De l'amour et de la souffrance

In De l'amour et de la souffrance, Rainer Herrn tells the eventful story of this famous institution for the first time. He introduces the protagonists who shaped it, describes the struggles to abolish the ‘homosexual paragraph’ 175, follows the fate of those who sought help at the Institute, and in doing so, brings the spirit of the Weimar Republic back to life.

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Rainer Herrn is a medical historian specialising in the history of psychiatry and gender and sexual minorities. He has been working at the Magnus Hirschfeld Society's Research Centre for the History of Sexology since 1991 and at the Charité Institute for the History and Ethics of Medicine (Humboldt University of Berlin) since 2008. His research focuses on the establishment, functions, and practices of both disciplines, particularly in relation to phenomena of psychological, sexual, and gender diversity and otherness in the context of urban modernity. He has published numerous books and articles, and has organised exhibitions, conferences, and courses.

Since 1984, the ‘Bibliothèque allemande’ collection has been publishing works related to Germany. It brings together French publications on Franco-German research topics, reflecting developments in key areas of the humanities and social sciences in Germany. It also publishes French translations of innovative German texts, such as classics (in history, philosophy, sociology, etc.). Through this scientific exchange, the ‘Bibliothèque allemande’ facilitates the transmission of knowledge across borders, thereby strengthening the intercultural ties that are the strength of Europe.