The article explores the emergence of homosexuality as a modern identity in Germany, between the late 19th century and the mid-20th century, where it was both theorised (notably by psychiatry and emancipation movements) and repressed (especially under Nazism). It questions the idea of a “German model” of homosexualities, marked by a dual specificity: an early structuring of communities and systematic repression, whose influence extended beyond borders. Through various case studies, the dossier shows how this complex past continues to fuel memorial and political debates, between national heritage and the globalisation of LGBTQ+ struggles.