ABSTRACT
Pedophilia is one of the taboo topics in sex research. Sexologists carefully skirt and avoid the subject as much as possible; when they take it up they do so in conformist, moralizing, and faint-hearted tones. This attitude has a long tradition. In his immensely long and comprehensive work on homosexuality, Magnus Hirschfeld, who fought so indefatigably and courageously for the rights of homosexuals, only dedicates a couple of lines to pedophiles and then only uses standard phrases: pedophiles merely form a “subgroup” (Nebengruppe) of homosexuals who “undoubtedly have the most unfortunate sexual leanings” (Hirschfeld, 1917–1920, p. 213 and Hirschfeld 1920, p. 281). He does not say a word about the misery and persecution suffered by this “subgroup,” although he so clearly perceived and combated it on behalf of the “maingroup.”
