Students and National Socialism in Germany

382 Pages·1985·15.467 MB·English

by  Geoffrey J. Giles

Students and National Socialism in Germany

GEOFFREY J. GILES
Students and National Socialism
in Germany
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Copyright © 1985 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press,
Guildford, Surrey
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data will be
found on the last printed page of this book
ISBN 0-691-05453-3
Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
This book has been composed in Linotron Trump
Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books
are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are
chosen for strength and durability
Printed in the United States of America by Princeton
University Press, Princeton, New Jersey
To Jack and Frances Giles
for their encouragement and love

CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES ΪΧ
ABBREVIATIONS Xl
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ΧΪΪΪ
INTRODUCTION 3
CHAPTER ONE A Political Fringe Group 14
Postwar Student Politics and the University of Hamburg 14
The Formation of National Socialist Student Groups 26
CHAPTER TWO The Struggle for Power 44
The Emerging Role of the NSDStB 44
The Seizure of the German Students' Union 62
CHAPTER THREE The Difficulties of Consolidation 73
The Credibility of the Nazi Student Leadership 74
Student Disillusionment with the NSDStB 91
CHAPTER FOUR The Political University 101
The Purging of the University 102
Adolf Rein and University Reform 111
Factionalism in the Student Leadership 129
First Attempts at Indoctrination: The Kameiadschaft
Scheme 136
CHAPTER FIVE Gown or Brown Shirt? 151
The Effects of Nazi Polycracy on University Autonomy 151
Factionalism in the Student Body 162
The Destruction of the Fraternity Associations 175
Student Apathy and Political Education 186
CHAPTER six The Consolidation of Control 202
The Reich Student Leadership and the Growth of the
Kameiadschaften 203
City Pride and Hamburg's Initiatives 229
The Nazification of Scholarship 250
CONTENTS
CHAPTER SEVEN The University at War 266
War Service Duties 266
Women Students and the NSDStB 278
The Instability of the Wartime University 282
The White Rose Resistance Group 299
The Collapse of the NSDStB 305
CONCLUSION 314
APPENDICES 327
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 331
INDEX 351
TABLES
1. Percentage of Votes Polled by National Socialists in
Students' Union Elections 1928-1930 54
2. Growth of NSDStB Membership in Hamburg Colleges,
July-December 1933 104
3. Faculty Endorsement of Statement of Support for
Hitler 128
4. Occupancy of Hamburg University Kameiadschaft
Houses, Summer Semester 1934 138
5. Underutilization of Kameiadschaft Houses 1937 213
6. Percentage of Male Student Body in Kameiadschaften,
Including Students Beyond Third Semester, Summer
Semester 1938 215
7. Hamburg University Male NSDStB Membership
According to Students' Semesters 226
8. Social Composition of German Male Freshman
Cohorts during the Third Reich 242
9. Proportion of NSDAP Members Among All Hamburg
University Students 245
10. Proportion of NSDAP Members Among Hamburg
University NSDStB Members 247
11. Proportion of Hamburg Students in Military Service by
Faculty, Winter Semester 1942-1943 283