The city and landscape of Schaffhausen, as well as the century before the major social upheavals of the years following 1968, provide the backdrop for a historical study in a still young field. Previous research has mostly focused on urban centers, highlighting the homosexual liberation movement or the persecution by the Nazis. But how did men realize their desire for other men in small towns and rural areas?

The dimly lit craftsmen's sleeping quarters of the 19th century serve as a setting in this story, just as the public restrooms of the post-war period do; the bathing area on the Rhine is a place of secret pleasure and hidden suffering, while the nearby city of Zurich represents an Eldorado for some and a den of iniquity for others.

The majority of the sources examined were provided by the courts. Psychiatry threatened with an extensive catalog of treatment methods, which it implemented in case of doubt. The last castration of a homosexual in the cantonal hospital took place in 1961. Despite such threats and societal ostracism, as well as prostitution that often escalated into blackmail, there were - often hidden from the world and brought to light only by chance or mishap - lasting romantic relationships. "And in any case, I couldn't be without you," wrote the pastry chef to the draftsman.

The work illustrates the prevalence of same-sex activities and their varying connotations depending on time, place, and social class. It traces the difficult struggle for self-images and identities and follows the first steps of organized homosexuals. In doing so, it contributes to the social, everyday, and sexual history of the 19th and 20th centuries.