ImmigrationGerber immigrated to the United States from Bavaria when he was 21. Upon arrival he changed his name from Henry Joseph Dittmar to Henry Gerber. (2)
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WarWhen Gerber immigrated to the U.S. he did not associate with being homosexual. Instead, like many german immigrants, enlisted into the U.S. Army. Gerber got out after four months because the U.S. declared war on Germany.
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HomosexualityThere is not a set time when Gerber 'came out' as homosexual, but it was after he left the U.S. Army and moved to Chicago when he started to show his homosexuality.
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There is no real historic information about Gerber's early childhood life, (5) he was not known until he started Society for Human Rights (SHR) December of 1924.
When Henry Gerber came to America, he didn't associate with being homosexual until mid 1915. In 1917, Henry Gerber was suggested to be committed into a mental institution for his homosexuality. In 1919, he reenlisted into the Army and was stationed in Coblenz, Germany. During his time in Germany he subscribed to several german homosexual magazines and made trips to Berlin, where homosexuality was relatively accepted. When Gerber arrived back to America, he saw a lack of political awareness on homosexuality, thus leading him to making a change for homosexuals in America. "Henry Gerber returned to Chicago with a head full of ideas and dreams" (6). Only 5 years later, Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights.
Explains Henry Gerber's life before being a gay rights activist. (7)
1. Henry Gerber 20 years old. Digital Image. McCarthy Cody. Web. 28 Oct 2016.
2. "Henry Gerber". Wikipedia. 25 April 2016. Web. 28 Oct 2016.
3. U.S. against Germany. Digital Image. Web. 28 Oct 2016.
4. Chicago 1920. Digital Image. Pinterest. Web. 28 Oct 2016.
5. "Henry Gerber House." Henry Gerber House: Draft Nomination. 12 Dec 2014. Web. 28 Oct 2016
6.Shirley Baugher. "Not Everyone Was Brave: Henry Gerber and the Beginning of the Gay Rights Movement in Chicago." April 15. 2014. Web. 13 Dec. 2016
7. Chicago History Museum. "Out in Chicago: Society for Human Rights." Online video clip. Youtube, 12 Mar 2012. Web. 10 Jan 2017.