History Made in Germany

Abstract

IN another column of this issue of NATURE (see p. 298) is a translation of an official circular, issued to, all education authorities m Germany by the Minister of the Interior, on the teaching of prehistory and history, which contains “directive ideas’ to be followed in historical instruction and to serve as a standard in the adoption of textbooks. The directions in the circular deal first with certain ‘points of view’ which “hitherto have been considered inadequately, if at all”, and secondly, give an outline of the manner in which the theory of Nordic racial and cultural supremacy is to be applied in dealing with the course of events from the earliest times to the present day. The study of ‘race’ and ‘culture’ are to be made to subserve the German nationalist idea, while the heroic legends will quicken the emotional appeal of leadership in present-day ‘national assertion’. From the point of view of prehistoric and historical science, the contents of this document are astonishing. It is scarcely necessary to point out that the racial and cultural unities which are to be made the basis of the modern German nationalist State are non-existent in point of fact, but rest on misstatement or misinterpretation. If, however, these ‘directive ideas’ appear too biased, too frankly propagandist, to call for critical examination from the point of view of ethnology, archæological science, or history, they must none the less be regarded as symptoms of a grave condition of thought. The circular suggests that Germany is prepared to abandon all standards of intellectual honesty in pursuit of a political ideal, which, it may be noted, it is hoped to impose on all ‘Nordic’ peoples.