive research through his Institute for Sexology, and how its life was terminated suddenly by the beginning of the state's racist politics when his institute was looted on May 6, 1933. The vast archive and library was carried off to destroyed in a public book burning on May 10. I am grateful to be a graduate of the U of Minnesota Medical School that has been sponsoring ongoing research at the Program in Human Sexuality since 1971 (when I was a medical student there from 1969-1974) as a resource for scientific inquiry in the 21st Century ranging from HIV prevention to family therapy. Check out www.fm.umn.edu/phs