A monument to the long-ignored gay victims of the Nazi regime and all LGBT+ people persecuted throughout history was unveiled in Paris today on the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
The monument, a massive steel star designed by French artist Jean-Luc Verne, is located in the heart of Paris, near the Place de la Bastille. It aims to perpetuate memory and be a symbol of the fight against discrimination, said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
"Historical recognition means saying 'this happened' and 'we don't want it to happen again,'" Hidalgo said.
Verna, a visual artist and LGBT+ rights activist, said: "There is a dark side in front of us that forces us to remember... At certain times of the day, it casts a long shadow on the ground, unfortunately evoking the dangers that loom over us."
The other side of the star, silver, reflects the sky, representing "the color of the passage of time, with the Parisian sky moving as fast as public opinion, which can change at any moment," Verna said.
Historians estimate that between 5.000 and 15.000 people were deported across Europe under the Nazi regime during World War II because they were gay. In 2005, Jacques Chirac was the first French president to acknowledge these crimes, confirming that LGBT+ people were "persecuted, arrested and deported."
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