Guest guest Posted June 9, 2001 Report Share Posted June 9, 2001 The so-called swastika is an old symbol found in many cultures, not just Indo-European ones. In many cases it is interpreted as a sun symbol, or more abstractly as an auspicious sign. The direction of the rotation varies, as do other aspects of the shape. Unfortunately, the Nazis hijacked a version of it for their own ends. Indologists who had Nazi affiliations: sad chapter in our history--not just Indologists but academia at large underwent a traumatic period, and unfortunately not just Indology but all other disciplines had their huge share of Nazism. Nazism was a system that went to great lengths and great detail in terms of social control. Their control over the academic system was extremely tight and policed increasingly rigidly. A "wrong word" said in private could result in deportation and death. There were even Nazi student organisations who "helped" police the professors! European gypsies who to this day speak Indic languages were relentlessly persecuted by the Nazis. The Nazi machine, while singling out Jews specially, actually persecuted not just along "Aryan" lines (they had their own perverted idea of what "Aryan" meant), but whoever they felt was hampering their perverted cause. The mass murder they caused in Europe killed more Indo-Europeans world-wide than all previous wars in history taken together. No matter what their propaganda machine was spreading, the effect on Indo-Europeans and non-Indo-Europeans alike was totally catastrophic. This was the case not just for all the IE-speaking nations of Europe on whom the Nazis declared war, but also internally in Germany itself. The concentration camps were full of political opponents, members of religious communities, individuals who refused to cooperate, and so on. Let's talk of something less depressing... aishwaryannamboodiri wrote: > Is there a study of the connection of Indology to the rise of Nazism > in any reputable academic journal? e.g., why did the Nazis reverse the > Swastika sign when they adopted it as their party emblem? Were any of > the Indologists of the time sympathizers of the Nazi cause? > > > indology > > > > Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2001 Report Share Posted June 9, 2001 I can't add much with regard to the question when and why antisemitic circles and finally the Nazis adopted the swastika. Concerning the Nazi affiliations of German indologists there is one article that should be consulted: Pollock, Sheldon. Deep Orientalism?: Notes on Sanskrit and Power Beyond the Raj. In: Orientalism and the Postcolonial Predicament: Perspectives on South Asia, eds. Carol A. Breckenridge and Peter van der Veer, 77-133. South Asia Seminar Series. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993. To the best of my knowledge, after (and before) the publication of this article no study on this topic has been written. Best regards, Martin Delhey University of Hamburg - gm (AT) ANTHOSIMPRINT (DOT) COM INDOLOGY Saturday, June 09, 2001 11:13 PM Re: [Y-Indology] indology and nazism The so-called swastika is an old symbol found in manycultures, not just Indo-European ones. In many cases it isinterpreted as a sun symbol, or more abstractly asan auspicious sign. The direction of the rotationvaries, as do other aspects of the shape.Unfortunately, the Nazis hijacked a version of it fortheir own ends.Indologists who had Nazi affiliations: sad chapter inour history--not just Indologists but academia at largeunderwent a traumatic period, and unfortunately notjust Indology but all other disciplines had their hugeshare of Nazism. Nazism was a system that wentto great lengths and great detail in terms of socialcontrol. Their control over the academic system wasextremely tight and policed increasingly rigidly.A "wrong word" said in private could result indeportation and death. There were even Nazi studentorganisations who "helped" police the professors!European gypsies who to this day speak Indic languageswere relentlessly persecuted by the Nazis.The Nazi machine, while singling out Jews specially,actually persecuted not just along "Aryan" lines (theyhad their own perverted idea of what "Aryan" meant), butwhoever they felt was hampering their pervertedcause. The mass murder they caused in Europe killedmore Indo-Europeans world-wide than all previous warsin history taken together. No matter what their propagandamachine was spreading, the effect on Indo-Europeansand non-Indo-Europeans alike was totally catastrophic.This was the case not just for all the IE-speaking nationsof Europe on whom the Nazis declared war, but also internallyin Germany itself. The concentration camps were fullof political opponents, members of religious communities,individuals who refused to cooperate, and so on.Let's talk of something less depressing...aishwaryannamboodiri wrote:> Is there a study of the connection of Indology to the rise of Nazism> in any reputable academic journal? e.g., why did the Nazis reverse the> Swastika sign when they adopted it as their party emblem? Were any of> the Indologists of the time sympathizers of the Nazi cause?>> To from this group, send an email to:> indology>>>> Your use of is subject to To from this group, send an email to:indologyYour use of is subject to the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2001 Report Share Posted June 10, 2001 I've seen an article from 1930's or early 40's by W. N. Brown that challenges Swastika being a symbol of Aryan culture. But I do not have a reference. Does anyone have a reference? When I saw the article, I was quite amazed by the fact that the myth of Swastika fabricated by the Nazis were rebutted that early. The role of indologists from the Allies side would also be interesting. I've heard about an American rescue operation from India (presumably after the Pearl Harbor). The person who told me the story (she was in India) said that Brown was involved in that operation. Japan (in addition to Germany) also used Chandra Bose by providing him support. I wonder if any Japanese indologist was involved. --- Martin Delhey <mdelhey wrote: > > I can't add much with regard to the question when > and why antisemitic circles and finally the Nazis > adopted the swastika. Concerning the Nazi > affiliations of German indologists there is one > article that should be consulted: > > Pollock, Sheldon. Deep Orientalism?: Notes on > Sanskrit and Power Beyond the Raj. In: Orientalism > and the Postcolonial Predicament: Perspectives on > South Asia, eds. Carol A. Breckenridge and Peter van > der Veer, 77-133. South Asia Seminar Series. > Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, > 1993. Get personalized email addresses from Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2001 Report Share Posted June 10, 2001 It is not sufficient ( as you so graciously did) to acknowledge that some Indologists -like other academics- collaborated . You have to name names: who were they? It is necessary to see how the field was affected by its Nazi association and to see if there are remnants of racism still left in the field. Instances of resistance are also valuable. ( Another poster mentioned a scholar who resisted the use of the Swastika by the Nazis. )For example, how did Thieme resist the abuse of Indology? What is Witzel doing currently to prevent the ongoing abuse of Aryan symbolism by the Neo-Nazis? Academics have the right to hold unpopular opinions, even those that could be used to justify genocide. The credibility of the discipline will only be enhanced by acknowledging the mistakes of its past. The Kurt Waldheim episode is instructive: it was his inability to acknowledge his Military service that brought him such ill-repute. Perhaps a conference on " The Abuses of the Aryan Myth " would be a good idea. By the way what do you think of the book " The Aryan Myth: A History of Racist and Nationalist Ideas in Europe" by Poliakov, ( London, Heineman 1974)? INDOLOGY, gm@A... wrote: > The so-called swastika is an old symbol found in many > cultures, not just Indo-European ones. In many cases it is > interpreted as a sun symbol, or more abstractly as > an auspicious sign. The direction of the rotation > varies, as do other aspects of the shape. > > Unfortunately, the Nazis hijacked a version of it for > their own ends. > > Indologists who had Nazi affiliations: sad chapter in > our history--not just Indologists but academia at large > underwent a traumatic period, and unfortunately not > just Indology but all other disciplines had their huge > share of Nazism. Nazism was a system that went > to great lengths and great detail in terms of social > control. Their control over the academic system was > extremely tight and policed increasingly rigidly. > A "wrong word" said in private could result in > deportation and death. There were even Nazi student > organisations who "helped" police the professors! > > European gypsies who to this day speak Indic languages > were relentlessly persecuted by the Nazis. > The Nazi machine, while singling out Jews specially, > actually persecuted not just along "Aryan" lines (they > had their own perverted idea of what "Aryan" meant), but > whoever they felt was hampering their perverted > cause. The mass murder they caused in Europe killed > more Indo-Europeans world-wide than all previous wars > in history taken together. No matter what their propaganda > machine was spreading, the effect on Indo-Europeans > and non-Indo-Europeans alike was totally catastrophic. > This was the case not just for all the IE-speaking nations > of Europe on whom the Nazis declared war, but also internally > in Germany itself. The concentration camps were full > of political opponents, members of religious communities, > individuals who refused to cooperate, and so on. > > Let's talk of something less depressing... > > > aishwaryannamboodiri wrote: > > > Is there a study of the connection of Indology to the rise of Nazism > > in any reputable academic journal? e.g., why did the Nazis reverse the > > Swastika sign when they adopted it as their party emblem? Were any of > > the Indologists of the time sympathizers of the Nazi cause? > > > > > > indology- > > > > > > > > Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2001 Report Share Posted June 10, 2001 I don't think Indologists like Prof. Witzel have a singular moral responsibility for preventing Neo-Nazis using any symbols. You do, too. aishwaryannamboodiri wrote: > It is not sufficient ( as you so graciously did) to acknowledge that > some Indologists -like other academics- > collaborated . You have to name names: who were > they? It is necessary to see how the field was affected by its Nazi > association and to see if there are remnants of racism still left in > the field. Instances of resistance are also valuable. ( Another poster > mentioned a scholar who resisted the use of the Swastika by the > Nazis. )For example, how did Thieme resist the abuse of Indology? > What is Witzel doing currently to prevent the ongoing abuse of Aryan > symbolism by the Neo-Nazis? > > Academics have the right to hold unpopular opinions, even those that > could be used to justify genocide. The credibility of the discipline > will only be enhanced by acknowledging the mistakes of its past. The > Kurt Waldheim episode is instructive: it was his inability to > acknowledge his Military service that brought him such ill-repute. > > Perhaps a conference on " The Abuses of the Aryan Myth " would be a > good idea. > By the way what do you think of the book > " The Aryan Myth: A History of Racist and Nationalist Ideas in Europe" > by Poliakov, ( London, Heineman 1974)? > > INDOLOGY, gm@A... wrote: > > The so-called swastika is an old symbol found in many > > cultures, not just Indo-European ones. In many cases it is > > interpreted as a sun symbol, or more abstractly as > > an auspicious sign. The direction of the rotation > > varies, as do other aspects of the shape. > > > > Unfortunately, the Nazis hijacked a version of it for > > their own ends. > > > > Indologists who had Nazi affiliations: sad chapter in > > our history--not just Indologists but academia at large > > underwent a traumatic period, and unfortunately not > > just Indology but all other disciplines had their huge > > share of Nazism. Nazism was a system that went > > to great lengths and great detail in terms of social > > control. Their control over the academic system was > > extremely tight and policed increasingly rigidly. > > A "wrong word" said in private could result in > > deportation and death. There were even Nazi student > > organisations who "helped" police the professors! > > > > European gypsies who to this day speak Indic languages > > were relentlessly persecuted by the Nazis. > > The Nazi machine, while singling out Jews specially, > > actually persecuted not just along "Aryan" lines (they > > had their own perverted idea of what "Aryan" meant), but > > whoever they felt was hampering their perverted > > cause. The mass murder they caused in Europe killed > > more Indo-Europeans world-wide than all previous wars > > in history taken together. No matter what their propaganda > > machine was spreading, the effect on Indo-Europeans > > and non-Indo-Europeans alike was totally catastrophic. > > This was the case not just for all the IE-speaking nations > > of Europe on whom the Nazis declared war, but also internally > > in Germany itself. The concentration camps were full > > of political opponents, members of religious communities, > > individuals who refused to cooperate, and so on. > > > > Let's talk of something less depressing... > > > > > > aishwaryannamboodiri wrote: > > > > > Is there a study of the connection of Indology to the rise of Nazism > > > in any reputable academic journal? e.g., why did the Nazis reverse the > > > Swastika sign when they adopted it as their party emblem? Were any of > > > the Indologists of the time sympathizers of the Nazi cause? > > > > > > > > > indology- > > > > > > > > > > > > Your use of is subject to > > > > indology > > > > Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2001 Report Share Posted June 10, 2001 INDOLOGY, kengo harimoto <kharimot> wrote: > I've seen an article from 1930's or early 40's by W. > N. Brown that challenges Swastika being a symbol of > Aryan culture. But I do not have a reference. Does > anyone have a reference? Perhaps, this is the paper you read: Brown, William Norman, 1892- The swastika; a study of the Nazi claims of its Aryan origin, New York, Emerson books, inc. [c1933] 30 p. 20 cm. LC Classification: BL604.S8 B7 Is it available on the web? Regards, N. Ganesan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2001 Report Share Posted June 11, 2001 I am of the opinion that the question of the Nazi commitment of German Indologists during the so-called Third Reich has to be investigated, a need that has already been emphasized by Sheldon Pollock or by the late Prof. de Jong. That is why I participated in this discussion by giving a bibliographical hint. But today I have to recognize that the lady or gentleman who uses the e-mail address aishwaryannamboodiri tries to abuse this discussion for unfair personal attacks on present-day German or German-born Indologists (presumably he or she does so in pursuit of his or her own questionable political agenda). Therefore, I would not participate in this thread any longer. Martin Delhey University of Hamburg For example, how did Thieme resist the abuse of Indology?> What is Witzel doing currently to prevent the ongoing abuse of Aryan> symbolism by the Neo-Nazis?>> Academics have the right to hold unpopular opinions, even those that> could be used to justify genocide. The credibility of the discipline> will only be enhanced by acknowledging the mistakes of its past. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2001 Report Share Posted June 11, 2001 Prof Witzel wrote elsewhere >...Or believe in chariots in a "hoary" RV before they were even >invented. But that is not science. It is falsification or simply >SF. What is the need for reckless use of scare quotes? Can I say Sanskrit "department" is "headed by" "professor" Witzel at Harvard "University"? People spend all their life time savings to send their children to Harvard. Millions of people spent their lives directly or indirectly to preserve RV. For mentioning a chariot in RV all the Rsi needs is a "news item" that there is something called a chariot anywhere in the world. I don't believe the Rsis being the wisest of the tribes, didn't get the information from the vaishyas about chariots elsewhere even if they were not available in their own lands. Can we have some sense please? and stop degrading the level of dialog? Regards Bhadraiah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2001 Report Share Posted June 11, 2001 >Is there a study of the connection of Indology to the rise of Nazism >in any reputable academic journal? e.g., why did the Nazis reverse... >Were any of >the Indologists of the time sympathizers of the Nazi cause? There is no connection of Indology to the *rise* of Nazism. See René Gérard, *L'Orient et la pensée romantique allemande*, Paris 1963. Oriental/Aryan myth and racist (anti-Semitic, and also anti-women -- in England and Germany it was popular as a saying the line "The best of women is worse than the worst of men"!) ideas have old origins and did not spring forth from Indologists. We should trace them far back. Of course, Indologists of the beginning of last century were entitled to study them, propagating or disputing them. Just a few examples: During the Renaissance the Spanish statutes relating to "purity of blood" brought about a segregation similar to that of the racial laws promulgated by Nazis (and Fascists in 1938 -- wich, BTW, all Italian university professors but 12 signed, out of 1,225 full professors! none of those who did not sign the racial laws was an Indologist). In Spain there were Christians defined by other "pure" Christians to belong to a biologically inferior stock -- namely, Christians of Jewish or Moorish descent (the famous "conversos" race). The Inquisition expelled Moors from Spain and persecuted, without exterminating them, the other conversos. Then Buffon, Voltaire, Hume and Kant prepared the ground for the racial hierarchies of the following centuries. The real founder of the Aryan myth though, Friedrich Schlegel, was at the same time a supporter of the total emancipation of the Jews! After him, the theory was launched by the Orientalists and the German-myth makers and gained ground, becaming internationally accepted by the second half of the century. Soon after that it was propagated among the masses mainly in support of anti-semitic campaigns, and around 1890 passed from scientists to demagogues to become the official creed of the Third Reich -- when men designated as non-Aryans were sacrificed. It was only corroborated by linguistic theories. (The attraction that the Aryan myth excercised was in part due to the desire to abandon the theory of a Semitic descent of human race). Darwin's famous disciple Haeckel claimed that natural selection was neither socialist nor democratic, but aristocratic and his Freie Wissenschaft und Freie Lehere was quoted by the popular K Pearson in The chances of death (London 1897). However, O. Beta in his Darwin, Deutschland und die Juden (Berlin 1876, pp. 32 et passim) asked officialy the authorities to take into account the "revelations of Darwinian doctrine", namely that a struggle for existence was going on bewteen a productive Germano-Aryan race and a parasitic Semite race, therefore to undertake an anti-Jewish legislative action would be scientifically justified! Many other scientists in Germany spoke for "eugenetics". The founder of the "eugenetic movement" was Dr. Alfred Ploetz who at beginning placed Western Aryans and the Jews who were of Aryan descent at the top of his social scale. Later, in a journal which he founded, he restricted his hierarchy to Germans alone and found a secret Nordic Society (which was quoted several times by the group Ur-Krur in Italy some 20 years ago, a group which a few Indologists belonged to). In 1905 Ploetz founded an International Society for Racial Hygiene in order to improve the white race and it has sevral hundreds rs.In 1936 Hitler appointed this doctor a university professor. The race hygiene was supported by the Krupp family who in 1900 sponsored a competition (the winner could have 50,000 DM) on the lesson that can be drawn from the theory of heredity on the evolution of internal politics and law (sorry I don't know the precise title by heart). In 1908 was founded the Eugenics Education Society in England and in 1910 a Eugenics Record Office was established in the USA. In 1908 Ploetz announced the foundation of the COmmunity for German Revival, where the revival was teh return to land and was meant for Aryans only. In 1913 the famous Deutschbund was founded with the aim of eradicating the inferior elements of popolation, those of Jewish and Slavic blood. So, eugenetics was born in England but found in Germany his natural habitat as an ideology. In 1939 Professor Otmar von Verschuer announced a new eugenetic era which "gives the possibility of influencing the destiny of our children." The history of that science was intimately connected with recent German history in order to build a "German ethno-empire". Before him the orientalist Paul de Lagarde in The Religion of the Future became the prophet of a Germanic religion and a man with pure and strong will who would be its founder. He was anti-Slavic, anti-Roman, anti-Hungarian and, of course, demanded the destruction of Judaim in Europe or by exiling Jews in Madagascar, or massacring them or exterminating them like bacillis and worms (in 1942 Hitler in a famous "table-talk" said that the battle in which they were engaged [against Jews] was the same as that engaged by Pasteur and Koch the century before). Unfortunately, de Lagarde was admired by intellectuals such as Thomas Carlyle, Thomas Mann who called him "preceptor Germaniae", Paul Natorp. So, this is the intellectual athmosfere in Europe at the end of 19th cent and beginning-half of 20th cent. We should not be so surprised to know that in 1930 the anti-fascist Roman Rolland criticised S Lévi (who was apparently jelous of his success) with this words: "... Ces Juifs, qui se donnent le ridicule de poser en répresentants (outrés) de l'Occident contre l'Aise" The words "these Jewish" were, alas, perfectly in tune with the general social and political feelings of the time! (Cf. my paper "A Sanskrit Letter Written by Sylvain Lévi in 1923 to HemarAja ZarmA and Some Hitherto Unknown Biographical Notes", which is in press) As for Indologists, the birth certificate to the Aryan myth was given by August-Wilhelm Schlegel (Friedrich's brother) who wrote at the beginning of the 19th cent that if the regeneration of human species started in the east, and Germany must have been considered the Orient of Europe. In 1810-12 Creuzer published several works attributing Judaism to a primitive Brahmanism (Abraham-Brahma came from Kashmir that was the birthplace of humanity and religion...) and Kanne further developed these ideas (Esau=Ahriman, Joseph=Ganesha etc.). Shopenhauer began formulated his system pro-Aryan/ anti-Jewish. Several scholars say that after Bopp linguitics became absorbed into "racial anthropology". The so-called Sanskrit Baron Eckstein established *Le catholique* in 1824 where he argued that natural revelation was made to Indians and Europe owed the best of his "blood, culture and institutions" to Germmans" (first step by a Sanskritist towards the equation Germany=supremacy=revelation=India) (see the book by N Burtin *Un semeur d'idees au temps de la restauration: le baron d'Eckstein*, Paris 1931). In the meantime in Paris was established the first Sankrit university chair in 1816. The confusion bewteen race and language was taken over by Hegel (among many) who compared the discovery of Sanskrit to that of a new continent because established historic ties between Germans and Indians (in Die Vernunft in der Geschichte). The geographer Kar Ritter in 1820 described how Indian armies led by Buddhist priests had burst into the West. The Indologist Christian Lassen some 25 years later asserted the superiority of the Indo-German character over Semites. To cut short, Nazism just took advantage of and manipulated ideas circulating in Europe (and not only) at the time, ideas which were present long before among scientists, philosophers *and* Indologists. best -- enrica -- Dr. Enrica Garzilli University of Macerata, Italy Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Tantric Studies Journ. of S. Asia Women Studies http://www.asiatica.org ********************************************************* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2001 Report Share Posted June 11, 2001 Thanks for a thoughtful and informative article. This history shows that even scholars sometimes get carried away by social trends of the time. Indology is no worse than any other human acticity. INDOLOGY, Enrica Garzilli <garzilli@s...> wrote: > >Is there a study of the connection of Indology to the rise of Nazism > >in any reputable academic journal? e.g., why did the Nazis reverse... > >Were any of > >the Indologists of the time sympathizers of the Nazi cause? > > There is no connection of Indology to the *rise* of Nazism. > See René Gérard, *L'Orient et la pensée romantique allemande*, Paris > 1963. > Oriental/Aryan myth and racist (anti-Semitic, and also anti-women -- in > England and Germany it was popular as a saying the line "The best of > women is worse than the worst of men"!) ideas have old origins and did > not spring forth from Indologists. We should trace them far back. Of > course, Indologists of the beginning of last century were entitled to > study them, propagating or disputing them. > Just a few examples: > > During the Renaissance the Spanish statutes relating to "purity of > blood" brought about a segregation similar to that of the racial laws > promulgated by Nazis (and Fascists in 1938 -- wich, BTW, all Italian > university professors but 12 signed, out of 1,225 full professors! none > of those who did not sign the racial laws was an Indologist). > In Spain there were Christians defined by other "pure" Christians to > belong to a biologically inferior stock -- namely, Christians of Jewish > or Moorish descent (the famous "conversos" race). The Inquisition > expelled Moors from Spain and persecuted, without exterminating them, > the other conversos. > Then Buffon, Voltaire, Hume and Kant prepared the ground for the racial > hierarchies of the following centuries. > The real founder of the Aryan myth though, Friedrich Schlegel, was at > the same time a supporter of the total emancipation of the Jews! After > him, the theory was launched by the Orientalists and the German-myth > makers and gained ground, becaming internationally accepted by the > second half of the century. Soon after that it was propagated among the > masses mainly in support of anti-semitic campaigns, and around 1890 > passed from scientists to demagogues to become the official creed of the > Third Reich -- when men designated as non-Aryans were sacrificed. It was > only corroborated by linguistic theories. > (The attraction that the Aryan myth excercised was in part due to the > desire to abandon the theory of a Semitic descent of human race). > > Darwin's famous disciple Haeckel claimed that natural selection was > neither socialist nor democratic, but aristocratic and his Freie > Wissenschaft und Freie Lehere was quoted by the popular K Pearson in The > chances of death (London 1897). > However, O. Beta in his Darwin, Deutschland und die Juden (Berlin 1876, > pp. 32 et passim) asked officialy the authorities to take into account > the "revelations of Darwinian doctrine", namely that a struggle for > existence was going on bewteen a productive Germano-Aryan race and a > parasitic Semite race, therefore to undertake an anti-Jewish legislative > action would be scientifically justified! > > Many other scientists in Germany spoke for "eugenetics". The founder of > the "eugenetic movement" was Dr. Alfred Ploetz who at beginning placed > Western Aryans and the Jews who were of Aryan descent at the top of his > social scale. Later, in a journal which he founded, he restricted his > hierarchy to Germans alone and found a secret Nordic Society (which was > quoted several times by the group Ur-Krur in Italy some 20 years ago, a > group which a few Indologists belonged to). In 1905 Ploetz founded an > International Society for Racial Hygiene in order to improve the white > race and it has sevral hundreds rs.In 1936 Hitler appointed > this doctor a university professor. > The race hygiene was supported by the Krupp family who in 1900 sponsored > a competition (the winner could have 50,000 DM) on the lesson that can > be drawn from the theory of heredity on the evolution of internal > politics and law (sorry I don't know the precise title by heart). > In 1908 was founded the Eugenics Education Society in England and in > 1910 a Eugenics Record Office was established in the USA. > In 1908 Ploetz announced the foundation of the COmmunity for German > Revival, where the revival was teh return to land and was meant for > Aryans only. In 1913 the famous Deutschbund was founded with the aim of > eradicating the inferior elements of popolation, those of Jewish and > Slavic blood. > > So, eugenetics was born in England but found in Germany his natural > habitat as an ideology. > In 1939 Professor Otmar von Verschuer announced a new eugenetic era > which "gives the possibility of influencing the destiny of our > children." The history of that science was intimately connected with > recent German history in order to build a "German ethno-empire". > > Before him the orientalist Paul de Lagarde in The Religion of the Future > became the prophet of a Germanic religion and a man with pure and strong > will who would be its founder. He was anti-Slavic, anti-Roman, > anti-Hungarian and, of course, demanded the destruction of Judaim in > Europe or by exiling Jews in Madagascar, or massacring them or > exterminating them like bacillis and worms (in 1942 Hitler in a famous > "table-talk" said that the battle in which they were engaged [against > Jews] was the same as that engaged by Pasteur and Koch the century > before). > Unfortunately, de Lagarde was admired by intellectuals such as Thomas > Carlyle, Thomas Mann who called him "preceptor Germaniae", Paul Natorp. > > So, this is the intellectual athmosfere in Europe at the end of 19th > cent and beginning-half of 20th cent. > We should not be so surprised to know that in 1930 the anti-fascist > Roman Rolland criticised S Lévi (who was apparently jelous of his > success) with this words: > "... Ces Juifs, qui se donnent le ridicule de poser en répresentants > (outrés) de l'Occident contre l'Aise" > The words "these Jewish" were, alas, perfectly in tune with the general > social and political feelings of the time! > (Cf. my paper "A Sanskrit Letter Written by Sylvain Lévi in 1923 to > HemarAja ZarmA and Some Hitherto Unknown Biographical Notes", which is > in press) > > As for Indologists, the birth certificate to the Aryan myth was given by > August-Wilhelm Schlegel (Friedrich's brother) who wrote at the beginning > of the 19th cent that if the regeneration of human species started in > the east, and Germany must have been considered the Orient of Europe. In > 1810-12 Creuzer published several works attributing Judaism to a > primitive Brahmanism (Abraham-Brahma came from Kashmir that was the > birthplace of humanity and religion...) and Kanne further developed > these ideas (Esau=Ahriman, Joseph=Ganesha etc.). > Shopenhauer began formulated his system pro-Aryan/ anti-Jewish. > Several scholars say that after Bopp linguitics became absorbed into > "racial anthropology". > The so-called Sanskrit Baron Eckstein established *Le catholique* in > 1824 where he argued that natural revelation was made to Indians and > Europe owed the best of his "blood, culture and institutions" to > Germmans" (first step by a Sanskritist towards the equation > Germany=supremacy=revelation=India) (see the book by N Burtin *Un semeur > d'idees au temps de la restauration: le baron d'Eckstein*, Paris 1931). > In the meantime in Paris was established the first Sankrit university > chair in 1816. > The confusion bewteen race and language was taken over by Hegel (among > many) who compared the discovery of Sanskrit to that of a new continent > because established historic ties between Germans and Indians (in Die > Vernunft in der Geschichte). > The geographer Kar Ritter in 1820 described how Indian armies led by > Buddhist priests had burst into the West. > The Indologist Christian Lassen some 25 years later asserted the > superiority of the Indo-German character over Semites. > > To cut short, Nazism just took advantage of and manipulated ideas > circulating in Europe (and not only) at the time, ideas which were > present long before among scientists, philosophers *and* Indologists. > > best -- enrica > > -- > Dr. Enrica Garzilli > University of Macerata, Italy > Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Tantric Studies > Journ. of S. Asia Women Studies http://www.asiatica.org > ********************************************************* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2001 Report Share Posted June 11, 2001 Prof Enrica Garzilli, Thanks for the informative post. Somebody said "screw up the economy and you create the next Hitler". As of now everything is OK with world economy, but you never know. Given the "right" economic conditions, you won't be surprised if the impossible becomes possible, e.g., you can have a communist president in US ;-) The right candidate (in any destroyed economy) will find the right leads to occupy the right place. The term "Hindu apologetics" is a nice way to paint the vitim as a criminal. It was done in 1930s for Jews. Is this a pointer to future? Hitler may have committed the biggest genocide, but the most number of any community persecuted was Hindus. Vishal, please reel out the statistics, but no personal attacks please. Aishvarya, I understand frustration, but it is easy way to lose friends. Be sharp in criticism only on linguistic matters. I protested "hoary" RV because it is offensive. Can I attach that prefix to other holy books? Will it be tolerated? You have a point when you say Harvard should take leadership in the matter. Today it is only US which controls world economy, but it is easy to misuse that position. People look to US and its institutions for leadership. Let us see how they stand up. Regards Bhadraiah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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