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Nazi Germany and The Humanities

How German Academics Embraced Nazism

Published by Oneworld Publications
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

MERGEFIELD AI_Copy

In 1933, Jews and, to a lesser extent, political opponents of the Nazis, suffered an unprecedented loss of positions and livelihood at Germany’s universities. With few exceptions, the academic elite welcomed and justified the acts of the Nazi regime, uttered no word of protest when their Jewish and liberal colleagues were dismissed, and did not stir when Jewish students were barred admission.

The subject of how German scholars responded to the Nazi regime continues to be a fascinating area of scholarship. In this collection, Rabinbach and Bialas bring some of the best scholarly contributions together in one cohesive volume, to deliver a shocking conclusion: whatever diverse motives German intellectuals may have had in 1933, the image of Nazism as an alien power imposed on German universities from without was a convenient fiction.

About The Authors

Dr. Anson Rabinbach is a specialist in modern European history with an emphasis on intellectual and cultural history. He has published extensively on Nazi Germany, Austria, and European thought in the nineteenth and twentieth century. He is currently director of European Cultural Studies at Princeton University.

 

Dr. Wolfgang Bialas is a specialist in19th and 20th century German culture, German literature, intellectual history and film. He is currently Associate Professor of Philosophy at Al Ain University, United Arab Emirates University.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Oneworld Publications (July 3, 2014)
  • Length: 480 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781780746166

Raves and Reviews

‘An impressive collection ...This work should become a standard source on intellectual and cultural life in Nazi Germany.’

– Jeffrey Herf – Professor of Modern European History, University of Maryland

‘This is a highly valuable contribution to our understanding of the links between purportedly humanistic scholarship and brutalized politics.’

– Professor Steven E. Aschheim – Vigevani Chair of European Studies, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

'This impressive and extraordinarily thoughtful anthology should be required reading for anyone worried about the ethical responsibilities of intellectuals in times of political crisis.'

– Dagmar Herzog - Professor of History, CUNY

'A useful and important first port of call for students and scholars.'

– German Quarterly, Summer 2014

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