Fritz Kitzing

Born on December 28, 1905, Fritz KItzing was a bookkeeper who moved to Berlin in their twenties. As someone who wore both men’s and women’s clothing, they faced frequent harassment from both society and the police. Unlike most of the world around them, Fritz’s family was accepting.

Their first arrest came in 1933, simply for the gender non-conforming clothes they wore. They managed to escape prison and flee to England in 1934, but their freedom was short-lived. Arrested under prostitution laws, they were deported back to Germany.

Fritz was arrested two more times, the second following a report from a neighbor. They were sent to Lichtenburg concentration camp and later transferred to Sachsenhausen. After a year, they gained their freedom, only to be reported to the police again for crossdressing. This time, authorities also discovered that Fritz had been documenting life in the camps and sharing it with friends in London, an act that was held against them legally.

They were ultimately forced into the army but survived the war. Afterward, Fritz built a new life as an antiques dealer until their death in 1987.

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