Between Repression and Freedom: The History of Homosexuality in Germany. Homosexuality is a German invention - this surprising conclusion is drawn by Robert Beachy in his history of homosexuality in Germany. In his book, he tells the stories of the pioneers of sexology, the debates surrounding social recognition in the German Empire, and the gay Eldorado of Berlin during the Weimar period, bringing to light a forgotten chapter of German history. The unique conditions in late 19th and early 20th century Germany that made it the center of scientific discourse on human sexuality are illustrated by historian Robert Beachy through a wealth of figures and episodes. Above all, Berlin, with its famous nightlife, developed into a magnet for e.