Text originally published in the magazine "European Notebooks / Appeal" (Prague, December 24, 1934), titled: "The Left and 'Perversions'". This publication is based on the manuscript found in the Klaus Mann archive.

"A recent law has been passed in the Soviet Union that imposes heavy penalties on citizens who happen to be homosexuals. This is surprising, because one wonders: based on what logic and ethics does a socialist government justify the deprivation of political rights and the defamation of a category of people whose only "fault" is that they follow their natural inclination? [...]

It is enough to mention the incredible phrase, which was not formulated by someone random, but by Maxim Gorky: "If we eliminate all homosexuals, fascism will automatically disappear!" ("Pravda", May 23, 1934). Unfortunately, this proposal was indeed formulated by the pope of socialist literature. That's how things are. But where did all this start? [...]

Let's finally understand it. Homosexuality is a form of love just like heterosexual love: neither better nor worse; with the same potential for magnificent, moving, melancholic, grotesque, or vulgar things, just like love between a man and a woman. There were times when this love was very widespread in certain places. It was considered "indecent" by many, while by ignorant people, "sinful". A very large number of men and women experienced it during their lifetime; a relatively small number did not experience anyone else but it. [...]

It is not surprising that the Nazis form groups of homosexuals on the one hand and imprison, castrate, and murder them on the other. However, one would expect a more objective stance from the Left. [...]"

(excerpt from the text)