A while ago, I was at the bar having a pint my my professor, and we happened to talk about some weird stuff. I was told by my professor that King Ludwig II had multiple "Gummi Jungen" ( Rubber children) dolls made for him. These rubber dolls were made to look like little boys, which he would then proceed to satisfy is homosexual desires. Apparently, these dolls were kept in the closet at Schloss Neuschwanstein. We joked that next time we went to visit, we would demand to be shown the "Gummy Jungen"!!! So....
I was told the artist who made these was a women. She later went on to paint or sculpt(?) famous American president's heads onto bodies of gods? I tried searching for these paintings to find her name, but I couldn't find her.
This all sounds crazy, I know.... But, I was wondering if any historians here have any knowledge about the subject. I would like to find out, so I can fact check my professor!
Thanks
I've read several books on Ludwig II, including one that almost entirely focuses on his relationship with Richard Wagner but I never came across anything concerning these dolls.
It would be interesting to know where your professor learned about that.
Ludwig II did have troubles to accept his possible homosexuality and/or bisexuality ( I say possible because there's still a possibility he was not, though very little ). He did have several very close relationships with various men, friendships that are indeed ambiguous ( with Horning, Thurn und Taxis,... ) however most of his life Ludwig remained a Catholic fighting his own attraction to men and sexual pulsations ( did he die a virgin is still a question ... it is almost sure he never had sexual relations with women but men we don't know ).
So I find it very curious to never have read anything about this dolls. If Ludwig had these urging pulsations I am almost sure it would have been done with real men and not dolls ( there were several men who probably would have not deny a place as Ludwig's lover ).
I will ask him on Thursday and found out where he learned about this. I will also ask for the name of the female artist.