The ivory tower under siege: German universities in the Third Reich

Abstract

J European Studies, xxm (1993), 371-407 Prmted m EnglandThe title of this article was chosen to indicate the beleaguered state of German universities in the Third Reich, under pressure to conform to the ideology and goals of the Nazi regime. However, an equally appropriate title might have been 'Treason in the Ivory Tower', a 'trahison des clercs' in Julien Benda's phrase.' For, arguably, the most striking feature of the history of universities in the Third Reich is the relative ease with which they adapted themselves to the new order. Indeed, many German academics -for a time at least -actually welcomed and eagerly co-operated with a movement and a regime which was blatantly at odds with the traditional values of their profession. This article seeks, first, to explain how this 'treason' occurred and then to examine the impact of the Nazi regime on the universities.At the time of Adolf Hitler's appointment as Reich Chancellor on 30 January 1933, German universities were seen by many academics as in crisis.2 2 In part, this was a result of the appalling economic depression which had begun in 1929.3 3 Mass unemployment encouraged many students to stay on at universities. However, this not only increased the overcrowding of universities -the total number of students in 1932/33 (92, 601) was 52.7% higher than the pre-war level -but also simply postponed the evil day, since on graduating these students could not find jobs appropriate to their qualifications. In the years 1930-33 the number of new graduates was between two and three times the number of graduate job vacancies.4 This army of Doktoren ohne Brot was a fertile breeding ground for disaffection with Weimar and, above all, it fuelled a generational conflict which exacerbated long-standing tensions within universities * I am grateful to Professor Michael Kater for commenting on an earlier version of this article and to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for financing the necessary research.

Digging deeper: German academics and universities under Nazi tyranny – A comment

“…The individual level is only indirectly addressed. In one example, DH (p. 182) refer to the Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service ( Gesetz zur Wiederherstellung des Berufsbeamtentums ) in April 1933, which ultimately exposed political dissidents and Jewish as well as other discriminated minorities in university faculties to the total arbitrariness of those in power (a purge of all civil servants; Noakes, 1993: 378). The Dean’s factual indication that two faculty members were dismissed just a few weeks later (DH: 182) only gives a rough idea of the personal tragedy at the individual level.…”

“…The Dean’s factual indication that two faculty members were dismissed just a few weeks later (DH: 182) only gives a rough idea of the personal tragedy at the individual level. Grüttner and Kinas (2007: 140, also Mantel, 2009: 60; Noakes, 1993: 379; Ericksen, 2012: 84–85; MacGregor, 2003: 4) document that this dismissal was no rare event; they put the dismissal rate among university teachers at over 20 per cent. To better understand the individual consequences, other sources might complement the picture.…”

“…Academic freedom seemed to be effectively obliterated, by direct or indirect restrictions placed on teaching content and other areas (Altbach, 2001: 209). Nazi ideology demeaned ‘ivory tower’ academics (Ericksen, 2012: 139; Noakes, 1993). Consequently, Klemperer (1998: 35) points out that the idea of science was not important during that time.…”

“…He describes that lectures, for example, were arbitrarily cut and replaced by military sports exercises. This was most likely due to Hitler’s preference for physical education and character-building over intellectual education (Hartmann et al, 2016: 1040–1105, with commented original passages of Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’; see also Noakes, 1993: 380). It relates to the Nazi preference of action over thought, and of feeling over rational inquiry (Ericksen, 2012: 62).…”

“…It relates to the Nazi preference of action over thought, and of feeling over rational inquiry (Ericksen, 2012: 62). Based on a totalitarian and anti-intellectual mentality (Noakes, 1993: 381; Hartmann et al, 2016: 1040–1105) that deeply distrusted free spirit and knowledge, young people were not motivated to study at all (Klemperer, 1998: 61–62), especially not the arts nor humanities since they were part of the ‘frivolous studies’ that seemed to be of little help in warfare (MacGregor, 2003: 13). Therefore, Klemperer experienced a double discrimination, due to both his Jewish origin and his ideologically deprived main subject: French literature.…”