Political pragmatist or man of conviction? Heinrich Bredt (1906–1989) and his involvement in the Third Reich

Abstract

Heinrich Bredt (1906–1989) has to be considered one of the most prominent German pathologists of the past century. While his scientific oeuvre – especially his research on pathology of the cardiovascular system – received widespread attention, his actual connection to National Socialism remains largely concealed.This paper takes this need for clarification as an occasion for a detailed investigation of Bredt’s political role in the Third Reich, based on source material from Federal, State and University Archives.The analysis shows that Heinrich Bredt had already joined the anti-Semitic and anti-democratic Association of German Students in the 1920s, and from 1933 onward he entered various Nazi organizations – including the Nazi Party. Unlike in later statements, Bredt was not just a nominal member of the Party, he held various offices in National Socialist organizations and was accordingly classified as loyal to the regime by the Nazi authorities.In contrast, during his time in the socialist dictatorship of East Germany, Bredt remained aloof from the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany and its political organizations – unlike many former Nazi Party members who behaved in a political opportune manner in East Germany as well. Bredt demonstrated a distance from the socialist system which suggests that his political actions were guided not by pragmatic but by ideological considerations.