ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE WAR ZONE: AUGUST SCHÖRGENDORFER AND THEKUNSTSCHUTZON CRETE DURING WORLD WAR II

Abstract

This paper considers the recruitment of young archaeologists into the German military on Crete and its impact upon the development of archaeological agendas during the period of the Third Reich. It explores – as a case study – the archaeological activity of August Schörgendorfer, an Austrian archaeologist, on German-occupied Crete. Schörgendorfer enlisted as a Wehrmacht officer, was upgraded to a Kunstschutz officer through the intervention of Major General Julius Ringel, and in 1941–2 undertook illicit excavations at Knossos and in the Mesara. By presenting data collected through archival research and Schörgendorfer's previously unpublished photo album of Crete, I explore his ideological trajectories and his archaeological itineraries on the island under occupation. Integrating the latter with the recent historiography of Nazi-era archaeology illuminates undocumented aspects of the Wehrmacht’s archaeological research on the island. Facets of the cultural policies of the German Archaeological Institute and wider questions of archaeological ethics are informed by analysing the entanglement of archaeological institutions and archaeologists with the political turmoil of the era of World War II.

Αn Expatriated ‘Collection’ of Mesolithic Norwegian Lithics at Heraklion Archaeological Museum and World War Ii Legacies

“…August Schörgendorfer’s political profile has been systematically examined in dedicated biographical studies (Flouda et al 2015, 96–8; Flouda 2017, 344–8). These have corroborated the conclusion that the archaeologist combined military aspirations with political activism and the dream of academic advancement during his studies at the Karl‐Franzens‐Universität Graz, under Professor Arnold Schober (1886–1959).…”

“…His personal file in the Austrian State Archives (Archiv der Republik) enables us to fully reconstruct his military record from his recruitment in 1939 to the end of World War II. In October 1941, he was admitted as a junior officer of the Kunstschutz unit formed in Crete (Flouda 2017, 10). A decisive factor for his recruitment was the intervention of Julius Alfred Ringel (1889−1967), the Austrian Major General of the 5th Mountain Division, who was stationed at Knossos, near Heraklion (Flouda 2017, 348−50, fig.…”

“…Recent studies have further explored policies enforced by the Wehrmacht for addressing critical cultural heritage. A focus on the role of specific German or Austrian archaeologists and classicists assigned by the military with the task of prohibiting any seizure or destruction of cultural heritage in Greece, and also with initiating archaeological explorations, has enlightened nuances of their political alignment and built a more refined understanding of their institutional tasks (Flouda 2017; Flouda forthcoming a; Kankeleit forthcoming). Although they conducted illicit excavations, these Kunstschutz archaeologists and classicists in most cases did not confiscate antiquities, unlike the Sonderkommando Griechenland des Einsatzstabes Reichsleiter Rosenberg 1941 , which was led by Hans Reinerth, the head of the Reich Office of Prehistory (Schöbel 2015).…”

“…Although they conducted illicit excavations, these Kunstschutz archaeologists and classicists in most cases did not confiscate antiquities, unlike the Sonderkommando Griechenland des Einsatzstabes Reichsleiter Rosenberg 1941 , which was led by Hans Reinerth, the head of the Reich Office of Prehistory (Schöbel 2015). However, their activity remained the cornerstone of the German cultural propaganda (Flouda 2017, 15) as was also the case both with the Kunstschutz officers, who became active in occupied Italy (Fuhrmeister 2017), and with the representatives of the German Archaeological Institute (Manderscheid 2010, 54−5, 60). Archival research by the author on the special Kunstschutz unit established at the island of Crete has illuminated the biography of the Austrian archaeologist August Schörgendorfer (1914–1976) (Flouda 2012, 2017).…”

“…However, their activity remained the cornerstone of the German cultural propaganda (Flouda 2017, 15) as was also the case both with the Kunstschutz officers, who became active in occupied Italy (Fuhrmeister 2017), and with the representatives of the German Archaeological Institute (Manderscheid 2010, 54−5, 60). Archival research by the author on the special Kunstschutz unit established at the island of Crete has illuminated the biography of the Austrian archaeologist August Schörgendorfer (1914–1976) (Flouda 2012, 2017). The findings of this research have helped formulate the hypothesis for a noteworthy case of possible displacement of cultural property from Scandinavia to occupied Crete, which forms the focus of this paper.…”