The relationship of former board members of the German Society of Pathology to National Socialism: A prosopographic study

Abstract

This cross-sectional study explores the relationship of former presidents and board members of the German Society of Pathology (DGP) to National Socialism. The intention here is to concretely clarify how many of these individuals belonged to the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) or other Nazi organizations during the Third Reich; what significance any kind of Nazi past had on the candidature of individuals for board positions in the Federal Republic of Germany; and how a relationship to National Socialism impacted the careers of these individuals during the Third Reich, as well as later on, in the Federal Republic.A total of 60 pathologists were included in this study. Each of these individuals was an elected member of the DGP board during (1) the Weimar Republic, (2) the Nazi era, or (3) in the Federal Republic, and all were adults during the Third Reich. All 60 individuals in question were male university professors.Membership in the NSDAP has been verified for almost 60% of this collective, a percentage rate that is significantly higher than the average membership rate of medical doctors during the Third Reich (ca. 45%). It could also be demonstrated that a political allegiance to National Socialism had, especially amongst younger academics, quite a positive impact. Significantly, however, not one of the 7 DGP chairmen incumbent during the Third Reich were Nazi party members at the time they took office. In contrast, two-thirds of the DGP chairmen appointed until 1986 in the Federal Republic of Germany were former NSDAP members. Clearly, any earlier political commitment to National Socialism did not play a limiting role in the election of the DGP chairman in the Federal Republic. In any case, it can be shown that almost all the former NSDAP members were able to continue or even broaden their careers in the Federal Republic.This study reaches the conclusion that the DGP executive boards and board members of the Federal Republic of Germany had much closer ties to the National Socialist Party than the DGP executive boards during the Third Reich did. It is precisely this finding that confirms the historical, political, and social relevance of this research project dedicated to reappraising this era in history.