Caroline Martin Memoir and Memory
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-~! ;.., to",) f ~ ,r.... ~ "" Caroline Martin Memoir and Memory: The papers of a pre-war German - Alfred Huhnhiiuser, 1885 to 1950. A thesis in two volumes submitted to the University of Stirling in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of Philosophy. September 2000 Dr Alfred Hermann Max Huhnhauser 1885·1950 Table of Contents Volume I Abstract iii Acknowledgements IV Introduction: An Overview 1 Conventions of Reference: 6 Chapter One: Memoir and Memory 8 Chapter Two: The Huhnhauser Archive 48 Chapter Three: Kaiserzeit to the First World War 81 Chapter Four: The Early Weimar Years 137 Chapter Five: Direktor, 1922 to 1928 178 Chapter Six: Norway during the Occupation, 251 April 1940 to May 1945 Chapter Seven: Huhnhnuser in Norway 268 Chapter Eight: 1950 - The Final Year 348 Volume II: Material, Appendices, Extracts and Bibliography The Manuscript ofAus einem reichen Leben 367 Primary Materials: 372 Catalogues - Letters 372 Additional Material 392 Documents from the Bundesarchiv 394 Photographs (between pp. 397-98) Appendix 1: Background Notes on Huhnhauser's 398 Research and Publications Appendix 2: Publications 415 Extracts 1: Aus einem reichen Leben 421 Extracts 2: Letters, 1942 to 1944; 1949 to 1950 467 Extracts 3: Transcript ofInterview with Alexander Peden 476 Bibliography 492 ABSTRACT The personal archive of Dr Alfred Huhnhauser (1885-1950), a German civil servant, is examined with regard to this thesis. The archive consists of an unfmished personal memoir, Aus einem reichen Leben, five chapters of a political memoir concerning Huhnhauser's time in Norway during the German occupation, publications edited by Huhnhauser and other personal documents. A full catalogue of the contents of the archive has been included in this thesis. An attempt has been made to identify the significance of the Huhnhauser archive within a literary framework and, therefore, a brief analysis of the study of autobiographical writings has been undertaken. The importance of the archive within the context of social history has also been stressed, for Huhnhauser was an "ordinary" German and not one of the Great and the Good. The personal memoirs operate on three levels - personaL world stage and cultural- and extracts from the archive have been used to illustrate this. A brief historical summary of events in Norway prior to and immediately after the German occupation is given in order to place the events described by Huhnhauser in context. The contents of the personal and political memoirs are summarized and analyzed in this thesis. Recurring themes are identified and examined. Perhaps the most significant is Huhnhauser's repeated claim that he is an inherently ''unpolitisches We sen". Evidence has been obtained from the Bundesarchiv in Berlin which proves that Huhnhauser joined the NSDAP on 1 May 1933. Huhnhauser does not refer in the memoirs to his membership of this party, claiming instead that he has never voluntarily been involved in party politics. A second volume of materials has been included in this thesis in order to provide more detailed information as regards to the composition and contents of the archive. Extracts from the memoirs and letters have also been selected. 111 Acknowledgements Professor Brian Murdoch, my supervisor, inspired me to write this thesis. Attending his literature tutorials in the fmal years of my undergraduate degree gave me the desire to continue my studies in the field of German culture and undertake postgraduate research. He proved to be as motivating a supervisor as he was a tutor, and his help and support over the years have been invaluable. I would like to say a huge thank you to Professor George Peden, without whom this thesis would not have been possible. Not only did he generously donate the archive material to the German Department, but he also entrusted me with the care of precious family photographs and documents. I thank also Dr Malcolm Read for his help and advice on computing matters; it was he who taught me how to scan and edit photographs, in addition to solving in minutes technical problems which it would otherwise have taken me hours to overcome. lowe a debt of gratitude to Dr Bruce Thompson, who ensured every semester that all the postgraduates in the department were given the opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience, and furthermore, who assisted me in the organisation of my research trip to Berlin and Rostock. My thanks to Dr Heather Valencia, not only for selflessly allowing me to share her office, but also for all her advice and suggestions. To Maggie, John and Janice I would like to say that it has been a pleasure to share the Ph.D. experience with them Collectively, they have managed to keep all of my worries and doubts in proportion. Thanks too to John for his practical assistance in Glasgow University library, not to mention driving me there several times. Dr Ingolf Sieben assisted me in the very earliest stage of my research by transcribing the diary ofthe First World War, which was written in Schreibschrift. This helped me greatly in learning to read this script. Ingolf also iv helped to convince me that a Ph.D. was within my capabilites when I fIrst began to consider the idea, and for that I thank him. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Colm and my parents for all their support over the past six years. They have encouraged me every step of the way. Colm, in particular, has made many personal sacrifices to enable me to complete this thesis. To him, and to all of those mentioned above, I say again, thank you. v INTRODUCTION An Overview The aim of this thesis is to present a summarized version of the Huhnhauser memoirs, both autobiographical and political, and to provide commentary upon and analysis of these memoirs. A further aim is to provide an outline of the social, political, literary and historical framework within which these memoirs were written. In order to do so, material has been included from other archival sources, such as the Bundesarchiv in Berlin and Rostock University library. Huhnhliuser's son-in-law was also interviewed for the purposes of this thesis in 1995. In the first chapter of this thesis "Memoir and Memory", the full contents of the archive are listed and a brief life history of Alfred Huhnhauser is given. The literary definitions of the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are then examined, and an attempt is made to highlight the differences between the two. In addition, examples of and variations within the genre of autobiography are reviewed. The reception of autobiographical writings, the motivation of the author and his role as both writer and subject are also discussed. The significance of memoir and other autobiographical writings in the study of history is analysed and finally, evidence of the practical difficulties inherent in the study of memoir and autobiography is presented. In the second chapter, "The Huhnhliuser Archive", an analysis of the material in the archive has been undertaken, based upon the survey of the autobiographical genre carried out in the preceding chapter. An attempt has been made to put these memoirs in context by placing emphasis upon their value as a socio-historical document, spanning as they do several decades of a tumultuous period of German and world history, as viewed through the eyes of an "ordinary" German. However, Aus einem reichen Leben contains not only historical, but also many autobiographical elements, and the most fascinating of these is Huhnhliuser's consistent 1 presentation of himself as an ''unpolitisches We sen", and his complete omission of the fact that he joined the NSDAP. The memoirs operate on three levels - personal, world-stage and cultural-and examples are given from each as illustration. Finally, the significance of the Huhnhauser archive to the modern reader is examined. There are several reasons why such an archive is worthy of study. The first is that contained within it are descriptions of historical world-stage events as witnessed by a man who was not a public figure. He was neither rich nor powerful, but rather a relatively anonymous citizen from a ''pre-war'' era. Secondly, Huhnhauser is an interesting figure because he appears to be always out of step with his time, and states that he feels himself to be so. He was unlike many of his countrymen in his attitudes and behaviour, and this became particularly apparent during the period of the German occupation of Norway - although he worked for the occupying forces within a violent totalitarian system, his actions in Norway were benevolent and humane. Thirdly, he is a man who does not recognize the contradictions within himself: He believes he has lived his life according to the strictest moral code and is reluctant to compromise this, yet was prepared to work for, and consequently support, what was probably the most immoral regime ever known in the history of mankind. Furthermore, despite stressing that he is unpolitical, evidence is available which confirms that he joined the Nazi Party on 1 May 1933. Finally, the fact that an "ordinary" man feels he has led such an interesting life that it is worth recording for posterity, is in itself enough to make these memoirs worthy offurther examination. In the third, fourth and fifth chapters, "The Kaiserzeit to the First World War", "The Early Weimar Years" and "Direktor", the material within Aus einem reichen Leben is summarized and is the subject of critical analysis. Certain themes are identified, such as Huhnhiiuser's repeated claim that he is inherently unpolitical. Comment is made upon what Huhnhiiuser does, and more importantly, does not include in his account ofhis life. As 2 Huhnhliuser's career progresses the professional aspects ofhis life begin to dominate the memoirs and personal memories become infrequent.