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2002

THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY

Megan Young

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Young, Megan, "THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY" (2002). Nebraska Anthropologist. 78. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro/78

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THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY

Megan Young

The Nazi Party found that archeology is a very useful tool in propaganda. The Nazis used it to justify their nationalistic interests, from the conquest ofEurope to create the Third Reich to genocidal racial cleansing. They glorified their past to unite the German people and gain their support. However, the people could not have been misled without the cooperation or apathy of German archeologists in general.

Archeology is a science that can be easily subject. At the tum of the century, Houston manipulated and misinterpreted for Stewart Chamberlain wrote The conscious or unconscious reasons. The Foundations ofthe Nineteenth Century, a biases of the researchers can determine what two volume set that revived interest in is believed about the past. This is especially Gobineau's ideas. The German Kaiser made true for prehistoric archeology which mainly sure all of his army officers had a copy as relies on non-written sources for its well as all bookstores and libraries. In it interpretation (Daniel 1962: 120). Chamberlain claimed a German could Archeology was especially vulnerable in the become a Jew if he interacted with them or time between the world wars; many read their writings (Daniel 1962:115-118). European nations were developing, or had Not only did nationalistic ideas spread as a been developing since the end of the 19th result, but also anti-Semitism. century, a nationalistic ideology. Another contributing factor to the growth Nationalism became integral in forming new of nationalism was the formation of the first national boundaries after W orld War I. German nation in the late 1800's. The new However, the Nazis in Germany saw the nation was created from numerous territories chance to use nationalism and archeology in of German speaking people who had no real an unprecedented way to support and justify sense of national unity. Gustav Kossinna, a their party ideology of the superior language expert turned prehistorian, Germanic race. Unfortunately, many intended to prove their common ancestry archeologists were all too willing partners in and history with his idea of ethnic cultures this scheme. (Shennan 1989:7). His Kulturkreis theory used material culture in the archeological Beginnings of Nationalistic Archeology record to define ethnic groups. Prehistoric Germans were seen as a great race that The marriage between nationalism and spread throughout Europe, conquering the German archeology did not occur overnight. inferior races and of course leaving their Its roots go back to the mid-1800's when material culture in the territories they two Frenchmen, the Comte de Gobineau and occupied as proof of their presence. the Comte de Boulainvilliers, developed the Kossinna tried to prove, through archeology idea of a superior race of Germans, possibly and a very "inflated chronology", that the for the fIrst time. Supposedly, the 19th most important prehistoric innovations and century French nobles were descendants of their subsequent spread were results of the German Aryans who defeated the Germans because culture always diffused Roman Empire and have ruled over the from the more advanced people to the less inferior Gauls ever since. Gobineau's advanced. Kossinna wanted to impress writings were very popular in Germany and upon his fellow Germans the importance of influenced others to write more on the studying their ancestors; he produced many Young THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY 30

publications that were aimed at a "non­ Kossinna argued that German prehistory academic audience" (Arnold 1990: 464; was very important in rebuilding Germany Clark 1957:259; Daniel 1962:123; Veit after the war. Quoting the "Crown Prince" 1989:37). He used an idea from the Kossinna said that there was a need to put historian Sybel that "'a nation which fails to emphasis on the ""'German-national people, keep in living touch with its past is as near in contrast to the internationalizing to drying up as a tree with severed roots. tendencies, which threaten to wipe out our We are today, what we were yesterday'" healthy ethnic characteristics"'" (Baker (Clark 1957:259). In other words, the 1988:103). German nation could not become a great The position of prehistoric archeology power unless it was also one in the past. changed dramatically when the Nazis came , After the German defeat in World War I, to power in 1933. They almost immediately Kossinna wanted the negotiations at recognized the power and legitimacy Versailles to include a reoccupation of what archeology could give them; it was seen as a he called ancient German territory (Poland). great propaganda tool and a way to solidify He and other German archeologists used the pure Germans under the Nazi party. The archeology and sources written by Pliny the timing was perfect since "public interest in Elder and others to support their claims. archaeology, and political manipulation of They said the Germanic Vandals had archaeological research" is highest during occupied the territory between the Odra and "periods of internal unrest or stress" (Arnold Vistula rivers in modem Poland during the 1997-1998:249). State funding poured into time of the Roman Empire. The Vandals prehistoric archeology; university chairs in were associated with the archeological prehistory were created; the Institute for Przeworsk culture that later occupied the Prehistory and the Institute for Pre- and territories of modem Slovakia and Hungary. Early History were founded in 1938 and Their efforts proved fruitless as the Polish 1939 respectively; institutes for rune state was created in 1919 (Arnold 1990:467; research were started in the late 1930's; new Martens 1989:58-60;Veit 1989:38). museums were built while old ones opened new exhibits; many excavations were shown German Prehistory to the public as "open-air museums"; and several documentaries of German prehistory Despite Kossinna' s efforts, prehistoric were filmed for public education. The archeology was not a very popular discipline public responded by patriotically joining in the years before the National Socialist prehistoric organizations such as the government. Kossinna and other German Confederation for German Prehistory prehistorians complained that German (Arnold 1990:468; Arnold 1997-1998:248- archeologists put too much focus on 249; Clark 1957:259). studying Classical archeology and were Polish museums of the time are good making German prehistory look dark and examples of how museums were affected by barbaric. Kossinna claimed that German the change. The Nazis used them to present prehistory was given less funding and lectures and exhibits that supported the Nazi museum space than the Hottentot and doctrine, especially those aspects that Papuan cultures. It was true that German concerned the occupied territories. An urn prehistory was only taught in a few with a swastika symbol that had been found universities and received little state funding before the occupation was rediscovered in a (Arnold 1990:467; Baker 1988:103; Daniel L6di: museum by the Nazis. It was made the 1962:122). The discipline and its scholars main exhibit and the coat of arms of the city. were neglected and not given as much Many African, South Arnerican, and Slavic respect as they would have liked. This artifacts were either sold to other museums became very important when the Nazis in Germany or destroyed because they did turned to German prehistorians for help. Young THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY 31 not support Nazi propaganda (Mikolajczyk the past or present because "culture is a 1990:247,250). creation of race" (Arnold 1997- During the 1930's British archeologists 1998:247,250; Frick 1934:298-299). held Gennan archeology in high regard. The Minister of the Interior's guidelines Some even said they were jealous ofthe also included teaching how the Germanic state funding it received and the high public race (superior in culture and language) was interest and involvement. There were, in distributed in prehistory based on artifacts. fact, far more prehistoric archeology classes He provided the following examples to offered at German universities than at support his argument that all great European English ones by 1939 (Evans 1989:441). and Near Eastern civilizations owed their Grahame Clark said, '''It reflects a situation development to the Germanic race. He in which a whole people thrills with a claims that archeological evidence points to consciousness of its past and in which a German invasions of Asia, North Africa, and knowledge of national archaeology is Egypt as early as the 5th millennium B.C. regarded as much a part of the normal resulting in the advanced Indians, Medes, equipment of children as algebra or Latin Persians, and Hittites all being descendants verbs'" (Evans 1989:440). There was, of the Germanic race. In addition, the ruling however, some criticism ofthe state classes of the later great Greek and Roman involvement in German archeology. A.M. civilizations were Germanic. The Greek Tallgren (1937:155) argued that Germany aristocracy was Germanic and the was using archeology as a "political weapon indigenous commoners were originally in the service of ideology in home and Asians. When democracy was developed, it foreign policy." helped break down some class barriers and Archeology was definitely employed to the subsequent intermarriage of races indoctrinate the next generation of Germans resulted in a low birth rate and a collapse of with the Nazi ideology. In 1933 the German Greek cultUre. The next great civilization Minister of the Interior announced new was that of the Romans which included national guidelines in the study of history Germanic patricians and indigenous and prehistory in German schools and plebeians. Intermarriage between races textbooks. In them, he said that the study of caused most of the late Roman Empire's German prehistory had been ignored but it population to be descendants of Oriental was important in feeling a sense of German slaves. The invading Gennans at the end of brotherhood. The guidelines emphasized a the Roman Empire "brought fresh Nordic "significance of race" in prehistoric and blood" (Frick 1934:298-299). Not only modem times because race is what were the possibilities of German world determines the character of a person. The domination expressed from the prehistoric Minister spoke of a need to have pride in and historic past but also the warning of one's Gennan citizenship and to feel a sense what would happen if racial mixing of nationalism as opposed to occurred. It would be the downfall of yet internationalism, the "creeping poison" that another great Gennan civilization. It was has caused "a lamentable intrusion of alien the German people's responsibility to their elements" in the Germanic blood, language, ancestors to have children of pure German and way of life. He believed this blood (McCann 1990:77-78). nationalistic feeling should include Germans living outside of Germany's borders. By The Archeologists employing Kossinna's Kulturkreis theory, the Nazis claimed it did not matter what Many archeologists favorably responded to language a person spoke or where they lived the opportunity the Nazis gave them to because the German race could cross advance their careers. Others were not so national borders. Germany existed wherever ready to manipulate the past. In fact, there there was evidence of 'Germans', whether in are three generally recognized groups of Young THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY 32 archeologists during this period: the party­ be protected by that people'" (Arnold liners, the MitHiufer, and the opposition. 1990:465,472-473). Party-liners were eager to serve the Nazis by The exiled archeologists often found creating or twisting archeological data and positions in foreign countries like the United interpretation to support party doctrine. A States and the United Kingdom. The best lot of these archeologists' work had been known of these was Gerhard Bersu who was previously ignored and they embraced the forcibly retired as the director of the Nazis for paying attention to them; others Romisch Germanische Kommission in 1935. simply shared the party's ideals (Arnold Bersu objected to the Nazis' ideological 1990:469-470; Arnold 1997-1998:248; research, the use of Kossinna's nationalistic Daniel 1962:121). In 1939, one professor, ideas, and was also Jewish. He sought Hermann Schneider, talked about the asylum in Britain and became a leading Germanic greatness and the need to look for archeologist there. Germany lost many of it in its purest form in prehistory. Referring its scientific minds in this way. Some of the to prehistory's new role, he said that opposition were allowed to keep their "'archaeological research thus found itself positions even though they openly criticized faced with the pleasant task of examining the Nazis and party-liners. Even back in and reconstructing the real essence of 1928, K.H. Jacob-Friesen criticized Germanic life and customs'" (Clark Gobineau and the idea of racial superiority 1957:120-121). The extremist party-liners in his 'Fundamental Questions of Prehistoric were known as Germanomaniacs; most Research'; he warned that it was starting to archeologists, even other party-liners, often appear in politics. He was asked to ridiculed them for their bizarre research. withdraw his statements in 1933 because Some prehistorians, including Hans Reinerth they were considered heretical but he who later directed the Amt Rosenberg, refused. In a 1934 article, he again warned received high-ranking positions in the Nazi his colleagues about the "excesses of Party for their cooperation (Arnold nationalistic and racist manipulation of 1990:468-469,470-471). archaeological data." He called himself a The majority of archeologists could be patriotic German who was afraid this kind of called fence-sitters, or MitHi.ufer. They research would ruin the reputation of simply taught what they were told to in the German archeologists in the world. Many universities and accepted Nazi funding. attribute the lack of action against Jacob­ Since they did not object, they legitimized Friesen and others to the total absence of an the abuse of archeology for political official policy about such matters. Even purposes. The remaining archeologists though there was no real organized made up the opposition, meaning they either opposition, these archeologists were able to openly opposed the misuse of archeology or conduct some quality research under the they were attacked by the Nazis because of oppressive government (Arnold 1990:472- their race or political views. There was no 473; Clark 1957:259; Evans 1989:437). official Party policy towards archeology; therefore, there was no uniform treatment of Nazi Archeology opposing archeologists. Most of these archeologists were relieved of their A good portion of the nationalistic research positions, 'retired' early, and/or were exiled. during this period was carried out by Nazi The newly opened positions were filled with archeological organizations. One such party-liners. Archeologists who continued group, known as the Amt Rosenberg, was to focus their research on the Romans were founded by Nazi ideologist Alfred labeled "anti-German." Alfred Rosenberg, Rosenberg and directed by Hans Reinerth. the Nazi Party's ideologist, said that The people involved in Amt Rosenberg Germans who do not value their own history wanted to find a way to connect modem over any other have "'forfeited the right to Germans to their prehistoric past. In 1936 Young THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY 33

Reinerth said, "'We have found the courage in the Reich to serve "'as a cultural centre of once more to admit to the deeds of our German greatness and the German past'" ancestors. Their honor is our honor! The (Baker 1988:104; McCann 1990:84). The millennia separate us no longer. The eternal education of the SS was especially important stream of blood binds us across the ages ... ", because they were considered the most (Arnold 1990:468-469). According to racially pure of the entire Germanic race. Reinerth, Germans were expressing their They were supposed to be the ideal blond­ wish to live according to the values of haired, blue-eyed Germans and were prehistoric Germans when they came expected to create a future pure German race together under the swastika. The ideal with the aid of programs like Lebensborn. excavation, according to Rosenberg and The SS needed to imitate- the noble ~einerth, would be for the Arnt Rosenberg prehistoric German values, and they learned to start excavating a site and stop when they about these through archeology (Koehl reached Roman levels. Then they would 1983:227; McCann 1990:80). call in the Romisch Germanische As mentioned above, Germany was Kommission to take over until they reached thought to exist anywhere someone of the evidence of prehistoric Germans. Although German race had ever lived. Therefore, the they never actually conducted a project in main goal of archeology in occupied lands this manner, this and other bizarre and was to find archeological evidence of impractical ideas encouraged many German occupation because this could archeologists in the group to leave and join justify the 'reclamation' of lost land to the SS-Ahnenerbe, which is discussed below Germany. The evidence did not have to be (Arnold 1990:474; Arnold 1997-1998:247). complex. As K. Sklenar said, '''Distribution The other major archeological maps of archaeological types became a organization originated with the SS under convincing argument for expansionist aims: Reichsftihrer-SS Heinrich Himmler. wherever a single find of a type designated Himmler's SS Main Office, known as as Germanic was found, the land was Personal Staff, RF-SS, had several declared ancient German territory ... '" responsibilities, one of which was cultural. (Arnold 1990:464-465). In occupied Poland In 1935, this office founded the Forschungs­ and Czechoslovakia, many Slavic und Lehrgemeinschaft Ahnenerbe landowners were evicted or killed and their (Ahnenerbe-Stiftung), or the Research and land given to Germans. It was not enough to Teaching Society Ancestral Heritage merely declare an area was German land; Foundation; one year later Die Gesellschaft they wanted to prove that the original zur Forderung und Pflege Deutscher inhabitants were conquered or driven offby Kulturdenkmaler (The Society for the the superior German warriors. The Advancement and Preservation of German conclusions of the Ahnenerbe excavations at Cultural Monuments) was started. Both Biskupin, Poland from 1940-1942 were that organizations were soon combined. the indigenous people were driven out by Ahnenerbe was led by SS officers and was the militarily, physically, racially superior funded with donations of individuals and Germans even though earlier research found firms. Its purposes were to excavate and they left because of natural causes (Arnold restore "Germanic cultural relics", make 1997-1998:247; McCann 1990:84). publications (including its journal The Ahnenerbe also attempted to Germanenerbe), sponsor field schools for determine race in prehistoric art. Himmler the public, educate SS soldiers, and believed that the so-called Venus figurines legitimize the expansionist policies of were actually proportionately representative Germany (Koehl 1983: 113,115; Arnold of the people who made them. He 1990:468-469,474). recognized a similarity between the Venus To educate the SS Himmler planned to figurines' features and the Hottentots of have an excavation near every SS-Standarte Africa and wanted Ahnenerbe archeologists Young THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY 34 to determine if the two groups were related Nazi Party makes this clear. The Nazis and if prehistoric Germans had made the conducted archeological research with the 'Venus people' become extinct. An purposes of glorifying their past and ethnographer by the name of Bruno Beger justifying their occupation of Europe and agreed with Himmler and suggested that the their genocidal policies. Hitler and other Hottentots and Jews were also related; this leading Nazis may have mocked the could be tested in the concentration camps research ofHimmler and others but they (McCann 1990:85). recognized its potential for propaganda. The Heinrich Himmler, the man who believed Nazi government is not the only one to he was the reincarnation of the German corrupt archeology for political and emperor Heinrich I, had his own views of nationalistic reasons, but their extreme t~e future of Germany. He wanted to create example should serve as a caution to all a new national religion for Germans by archeologists. It would not have been as excavating what he called prehistoric easy to employ archeology for nationalistic religious sites and by studying paganism in purposes without the cooperation and/or German folk tales. A megalithic site in apathy of archeologists. It is impossible to Saxony called Externsteine became a cult keep biases out of archeological research, center and a "pilgrimage for the SS" who but archeologists should be conscious that took tours of the site led by archeologists. they are there and never purposely use them Himmler was often ridiculed by Hitler and to misinterpret data. The results can be as other leading Nazis because of all this costly as those under the Nazi regime. bizarre research, which included his search for Atlantis and the Holy Grail, and because References Cited he actually believed his own propaganda (Arnold 1997-1998:248; McCann 1990:78- Arnold,B. 79,84). It seems that while some Nazi 1990 The Past as Propaganda: Totalitarian leaders appreciated prehistoric archeology's Archaeology in Nazi Germany. importance as propaganda, they found most Antiquity 64(244):464-478. of the ideas ridiculous. Hitler was also not 1997-1998 The Power of the Past: impressed by German prehistory. He said, Nationalism and Archaeology in 20th Century Germany. Archaeologia Polona "Why do we call the whole world's 35-36:237-253. attention to the fact that we have no Baker, F. past? It's bad enough that the 1988 History That Hurts: Excavation Romans were erecting great 1933-1945. Archaeological Review from buildings when our forefathers were Cambridge 7(1):93-109. still living in mud huts; now Clark, G. Himmler is starting to dig up these 1957 Archaeology and Society: villages of mud huts and enthusing Reconstructing the Prehistoric Past. over every potsherd and stone axe Methuen & Co Ltd, Great Britain. he finds ..... We really should do our Daniel, G. best to keep quiet about this past. 1962 The Idea ofPrehistory. Penguin Instead Himmler makes a great fuss Books, Middlesex, England. about it all. The present-day Evans, C. Romans must be having a laugh at 1989 Archaeology and Modem Times: these revelations" [Arnold Bersu's Woodbury 1938 & 1939. 1990:469]. Antiquity 63(240):436-450. Frick, Dr. Nationalism has very serious 1934 The Teaching of History and consequences in archeology. The numerous Prehistory in Germany. Nature ways the discipline was misused under the 133(3356):298-299. Young THE NAZIS' ARCHEOLOGY 35

Koehl, R. L. Shennan, S. 1983 The Black Corps: The Structure and 1989 Introduction: Archaeological Power Struggles of the Nazi SS. The Approaches to Cultural Identity. In University of Wisconsin Press, Approaches to Cultural Identity, edited Madison, Wisconsin. by Stephen Shennan, pp. 1-32. One McCann, W. J. World Archaeology, vol. lO, Unwin 1990 'Volk und Gennanentum': The Hyman, London. Presentation of the Past in Nazi Tallgren, A. M. Gennany. In The Politics of the Past, 1937 The Method of Prehistoric edited by Peter Gathercole and David Archaeology. Antiquity 2(42):152-161. Lowenthal, pp. 74-88. One World Veit, U. Archaeology, vol. 12, Unwin Hyman, 1989 Ethnic Concepts in Gennan London. Prehistory: A Case Study on the Martens, J. Relationship between Cultural Identity 1989 The Vandals: Myths and Facts about and Archaeological Objectivity. In a Gennanic Tribe of the First Half of the Archaeological Approaches to Cultural 1st Millennium AD. In Archaeological Identity, edited by Stephen Shennan, pp. Approaches to Cultural Identity, edited 35-56. One World Archaeology, vol. 10, by Stephen Shennan, pp. 57-65. One Unwin Hyman, London. World Archaeology, vol. 10, Unwin Hyman, London. Mikolajczyk, A. 1990 Didactic Presentations of the Past: Some Retrospective Considerations in Relation to the Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum, L6dz, Poland. In The Politics ofthe Past, edited by Peter Gathercole and David Lowenthal, pp. 247-256. One World Archaeology, vol. 12, Unwin Hyman, London.