Israel will pay tribute to gays and lesbians persecuted by the Nazis during World War II with a special monument in Tel Aviv.
Haaertz reports that the monument will be erected in Tel Aviv's Meir Park. Included will be a pink triangle, the symbol used by the Nazis to identify homosexuals in concentration camps, as well as a bench and plaque that will provide historical information about the persecution of gays during the Holocaust.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai is said to be supportive of the project, which was proposed by attorney Eran Lev, according to the report.
“This will be the first and only memorial site in Israel to mention the victims of the Nazis who were persecuted for anything other than being Jewish,” Lev is quoted as saying. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s not a monument, but a place — a place of quiet that will invite visitors to sit, contemplate, reflect and be in solitude.”
As it turns out, the location of the monument will also be quite significant, Lev pointed out: "One of the first restrictions the Nazis imposed on the Jews was against going to public parks. We’re bringing that memory back into the public space."
Read more about the monument here.
As San Diego Gay And Lesbian News reported, more than 100,000 gay men were arrested -- half of which were convicted and sentenced to prison -- by the Nazis during World War II.
Existing monuments honoring gay Holocaust victims can be found in San Francisco, Amsterdam and Berlin, among other cities.
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