"Der Kreis Le Cercle," October 1952, No. 10. 10 x 7".
This exceptionally rare issue of Der Kries (The Circle) contains an English fictional homoerotic essay, "Sex is a sometime thing" (the editors of Der Kreis were noted to have evaded censorship of homoerotic fiction in the English section since the censors were unable to read them, and while the Wikipedia entry for Der Kries notes the English section started in 1954, this english essay appears in this 1952 issue). The issue also has a reproduction of a Jean Cocteau drawing and a reproduction of a painting by the American artist and illustrator Charles Gilbert, as well as a few beefcake photographs on gloss paper. Unlike American physique publications Der Kries organized events and advocated for same sex relationships.
The magazine's history was documented in the 2014 Swiss film "The Circle." The film features a mix of historical footage from the 1950s and recreations of events. The importance of Der Kries is often overshadowed by later historical events and publications; nevertheless, Der Kries remains an important voice in the disparate advocacy that coalesced into the modern gay liberation movement.
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