Amidst the dark reign of Nazi Germany, an intriguing and disturbing chapter unfolded as the Ahnenerbe emerged. Led by Heinrich Himmler, this clandestine organization dedicated itself to a disturbing quest: the use of archaeology to support Nazi ideology. With an insidious agenda, they ventured into the depths of history, unearthing artifacts, and distorting interpretations to support their twisted beliefs in Aryan supremacy. Their relentless pursuit sought to rewrite the past, glorify ancient Germanic heritage, and deny external influences. This is the shadowy world of Nazi archaeology, where science was manipulated to serve a malevolent ideology, leaving a chilling reminder of the depth’s humanity can sink.
Nazi Archaeology- Where Facts Go To Die
Why Did the Nazis Expand Valuable Resources on Archaeology? One might wonder why in the lead-up to and in the midst of one of the biggest wars the world had ever seen, the Nazis would spend so many resources on historical research. Well, Nazi archaeology wasn’t really interested in historical research in the way most of us think of it. For the Nazis, archaeology was a means to an end, a way to generate nationalistic pride and give scientific excuses for the atrocities they were carrying out.
Firstly, Nazi ideology revolved around the idea of Aryan supremacy. Since this was obviously made up, they needed to establish a historical basis for it. By “discovering” evidence of ancient Aryan civilizations, they aimed to validate their awful racial theories and give historical legitimacy to Aryan supremacy and the idea of a thousand-year Reich.
Secondly, the Nazis relied heavily on ideological indoctrination. Through the promotion of a glorious Aryan past, the Nazis aimed to strengthen national identity, foster a sense of pride, and reinforce the belief in racial purity among the German population.
Thirdly, Nazi Germany planned to “claim” vast chunks of the European mainland for itself. It hoped that through archaeology it could show it had a “legitimate” claim to these foreign lands. This wasn’t so much about convincing other nations as it was convincing everyday Germans themselves that their country was in the right.
This is all best summed up in the 5 “tenets” of Nazi archeology which dictated what the Ahnenerbe was trying to do:
The 5 Tenets of Nazi Archaeology
- Find Evidence for Fritz Graebner’s Kulturkreis Theory
They wanted to find evidence that proved Fritz Graebner’s (a German ethnologist) Kulturkreis theory. This theory stated that the recognition of an ethnic region was based on the finding of archaeological sites. Essentially, anywhere a “Germanic” artifact was found should belong to Germany. This argument was used to argue, for example, that Poland and Czechoslovakia should belong to Germany since such artifacts had been found there.
- Prove Social Diffusion Theory
They also wanted to prove Social Diffusion Theory. This was a theory that stated that the spread of influences, ideas, and models between cultures always spread downwards. Meaning more advanced civilizations passed things down to less advanced ones, not the other way around. Nazi historians used this theory to paint German history in a similar light to that of the Romans and was used to argue that Germany was the cradle of civilization.
- To Support the Weltanschauungswissenschaften or “World Sciences” Argument
This was about proving and encouraging the Aryan supremacy doctrine. This theory said that older cultural models, like ancient myths and legends, should be reincorporated into modern mainstream culture and used to emphasize Germany’s historical supremacy. This is why the Nazis used symbols like the swastika, why the SS used runic symbols and explained why ideas put forward by German scientists were better than those put forward by “lesser races”.
- To Prove That Germans Were “Pure Aryans”
To find evidence that the Germans were pure Aryans, as laid out in the Deutsche Reinheit (Pure German Man) theory. This was a belief that the Germans were “Pure Aryans” who had survived a massive natural catastrophe and had evolved a superior culture while migrating to Germany. Part of this was also proving that the Ancient Greeks were actually Germanic since some “Indo-Germanic” artifacts had been in found in Greece.
- Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda
The fifth tenet circles back around to propaganda. It says the role of the Ahnenerbe was to support the propaganda machine by “proving” the theories in the first four tenets.
What Were They Looking For?
So, we’ve established that for the Nazis archaeology was pretty much all about propaganda and trying to prove their crazy ideas. But what were they actually looking for?
- Ancient Aryan Origins:
First, they needed to find evidence to support their belief in the superiority of the Aryan race. Tenet 4 stated that the Germans were pure-blooded descendants of the mythical Aryans who had fled their homeland following a natural disaster.
So, the Ahnenerbe was looking for the ancient roots of the Germanic peoples and to establish a connection between the old Germanic tribes and this mythical Aryan race. This meant looking for evidence of advanced Aryan civilizations that predated other cultures. In doing so they sought to demonstrate the intellectual, technological, and cultural superiority of the Aryan race. The discovery of such evidence would provide a historical narrative that aligned with their racial ideology.
- Ancestral Homeland:
They also needed to find the supposed ancestral homeland of the Aryan race. This was a hypothesized region that served as the birthplace of the Aryan people and the source of their perceived superiority. Archaeological expeditions were conducted in various regions, including Tibet, Iceland, and the Caucasus, in an attempt to discover this mythical homeland.
The discovery of an ancestral homeland would provide a tangible connection to the Aryan race and further validate their racial theories. Bizarrely, this belief in an Aryan homeland drove the Nazis to spend years looking for the mythical lost city of Atlantis. This hunt was originally led by the German historian Herman Wirth before Heinrich Himmler himself took charge.
Wirth believed that Atlantis was located somewhere in the North Atlantic and that it had been an advanced civilization that peaked around 25,000 years ago. He believed it was from Atlantis that the Nordic race originally hailed and that the Nordic race and the Aryan race were in fact one and the same.
There was no evidence for any of this, but this didn’t stop Himmler and the Ahnenerbe from spending years looking for it. Himmler was desperate for any proof that pointed to Wirth’s theory being true. Over time he only grew more desperate.
What Did They Find?
The Ahnenerbe’s archaeological findings were often driven by ideological preconceptions rather than scientific rigor. While many of their claims lacked empirical evidence, they did make some genuine archaeological discoveries.
They did succeed in unearthing various artifacts related to ancient Germanic tribes. These included weapons, tools, jewelry, pottery, and other everyday items. These findings were used to promote the idea of the ancient greatness of the Germanic peoples, reinforcing their claims of racial superiority.
One notable discovery associated with the Ahnenerbe is the Nebra Sky Disk, a Bronze Age artifact found in Germany. The disk, dating back to around 1600 BC, features a representation of the cosmos and is believed to have been used for astronomical and religious purposes. The Ahnenerbe interpreted the disk as evidence of ancient Germanic astronomical knowledge and sought to link it to their Aryan narrative.
Nazi archaeologists extensively studied ancient Germanic runes and symbols, such as the runic alphabet known as the Elder Futhark. They looked to interpret these symbols as evidence of the superior intellectual and cultural achievements of the ancient Germanic peoples. Their research involved analyzing runestones, inscriptions, and ancient manuscripts to reinforce their racial narrative.
Conclusion
The Ahnenerbe’s extensive investment in archaeology was driven by the Nazis’ desire to legitimize their racial ideology and create a historical framework for their regime. The five tenets of Nazi archaeology guided their pursuits, aiming to establish the primacy of the Aryan race, identify the ancestral homeland, glorify ancient Germanic heritage, validate Germanic purity, and deny external influences.
However, their archaeological work was heavily influenced by ideological bias, leading to unsubstantiated claims and the distortion of scientific knowledge. This serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of manipulating science for political purposes and the importance of upholding scientific integrity in all endeavors.
Top image: Arno Breker’s 1939 neoclassical sculpture Die Partei (The Party), which flanked one of the entrances to the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. The sculpture emphasizes what the Nazi Party considered to be desirable Aryan characteristics. Source: Arno Breker/CC BY-SA 3.0
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