Richard Puller von Hohenburg
• Richard Puller von Hohenburg was a French and Swiss nobleman and knight. He is notable for his homosexual liaisons.
• He lived in the 15th century and was a citizen of Strasbourg in Alsace.
• In 1463, a Swiss noble captured one of Puller's servants, a man named Ludwig Fischer, after “he had been seen dressed in lavish clothes and with more money than his occupation would afford him.” Back then gifts of clothing were seen as evidence of improper sexual services. Under torture, the servant revealed that Puller had romantically pursued him, an act he used to his advantage by blackmailing Puller for money and status.
•Though he had managed to evade prosecution this time, in 1474 Puller was again accused of sodomy, but managed to evade negative consequences through the strategic manipulation of his social status.
• Puller fled from Alsace stripped of his possessions, intending to recover them in the future.
• In 1482, city officials discovered a homosexual relationship between Puller and his servant, Anton Mätzler, this time because of the gifts of clothing given to the servant as well.
• Under torture by the city officials, Puller confessed to having had same-sex relationships with Mätzler and several other men.
• On 24 September 1482, a large crowd had gathered to see Puller executed. Puller was asked to repeat his confession, but he refused, instead claiming that the accusation of sodomy was only a cover for the Zürich officials who wished to seize his land and fortune.
• One of the officials mentioned by name was Hans Waldmann, then mayor of Zurich, who was later executed for several charges (among them, sodomy).