Czechoslovakia decriminalised homosexuality in 1961, earlier than many Western European countries. Why was it that the generally repressive Communist regime showed such tolerance? And what was like life for gay people under communism?
The Prague government was not a European champion in the legalization of homosexual relations. Countries such as France and Belgium preceded Czechoslovakia by a century.
Nevertheless, decriminalization in 1961 (it entered into force on January 1, 1962) came ahead of states like England, where gays could be sent to prison until 1967. West Germany introduced such legislation in 1968, Norway in 1972 and Scotland in 1981. It took Ireland and Russia until 1993 to do so.
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Author: Libor Kukal