THE 


NAZI 

PRIMER 

Official Handbook for 
Schooling the Hitler Youth 

Translated from the Original German 1938 


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CONTENTS 


Introduction: Factual Outlook on Life - page 7 

I. The Unlikeness of Men - page 9 

Bodily difference-spiritual unlikeness—disregard of these facts—opponents of 
the race idea—bases of their opposition—truth wins. 

II. The German Races - page 11 

Concept of race-peoples are mixed races—the German races—bodily and 
spiritual characteristics of the Nordic, Phalic, Western, Dinaric, Eastern, East 
Baltic races — proportion of races—the German people certainly Nordic. 

III. Race Formation: Heredity and Environment - page 21 

Study of heredity—Gregor Mendel — Mendel's laws (!) law of uniformity (II) law of 
diversity—dominant and recessive characteristics (III) law of independence — 
inherited picture not always similar to apparent picture—species change—study 
of evolution—Charles Darwin—environmental influences not inheritable — 
hereditary transmission—changeability of bearers of heredity—formation of 
races. 

IV. Heredity and Race Fostering - page 31 

The hereditary stream—task of heredity fostering—heredity diseases — 
concealed hereditary processes—dangers of inbreeding—"family tree" 
research—the less worthy—threatening increase—costs of care—duty of 
interfering—laws fostering heredity—justification for eliminations—selection of 
the sound—measures pertaining thereto—socialistic selection—the sense of 
race fostering—race legislation—Jews in the German Reich-not different in 
quality but in kind—protection of our racial being. 

V. Population Policy - page 39 

Population fluctuations—real growth — "congestion" of the blood — 
superannuation—decline of births—consequences of urbanization—inevitable 
death of a people? — infiltration—causes for the falling off of births—spiritual 
counteraction—economic countermeasures—protection of those rich in 
children—fostering marriages—results up to this time—rise in births not yet 
significant. 


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VI. Man and Earth - page 45 

Fate of peoples determined by blood—influence of territory—the art of the 
statesman—attachment of the German people to the soil—uprooting forces — 
economic and political consequences—back to the natural order—reciprocal 
action between a people and its territory. 

VII. The German Territory - page 47 

Central position in Europe—historical tasks—defense of Europe—instrument of 
culture—advantages and disadvantages of the central position—the threefold 
form—political area—population area—culture area. 

VIII. The German Population Area - page 51 

The Nordic territory—the Germanic territory—the ages of bronze, iron, and the 
Romans—migrations of the Germanic peoples—region from which the German 
people went out—winning the territory around the Danube—frontier districts on 
the Elbe—crucial uprisings—the procession toward the east—reconquering of: 
Holstein and Mecklenburg, the Mark of Brandenburg, of Saxony—the Czech 
wedge—settlement of Pomerania — Silesia—the Polish bulwark—struggle for 
East Prussia—the eastern front made safe by Prussia—historical achievement — 
possessive right of the German people. 

IX. The German Culture Area - page 63 

German influence in the east—Germans abroad—origin and development—their 
cultural significance—migration overseas—Germans in: North America, South 
America, Australia—the German colonies—first attempts—Southwest Africa, 
German East Africa, Cameroons, Togoland, South Sea possessions—lies about 
colonies. 

X. The Political Area of the German Folk - page 71 

The Reich of the Middle Ages—its downfall—Switzerland breaks loose—Holland 
falls off—origin of Belgium — "neutralization" of Luxemburg—separation of 
Austria—independence of Lichtenstein — France's "Thrust to the Rhine"—frontier 
struggles in the east and southeast—the dictate of Versailles—territorial losses of 
the German Reich—dictate of Saint-Germain — German-Austria torn apart — 
Anschluss forbidden—the present situation. 

XI. Territory and Population - page 79 

Contraction of the Reich—increase in population—increasing need for territory — 
migration back after the World War—"folk without space"—comparison of 
population densities—colonial possessions of others—greatest population 
density in the German Reich—claim for German colonies—the wrong way out — 
industrialization—flight from the land a danger for the German east—unequal 
distribution of the population—new territorial arrangement. 


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XII. The Soil as a Source of Food Supply - page 87 

Quality of the soil — climate—use of the soil — farming—cattle raising—neglect of 
agriculture—the consequences in the World War—dependence intensified by 
Versailles—National Socialist agrarian policy—the production battle—extension 
of usable areas—increase in production—reduction of destructive forces — 
cultivation of more important food stuffs—results of the production battle—further 
measures—the goal; freedom in the matter of food stuffs—everyone must 
cooperate. 

XIII. The Land as a Support for Industry - page 97 

Origin of minerals—their distribution—domestic production and use—importation 
of raw materials—increased dependence since Versailles—importation of raw 
materials made difficult—social and economic consequences—the Four Year 
Plan—new textile raw materials—rising output of ores—artificial rubber—German 
gasoline and oils—the goal: German work out of German raw materials 


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6 



Introduction 


FACTUAL OUTLOOK ON LIFE 


The world outlook of National Socialism is today the common possession of all 
Germans. All well-disposed and unprejudiced comrades have made the ideals of 
National Socialism so much a part of themselves that they give firm support and 
direction in every situation of life. 

This participation in the National Socialist world outlook also enables German 
comrades to take an active part in forming our national life. Without regard to 
place, every German anywhere can cooperate by thought and deed in political, 
cultural, and economic upbuilding. The common world outlook is the 
indestructible bond, which binds our people's leaders and followers to the 
common task. 

The past knew no such cooperation of all comrades in forming the community life 
of our people. A deep chasm once separated rulers and subjects one from 
another. Even in the days when so-called democratic principles were supposed 
to prevail with us the humble comrade was excluded from the shaping of our 
people's fate. Inner participation and genuine cooperation of all Germans was 
also impossible because, in most cases, only a small circle of adept persons was 
able to grasp in what way state leadership should go. The reasons for this lay, 
not only in the fact that the past had no unified and common world outlook. It also 
lay in the fact that the innumerable so-called outlooks on life were themselves so 
unclear and perplexing that no information of a political will could proceed there 
from. 

The earlier philosophical suppositions were not founded on any perception of 
reality and of the facts as given. Instead, they were unrealistic theories devising 
their own notions of world trends. They had nothing to do with actual events and 
in most cases stood in sharpest opposition to them. By reason of this opposition 
between theory and practice all questions of national life soon become so 
entangled and obscure that even the "leaders" of such philosophical systems did 
not know how to establish order amid the confusion. The humble comrade, 
however, could only wait more or less patiently for what, as a result, came out of 
high politics. He had been crowded off the political stage into the arena of 
onlookers. The exact opposite is the case today. All questions of our national life 
have become so clear, simple, and definite that every comrade can understand 
them and cooperate in their solution. 

For the National Socialist outlook on life is not something ingeniously devised. It 
is no theory, but adapts itself strictly to existing reality. The ideal of National 
Socialism is born of experience. It is a factual and realistic outlook on life. 


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The most significant and most efficacious realities in the life of a people are 
"Blood and Soil." Whoever recognizes their binding force and effects in history 
can also take part in shaping the future. To foster the building up for a political 
will in the Hitler Youth organization, according to the National Socialist outlook on 
life is the task of this little handbook for the schooling of the Hitler Youth. 


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I 


THE UNLIKENESS OF MEN 


The foundation of the National Socialist outlook on life is the perception of the 
unlikeness of men. If at first, we relate this unlikeness solely to physical 
appearance no one will wish to contest it. For it is all too apparent that the "red 
skin," the yellow, the black, and the white are very different. Moreover, within the 
family of white men, not all people are the same. Every attentive observer can 
recognize distinctions in physical size and shape. The coloring of the eyes, the 
hair and the skin is also very different. 

However, there are also distinctions among men with respect to mental and 
spiritual traits. This becomes very clear to us whenever different types of men 
converse about the same subject. To one person, for example, work is a "Curse 
from Heaven" a "Punishment of God," and a burden to be avoided as much as 
possible. For another, on the contrary, it is a necessity of life, which first gives the 
human being his true meaning. Again, for some, courage and loyalty are nothing 
but great stupidities. They would rather "be live cowards than dead heroes." 

For others, courage and loyalty are the very marks by which they treasure and 
value a man. For them a promise once made is binding. They stick to it through 
good times and bad. They cannot live without honor and prefer death to 
cowardice. 

There are men, therefore, who are differentiated from others not alone because 
of physical characteristics. Just as deep and impossible to bridge are the 
differences in spirit and in soul. Body, spirit and soul primarily constitute the 
complete man because they form a unified whole. Men must therefore, be 
considered with respect to their inner makeup. For the great difference, which 
separates those of German blood from Jews is clearly evident, although physical 
characteristics seem to designate both as members of the family of white men. 
We know therefore, about the unlikeness of men. We suit our actions 
accordingly, and evaluate what happens according to this knowledge. 

Times gone by have ignored the obvious unlikeness of men, or have consciously 
acted contrary to better knowledge. During the colonization of Paraguay by the 
Jesuits early in the 19 th century, for example, a marriage law was promulgated, 
according to which the white settlers might marry only natives, Indian women. 
Perhaps it was thought that in this way natives could be raised to the level of the 
whites. In reality, this mixing produced unfortunate hybrids, which were to be 
counted neither as whites nor as natives. They inherited in most cases, the worst 
characteristics of the groups, being uncertain and unstable both in spirit and in 
soul. Even in our day, the fact is shown many times that certain men have no 
feeling for race honor or race shame. The many hybrids resulting from unions 
with Germans of black troops occupying the Rhineland and of Jews are tragic 


9 



witnesses of the fact. Even those occupying the highest places in government 
during the "System Time" 1 consciously closed their eyes to the facts of race. 
They refused, for example, to allow the well-known student of races, Ludwig 
Schemann, to continue his studies regarding the nature of races and deprived 
him of the means for his researches. 

1 

The phrase System Time" refers to the period from 1918 to 1933 when Germany was governed 
by a "system" of coalition parties. 

Even today, the racial ideas of National Socialism have implacable opponents. 
Free Masons, Marxists, and the Christian Church join hands in brotherly accord 
on this point. The worldwide order of Free Masons conceals its Jewish plans for 
ruling the world behind the catchword "Mankind" or "Humanity." Masonry can 
take much as credit for its effort to bring Jews and Turks into the fold, as does 
Christianity itself. Marxism has the same goal as Free Masonry. In this case, to 
disguise its real intentions the slogan "Equality, Liberty, and Fraternity" is 
preached. Under Jewish leadership, Marxism intends to bring together everyone 
"who bears the face of man." 

The Christians, above all the Roman Church, reject the race idea with the citation 
'before God all men are equal." All who have the Christian belief, whether Jews, 
bush niggers, or whites are dearer to them and more worthwhile than a German 
who does not confess Christianity. The one binding bond, above and beyond all 
restrictions, is the Belief which alone brings salvation. 

One proof that the Roman Church rejects the race idea against its own better 
judgment is shown by the following facts. At one time, there existed the danger 
that the aims of the Jesuit order would be jeopardized or perverted by its Jewish 
members. A rule forbidding admission of Jews into the Jesuit order was issued. 
Today, since the danger is long since past, the church disregards it. 

Now why do we find in Free Masonry, Marxism, and the Christian church this 
mistaken teaching of the equality of all men? All three are striving more or less 
for power over the whole earth. Therefore, they must necessarily be 
"international." They can never acknowledge the human ties of race, community, 
or nation if they do not wish to give up their own aims. 

In spite of this powerful opposition, however, the race idea goes on gaining 
ground. The truth gradually prevails. We need only think of the growing line up of 
states set for the defense against the destructive influence of the Jews. And also 
we need to remember that the immigration laws of many states overseas do not 
let jews or other undesirables into the country. 

However, we will not stick to the superficialities but try to acquire greater clarity 
regarding this question. For only then can we understand rightly the fourth point 
of the program of the National Socialist German Workers Party. It states: 

"Only those who are comrades of our folk can be citizens of the state Only those 
who are of German Blood, irrespective of religious belief, can be comrades of our 
folk. Consequently no Jews can be comrades of our folk." 


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II 


THE GERMAN RACES 


Possession of German blood is therefore essential for admission into the 
community of German people. A Jew who, during the "System Time," has 
assumed a German name and adopted the Christian belief is and remains a Jew. 

Such differences as exist between Negroes, Indians, and others are evident at 
once. It is more difficult to differentiate races in the case of a people, which 
consists of approximately similar and related races. A layman generally says that 
one Japanese looks like another. If a Japanese comes to Germany he too will 
surely say at first glance that we all look the same. By more precise observation 
of the Germans we soon notice they do not all look the same. Moreover, they are 
not differentiated merely with respect to one or two characteristics. We must 
explain the concept of race somewhat more exactly. Gunther says in his book, 
"Rassenkunde des deutschen Volkes": 

"A race is a collection of individuals differentiated from every other group (constituted 
in such a way) by its unique combination of bodily characteristics and soul attributes and 
continually reproduces its own kind." 

Actually pure races of people scarcely exist today. Collections of individuals with 
the same biological inheritance, as the term races may be defined, have 
everywhere intermingled. Race mixtures have sprung into being. Therefore, it is 
in Europe and consequently in Germany, everywhere the same basic, race 
substance, if we are willing to overlook certain special, foreign ingredients. One 
ting, however, does distinguish peoples form each other. The proportions of the 
races are different. Many peoples in Europe have preserved above all the Nordic 
character; others the Western, or Eastern, or East Baltic, and so forth. 

We will acquaint ourselves with the basic race ingredients of the German people. 
We are accustomed to consider every living being in entirety, every plant, every 
animal, and every human being. To man belongs his body, his mind, and his 
soul. These three form a unity. Therefore, in our consideration of races we will 
investigate not only physical structure, but also mental and spiritual 
characteristics. In considering bodily form we have to take into account above all 
things size and shape of body, skull, color of hair, the eyes and the skin, as well 
as the texture of the hair. According to the prevailing view, we can differentiate 
with certainty the following races in Europe and consequently Germany: 

1. The Nordic race 

2. The Phalic race 

3. The Western race 

4. The Dinaric race 

5. The Eastern race 

6. The East Baltic race 


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The names are from Gunther and selected primarily because of the chief 
occupancy region today of the races concerned, which we present in Chart 1. 

1. THE NORDIC RACE 

The larger, more compact groups of Nordics are found in Germany and in large 
sections of the lands of northern Europe, in Scotland, Denmark, on the Baltic 
coast, in Sweden and Norway. 

The Nordic race as well as the Phalic is the tallest of any among the races of 
Europe. The matured man is, on the average, 1.75 meters tall. Perhaps this 
height is due to late sexual maturity. The farther one advances to the north of 
Europe the 



<1111111 Nordic 
Eastern 




o oo 
o o 


Phalic 
East Baltic 


^ Dinaric 


Western 


Chart i.—G eographical Distribution of Races in the German 

Reich 


more often one finds growth still taking place between the ages of 20 and 25. 
Old age sets in much later, too. The Nordic man grows tall and slender. He has, 
according to our discoveries, limbs, which are large in proportion to the body. 


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That suits our sense of beauty. Peoples with another racial makeup apparently 
have quite another ideal of beauty. 

The skull of the Nordic man likewise grows narrow, long. The face is small. The 
breadth in proportion to length is 3 to 4. The shape of the face is striking, not 
unaccentedly round. The nose is high set. In proportion to the rest of the face, it 
is likewise small. If it is indented then this occurs in the upper third in contrast to 
the Dinaric and north Asiatic races. 

The skin is light, rosy-white, and delicate. In contrast to the skin of many other 
races, it is distinguished by a lack of pigmentation. The hair is smooth, wavy, 
thin, and fine. Its color varies from light to golden blonde. As to eyes, we 
distinguish the coloring primarily according to the colors of the iris. The Nordic 
race has light colored eyes, blue, blue-grey to grey. 

In what follows we shall see still further how bodily characteristics of the Nordic 
race are distinguishable from those of 




Chart 2.—Nordic Skull 

other races. Such distinctions also apply in the case of the internal organs. There 
are, for example, differences in the structure and size of the brain and the bodily 
glands. Mental and spiritual differences are naturally related thereto. 

In dealing with traits of mind and soul even more than in dealing with bodily 
characteristics, we must concentrate upon entire groups of people belonging to a 
particular race rather than upon individual representatives of this race. Now what 
distinguishes the Nordic race from all others? It is uncommonly gifted mentally. It 
is outstanding for truthfulness and energy. Nordic men for the most part possess, 
even in regard to themselves, a great power of judgment. They incline to be 
taciturn and cautious. They feel instantly that too loud talking is undignified. They 
are persistent and stick to a purpose when once they have set themselves to it. 


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Their energy is displayed not only in warfare but also in technology and in 
scientific research. They are predisposed to leadership by nature. 

The Nordic race is most closely related to: 


2. THE PHALIC RACE 


In Germany, we find this race primarily in Westphalia, from whence it derives its 
name, in Swabia and in Wurtemberg. Outside of Germany they are to be found in 
Sweden and also, curiously enough, on the canary Islands west from North 
Africa. 



Chart 3.—Phalic Skull 


The Phalic race on the average surpasses the Nordic in physical size. It 
averages in height over 1.75 meters. In contrast to the Nordic, it is not a tall and 
slender race, but rather tall and broad. It acts, therefore, much more forcibly. 

The skull, however, in contrast to the Nordic skull, is broad faced, although just 
as long up to the middle of the head. The nose is broader than that of the Nordic 
race, but proportionately smaller, for example, than that of the East Baltic race. 


The skin is just like that of the Nordic race, a clear, and rosy-white. The hair is 
likewise blond, perhaps somewhat more reddish. It is, in fact, somewhat stiffer, 
wavy, or even curly. The eyes are light in color, similar to those of the Nordic 
race, but more often grey than blue. 

We see therefore, that the Nordic and Phalic races are rather alike in all these 
characteristics. The only difference is that the Phalic race acts more forcibly, 
"dynamically" as Gunther once said. 

Similarly, differences in the soul qualities of the two races are not very great. The 
Phalic man is less emotional than the Nordic man is. He is said to be better 
suited for being the "driving force under the leadership of Nordic men" than for 
leadership himself. Great patience characterizes his pursuit of any aim. Never 
could he be as foolhardy, perhaps, as the Nordic man. He is governed by a 


14 



strong feeling of loyalty toward other men. He is more good natured and more 
cordial than the Nordic man. 

The Nordic and the Phalic man seem, therefore, to be more nearly related to 
each other than to any other race. 

3. THE WESTERN RACE 

This race is scarcely represented in Germany in the pure form. We encounter it 
in mixtures in the Rhineland. It is to be found today in England, France, and on 
the half-islanded Pyrenees, therefore in the West of Europe. Outlying remnants 
are also encountered in the Balkans. The physical proportions are similar to the 
Nordic race. The Western man, therefore, is not thick set but slender. He is not 
tall and slender, however, but neat and slender. The Western race is the smallest 
in Europe. The Western man is, on the average, 1.61 meters tall. 


Chart 4.—Western Skull 

Breadth of shoulders and smallness of hips are not so marked as in the case of 
the Nordic man. Sexual maturity comes earlier. For that reason old age sets in 
earlier too. 

The skull is long and small faced. It is similar, therefore, to the skull of the Nordic 
race. It is not, however, angular. The chin is not so pronounced. The head is 
smaller in comparison to the size of the body than is that of the Nordic race. The 
nose is not proportionately so high. The skin is not light, but tinted. It is uniformly 
brown. The hair is like that of the Nordic, fine and smooth, and also curly. It is 
oily. The color varies from dark brown to black. The eyes likewise vary from 
brown to dark brown. 

Compared to the Nordic race there are great differences in soul qualities. The 
men of the Western race are much more ready to talk, lively, even loquacious. In 
comparison to the Nordic and Phalic men, they have much less patience or 
steadiness. They act more by feeling than by reason. The difficult and 
burdensome are repugnant to the man of the Western race. He is excitable, even 
passionate. The Western race with all its mental agility lacks creative power. The 




15 



race has produced only a few outstanding men. All in all the contrasts between 
the Nordic and the Phalic races and the Western race appear to be very great, 
but chiefly in the realm of mind and soul. 

4. THE DINARIC RACE 

This race has few similarities to the Nordic as far as bodily structure is 
concerned. In Germany, we find these people in the south and south-west as 
well as in central Germany. In Europe outside of the Reich we encounter them in 
England, in the eastern Alpine lands (they are named after the Dinaric Alps) and 
in the Balkans as far as the Ukraine. 

The size of body approximates that of the Nordic race. The Dinaric man is, on the 
average, 1.74 meters tall. He is tall and slender. The skull is both small faced and 
short headed. The back of the head scarcely rises above the neck. The nose is 
very high and large. It is often very sharply indented. The skin is brownish. 



Chart 5.—Dinaric Skull 


The texture of the hair is fine, curly. In contrast to the other races bodily hair is 
also well developed. Its coloring is brownish-black to black. The eyes are dark- 
brown to very dark. As far as mind and soul are concerned, the Dinaric man has 
some outstanding attributes. Like the Nordic, he is very proud and unceasingly 
brave. He is a good warrior. His love for homeland is great. He is equipped with 
more creative ability than the neighboring Eastern man is. In contrast to the 
Nordic, the Dinaric is much more subject to his moods. He is noisier by nature, 
more loquacious. Great thought processes and investigations are not in him. He 
does have however, a great gift for music. 


We have yet to consider two races that seem somewhat closely related to each 
other. One is: 


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5. THE EASTERN RACE 


We find them in the south and southwest of Germany. In the west, they spread 
out towards Holland and into central France. To the south, we can trace them 
even into the Alpine lands and central Italy. 

As far as physical size is concerned, the Eastern man is also not as large as the 
Nordic man is. The man has an average height of 1.63 meters. Although he is, 
therefore, almost as tall as the members of the Western race, yet in physical 
makeup he is, as to them and as to the Nordic race, the exact opposite. He is 
thickset, compact, and clumsy. His shape is broad based. He reaches sexual 
maturity early, but also grows old very early. The breadth of shoulders and 
smallness of hips, characteristic of the Nordic man, are, in his case, not 
pronounced. The legs are, in proportion to the length of the body, rather short. In 
contrast to the Nordic and Western man, as well as the east Baltic man, he is 
rather heavy. 

His skull is short, wide-faced, round. It has scarcely any very pronounced lines. 
The skull width and length relate as 9 to 10. The ratio is quite unlike that in the 
case of the skull of the Nordic man (3 to 4). The nose is sunk low, less sharply 
drawn. The skin is yellow-brown to yellowish. It is not as delicate as that of the 
Nordic race. 



The hair is thicker and tighter. It is stiff. In color, it varies from dark brown to 
black. The eyes are brown. In spiritual attitude, great differences exist between 
the Eastern and the Nordic men. The former are, to be sure, courageous, but not 
rash and bold. They are unwarlike. They incline to craftiness. They lack the spirit 
of rulers. For this reason, they are compliant and submissive subjects. The 
Eastern race is always the led, never the leader. Its capacity for holding together 
large communities seldom stands out. 


17 



6. THE EAST BALTIC RACE 


It surpasses the Eastern race in bodily size but slightly. The East Baltic man is, 
on the average 1.64 meters tall. The growth is similar to that of the Eastern race. 
The East Baltic man is merely more energetic. He is, to be sure, short and large 
boned. He is broad based. The man has great breadth of shoulders. In fullness of 
body, he is quite like the Eastern man. Although he seems to mature rather late; 
in spite of that, he begins to age early. 

The skull is like that of the Easterner, short, wide-faced. It is, however, more 
angular and bonier. Remarkable is the size of the brain. The nose is sunk low, 
rather broad. The skin is light, gray-yellow. The hair is thick and coarse, stiff. Its 
color is ash-blond, but can have a gray undertone. 




Chart 7.—East Baltic Skull 

In youth, the color of the hair can be very like that of the Nordic race. The eyes 
are gray, blue-gray to water blue. Little is yet known about the soul qualities of 
East Baltic men. They are no leaders by nature, but need leadership. They, in 
contrast to the Nordic man, are without a real power of decision in conflicts of 
conscience. Therefore, they are always cautious, never resolute. Their power of 
imagination is roving, unsteady. Creatively, they are best in the field of music. 


* 


* 


In the description of all races, we have continually drawn a comparison with the 
Nordic race, both as to bodily characteristics as well as to soul and mind. We do 
that for a definite reason. It is not because we wish to have merely some point of 
comparison. We draw this very comparison repeatedly because the Nordic is the 
race most strongly represented in Germany. Gunther in his study of German 
races attempts to estimate the proportion of the different races in the composition 
of our people. He arrives at the result shown in chart 8. 


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Nordic race. 

Eastern race.... 

Dinaric race. 

East Baltic race 

Phalic race. 

Western race... 


about 50 percent 
about 20 percent 
about 15 percent 
about 8 percent 
about 5 percent 
about 2 percent 


The principal ingredient of our people is, therefore, the Nordic race. That is not to 
say that half of our people are pure Nordics. 



Fautch 5°/o Weftlfdi £°/ 0 

Chart 8—Racial Composition of the German People 

All of the aforementioned races, in fact, appear in mixtures in all parts of our 
fatherland. The circumstance, however, that the great part of our people is of 
Nordic descent justifies us in taking a Nordic standpoint when evaluating 
character and spirit, bodily structure and physical beauty. It also gives us the 
right to shape our legislation and to fashion our state according to the outlook on 
the life of the Nordic man. 


19 









20 



Ill 


RACE FORMATION: HEREDITY AND 
ENVIRONMENT 


After we have become acquainted with the German races, we ask ourselves, 
now what really constitutes a race? How does nature produce such races? 

We called human races "groups of individuals with the same heredity who 
continually produce their kind. One could also say the reverse, that living beings 
without the same heredity are recognizable by the fact that their descendants are 
unlike the parents. On what basis do all these well known facts rest, and what 
pertinent laws govern here? 

On this question, the study of heredity or (as the scientists say) genetics gives us 
information. The foundation of the study of heredity are the laws which Johann 
Mendel (1822-1884) established after experiments with species of sweet peas, 
beans, and hawkweed. Mendel was born in a village in Austrian-Silesia, the son 
of a small farmer. Because of his exceptional mental gifts, his parents sent him to 
the Gymnasium. He was unable, afterwards, to attend a university because he 
lacked money to do so. He entered, on that account, an Augustinian cloister. 
There he received the name Gregor, by which he is known in the scientific field. 
From here, he was sent to the University of Vienna. He studied natural science. 
Then he became a teacher, later the abbot of a cloister. As a teacher, he had 
opportunity for carrying on his well-known experiments in crossbreeding. The 
principle results were published in the years 1865 and 1869. 

By a few examples, we will explain what the Mendelian laws really say. Suppose 
we cross two species of the Marvel of Peru with one another. Assume one has 
red blossoms, the other white blossoms. 


F« 

Chart g.—Crossing a Red and White Species of the Marvel of 
Peru. In the First Succeeding Generation all Offspring are 
Uniformly Rose-Colored 



21 



They are different, therefore, in one respect; the color of the blossoms. The result 
of crossing is presented in chart 9. All the offspring are rose colored. They 
occupy a middle position between both sides of the parent generation. 

A short explanation should be given here regarding the designations used for 
each succeeding generation. In crossbreeding experiments, the parent 
generation is designated by the letter P. That is an abbreviation for the Latin 
word parentes= parents. For the succeeding generations the letter F is used. 

That is an abbreviation for the Latin word filius= son or filia= daughter. The first 
succeeding generation is labeled FI, the second F2, and so forth. These 
designations are generally in use throughout the whole world. 



Chart 10.—In tile Second Succeeding Generation Offspring Split 
Up into Red, -Rose, and White-Colored Flowers in the Propor¬ 
tion 1:2:1 Respectively 


From the experiment described above, we have become acquainted with the first 
Mendelian law: 

The law of uniformity states: The members of the first succeeding generation 
(FI) of two species differing in a single characteristic are all alike. We will now, 
as presented in chart 10, again cross any two of these hybrids (bastards). Now 
an entirely different picture presents itself. In the second succeeding generation 
(F2), we have a fourth of all the plants with red blossoms, one-half with rose- 
cored blossoms, and another fourth with white blossoms. 

This proportion naturally holds only when we are able to produce a sufficiently 
large number of offspring. We now have before us the second Mendelian law: the 
law of segregation, it states: The second succeeding generation (F2) of two 
species differing in only one respect is not uniform as in the case of the first 
succeeding generation, but segregates itself into different forms according to a 
definite numerical proportion. 


22 




Chart 11.— Red and White Plants Continue to Have Pure Red 
and White Offspring from the Third Generation on. The Rose- 
Colored Hybrids Continue to Split Up According to the Law 

of Segregation 

The opposing characteristics of the parent generation (P) invariably reappear, 
each of them in a fourth of the offspring (F2), while the remaining halves of the 
offspring (F2) are like the first succeeding generation (FI). If we cross these 
different types, again we obtain the result presented in chart 11. 

The crossing of the red blossoming plants with one another produces only red 
blossoming offspring. Likewise, we get from white blossoming plants only white 
blossoming offspring. The red and white blossoming offspring of the bastards 
are, therefore, a pure species again because they continue to produce their kind. 
The rose blossoming offspring, on the contrary, continue to split into one fourth 
red, one half rose, and one fourth white. They behave exactly like the first 
succeeding generation and therefore are bastards also. 

Both of these laws hold well not only for plants, but also for animals and human 
beings. Let us take as an example the crossing of two definite species of hens. 
The one parent is dark feathered, the other light. As we must expect according to 
both Mendelian laws thus far mentioned, the first succeeding generation (FI) is 
uniform in coloring, in this case gray. The offspring of these bastards split into 
dark, gray, and light hens. The proportion is, as to be expected, 1:2:1. The dark 
and the light hens continue to breed true. The gray hens, crossed with their own 
kind, always split up thereafter. 

It is not always the case, however, that the first succeeding generation, with 
respect to its characteristics, stands between the two parents. Suppose we cross 
a black haired and a brown haired dog with one another (chart 12). We should 
now expect mixed colored offspring in the first subsequent generation (FI). That 


23 



is not the case, however. All the animals are black haired. The first Mendelian 
law has kept its validity, for the animals are all uniform. Only the one 
characteristic (blackness of hair) has been stronger, the other (brownness of 
hair) subordinate. 

r ril ta ^ 

/v y) 

rlrnTTr \r4 

Chart 12.— Crossing a Black and a Brown Dog. Black is Dom¬ 
inant, therefore in the Second Succeeding Generation y 4 are 

Black and \/ 4 Brown 

One calls the first characteristic determining or dominant (after the Latin word: 
dominari- to rule), the second subordinate or recessive (after the Latin word: 
recec/ere-to give way). According to what we have just learned, we could assume 
that in the second generation of children (F2) of the dark bastards only dark 
offspring would come into being. That, however, is not the case. We have up to 
three-fourths black haired dogs and up to a fourth again, brown haired animals. 

In fact, therefore, the second Mendelian law has also remained valid. The second 
generation undergoes a splitting up. A fourth is black haired, as was to be 
expected. Two-fourths should be mixed colored, but are also black haired 
because the blackness of hair is dominant. The remaining fourth is again brown 
haired as was to be expected. 

We have made a very important discovery here: the inherited characteristic can 
indeed be different from another. It need not always be apparent in externally 
visible characteristics, however. The hereditary picture is not always the same as 
the apparent picture. We have derived the two aforementioned Mendelian laws 
out of such plant and animal species as differ only in a single characteristic, that 
is to say, in the color of blossoms or color of feathers or color of hair. 

Now there are, however, very many characteristics in the case of animals and 
plants. Therefore, it seldom happens that only one characteristic distinguishes 
two species from one another. In most cases, there are two, three, or a great 
many such characteristics distinguishing two species from one another. 


24 



Moreover, crossing experiments can also be made now with living beings having 
many characteristics, such as turtles, cows, and so forth. Therefore, we have the 
third Mendelian law: the law of independence. 

It states that all characteristics are transmitted independently from one another, 
so that new characteristics can appear. The characteristics longhaired brown and 
shorthaired black need not always remain together, for instance, in such 
crossings. We can in crossing, obtain quite the reverse characteristics, as 
longhaired black or shorthaired brown. 

Here the following point must be made, derived mainly from the third Mendelian 
law. We know that characteristics are transmitted independently from one 
another. With men, the many characteristics of body, mind, and soul are 
therefore also transmitted independently of one another. With a pure Nordic man 
both the characteristics of body as well as those of mind and soul are kept pure. 
There are, however, many races in the German people, which have intermixed 
as we saw in the foregoing chapter. Now these races have transmitted 
characteristics of body, mind, and soul independently of one another. Therefore, 
a man who appears to be an Easterner externally need not necessarily possess 
the Eastern character, just as a Western man need not always possess a 
Western character. A Nordic nature can very well belong to a man, bodily of 
another race. We will appraise our comrades, in the last analysis according to 
their character and their performance. 

We see, therefore, what perplexing possibilities can arise if very many 
characteristics are present which can, in addition, be either predominant or 
recessive. For this reason, it is understandable why many do not and will not 
believe in the laws of heredity. We, however, shape the life of our people and our 
legislation according to the verdicts of the teachings of genetics. Out of the laws 
of heredity, we have learned something about the nature of races, and have 
become acquainted with the significance of crossing races. Now we turn to the 
question of the formation of races. 

As the description of human races has shown, some races are rather closely 
related to each other. Such relationships appear even more strongly among 
animal and plant species. One must, assume that these races possess common 
ancestry at some place back along the line. This would signify that in the course 
of time various new races were formed out of an older type. 

Formerly it was assumed that there were only as many species on the earth as 
God had created in the beginning. This belief was also the conviction of scientists 
for a long time. Yet one finds today petrifactions of living beings that died out 
centuries ago. At first, they were regarded as triflings of nature. Nevertheless, 
when people began to deal with them seriously they made an important 
discovery. It showed that these petrifactions form a series, which, from the oldest 
strata to the most recent, show an ever-closer approach to the living types of 


25 



today. The conclusion has been drawn that the types today have developed 
gradually out of the older forms. This assumption is in fact generally accepted 
today after experiments have demonstrated that race and consequently species 
transformation occur on the earth. The study, which has to do with this question, 
is called the study of evolution. Closely associated with it is the name of the 
Englishman Charles Darwin (1809-1882). 

Now what are the causes for species and race changes? Abstractly speaking, we 
could make two types of influences responsible for the creation of new races. 
These have to do with environmental influences or with changes of internal 
factors. We will see what there is to be said as to both possibilities. 



Chart 13.— Two Sister Hogs after being Reared for 199 Days. 
The Underfed Weighs 47 Pounds, the Wellfed Hog 340 Pounds 


That the environment exercises a certain influence on living beings is known. It 
influences bodily size, form, coloring, and so forth. It comprises variations in 
nurture, in temperature, changes in light intensity, and many others as well. Two 
sister pigs were nourished differently. One received too little to eat, the other was 
fattened. After 199 days, the badly nourished animal weighed only about one- 
seventh as much as the other as we can see form chart 13. In the case of two 
sister calves the weight of the underfed calf after two years was only about one- 
fourth that of the other. 

In ordinary temperature, the tail of the house mouse is on average 68 millimeters 
long, as with a lower temperature, only 60 millimeters. In the same way, changes 
in temperature produce changes in color. Similar experiments have also been 
made in botany. Thus, for example, many plants put out longer sprouts in 
darkness than in lighter surroundings. By changing the temperature, one can 
produce other colors of blossoms in the case of certain plants. There are two 
different colored species of primroses. The one blooms red, the other white. If 
before it blossoms out, a young plant of the red blossoming species is placed in a 
higher temperature (35 degrees as over against 15 degrees) under certain 


26 



conditions it blossoms out pure white. It corresponds exactly to the real white 
species. 

There are very many examples of such a transformation in the case of living 
beings as a result of external influences. We need only determine whether these 
transformations have significance for the formation of the races, that is to say, 
whether the new characteristics are inheritable. To that end, we must see what 
happens to the descendants of these transformed types. One can bring these 
badly and well-nourished animals, referred to above, together for propagation. It 
is always important, naturally, that these animals be of the same parentage; if 
possible, from the same litter. The result is that the offspring of the badly 
nourished animals are exactly the same as those of the well nourished, provided 
conditions remain constant. Now and then, someone believes he has discovered 
an exception. For the first offspring of the badly nourished animals were 
somewhat weaker than the others. However, this would not evidence the fact that 
a new species had not been produced as a result of environmental influences. If 
one's physique is weakened by bad nourishment then he will not always be able 
to provide his offspring with the necessary means of nourishment. In this case, 
therefore, a stunted form can arise which is like the parents. Such differences 
which have been produced by the environment, continue for many generations. 
The surroundings have not triumphed. The inheritance has been decisive. 

In the other examples, also, the animals regain their former colors, form, and size 
under the influence of a normal environment. 

The following objection has been made to this conclusion: one should allow the 
environmental influences to operate for a longer time, through many succeeding 
generations. Then the changes would become hereditary. Experiments have also 
been made along this line. The tails of mice have been cut off for 22 successive 
generations. They keep their tails. The tails were not lost nor did they become a 
bit shorter. 

Just such unsuccessful results followed experiments with plants. If, for example, 
one returns the white blossoming primrose, which really belongs to the red 
blossoming species, to its customary surroundings then this plant, which has 
been producing white blossoms, will again produce red ones. The offspring 
always have only been red blossoms. 

What we need to learn from these experiments is the following: In no instance up 
to this time have environmental influences brought about the formation of a new 
race. That is one more reason for our belief: A Jew both in Germany and in all 
other countries remains only a Jew. He can never change his race by centuries 
of residence with another people, as he often asserts, but just as often 
contradicts by his own actions. 


27 



Now, for the other possibility of race formation. We can assume that new races, 
and thereby the next higher grade, the species, are determined by internal 
influences, by transformations or mutations within the germ cell, in order to 
understand the whole thing we must first understand clearly how the biological 
inheritance is transmitted from parents to offspring. 

All living beings, plants, animals, men, consist of many little cells. Of special 
importance for heredity are the sex cells; that is to say the female egg and the 
male sperm. For out of their union comes a new living being. They must, 
therefore, transmit the biological inheritance. Every cell including the sex cells, 
consists of cellplasm and the nucleus lying therein. At definite times, little threads 
appear in the nucleus, which can be strongly colored with certain colors. Science, 
therefore, calls them chromosomes, which literally translated means carriers of 
color. These chromosomes are the carriers of biological inheritance, wherefore 
we prefer to call them heredity carriers. Every carrier contains a great many 
biological characteristics. After the union of egg and sperm, the hereditary 
carriers separate lengthwise. Half of the hereditary carriers from the egg cell 
unite with half of the hereditary carriers of the sperm cells to form the new cell out 
of which the new living being develops. In this way the biological inheritances 
from the father's and the mother's sides have been transmitted to the offspring. 

In reality, the matter is not as simple as this description would indicate. 
Nevertheless, the process of transmission in its main lines takes place in the 
manner described. 

Now under some circumstances these hereditary carriers can undergo changes. 
They can become interchanged. They can add or subtract from their length. 
Several clusters of hereditary carriers can remain in one cell. All these changes 
are enormously important. They actually bring about externally visible changes, 
which are inheritable, in that way new races can appear. These changes which 
are called mutations (after the Latin word: mutatio = change), are not always a 
good thing for living beings. They often lead to damaging transformations. Above 
all sexual power is often lost. Also, externally stunted forms are frequent. In this 
case, the process of selection sets in. Only that which is of value in the struggle 
for life remains permanent. 

We have seen therefore that the race is tied together biologically and to be sure 
by the hereditary carriers in the sex cells. New biological characteristics, and 
therewith new races, can arise only through material changes in these heredity 
carriers. The ordinary environmental influences cannot bring about such 
changes. Only internal changes produce inheritable changes. Inheritance is in 
the long run always victorious over environmental influences. 

All arguments and political demands, which are founded on the belief in the 
power of environment, are therefore false and weak. We have already said that 
many changes are damaging or unfavorable. We know of some of the cases in 
which injuries to the germ plasm have occurred. For example, injuries have come 


28 



about because of X-rays, the misuse of alcohol, sexual diseases. This knowledge 
comes to us from experiments, which have often meant the sacrifice of life itself. 

It is important for us to remove those injuries we know about from the heritage of 
our people. 


29 



30 



IV 


HEREDITY AND RACE FOSTERING 


From the teaching of genetics, we learn that the individual is inseparably bound 
to his ancestors by birth and heredity. In the same manner, however, he is also 
tied to his descendants. The individual is, so to say, only a connection link in the 
long chain of generations. If we wish to use an analogy, we can say: The 
individual may be compared to a wave in a great stream, which flows out of the 
remotest past into the remotest future. The farther we trace these streams of 
generations back into the past, the more they converge into one main stream, 
until finally we reach the common source. This analogy makes it clear to us that 
all families and branches of a people have a common origin. They all have a 
unified heritage, which is continued into the future by means of the heredity 
stream. 

The great heredity stream of a people can suffer many kinds of pollution and 
injury on its far journey. These can occur in two different ways. In the first place, 
injuries can arise because diseased elements, which are inheritable, enter the 
bloodstream of a people. These must not be transmitted further if a people are to 
remain strong and sound. To prevent the spread of such diseased elements and 
to foster a sound blood stream is the sense of our heredity festerings today. In 
the second place, the blood stream of a people can be defiled by being mixed 
with blood that is essentially and racially foreign to it. Our fostering of a race 
should prevent these pollutions. 

The fostering of heredity aims, therefore, to combat injuries, which appear within 
the heredity stream of the folk. We have learned already that numerous 
inheritable factors of a bodily, mental, and spiritual sort are transmitted from man 
to man. Besides natural, sound heredity factors there are also, unfortunately, 
many diseased kinds. Although inheritable diseases could be carefully 
investigated and studied only after the laws of heredity became known, many 
diseases, as far as their heredity courses are concerned, are already precisely 
known today. Some 400 of the 1000 mental diseases alone are definitely known 
to be inheritable. The inheritableness also extends, however, to the diseases of 
body and soul. 

The most serious of the inheritable diseases are: congenital weak mindedness, 
schizophrenia (mental lapses), lunacy (mental sickness), hereditary epilepsy, 
hereditary S. Vitus dance, hereditary blindness and deafness, and the serious 
Hereditary malformations of the body, to which, among others, belong congenital 
dislocation of the hip, clubfoot, harelip, wolfs mouth, diseases of the blood, and 
the like. 


31 



In addition, there are hereditary diseases, some of a less serious nature, a part 
causing internal, organic maladies. Of the large number of such diseases the 
following may be cited here: abnormal number and shortness of fingers, flat and 
weak feet, so-called birthmarks, near and far sightedness, squinting, cataract 
(clouding of the eyes' lenses) as well as the factors causing jaundice, obesity, 
cancer and tuberculosis. 

The word hereditary is expressly used with some of the diseases enumerated. It 
suggests that the presence of these same diseases could also be due to 
something besides inheritance, for that is actually the case whenever the 
maladies are acquired by contagion or accident. Then they depend on 
environmental influences and therefore could not be hereditary at all, as we 
know. 

On the other hand, it is to be observed, however, as far as hereditary diseases 
are concerned, that the external evidences of many of them can be removed by 
the skill of the physician, although they do not lose their hereditary character 
thereby. If therefore, maladies such as dislocations of the hips, harelip, and wolf's 
mouth, are remedied by surgical operations they nevertheless continue to appear 
in succeeding generations. While acquired maladies need not be obstacles to 
marriage it is strongly recommended that men afflicted with hereditary maladies, 
even though they can be remedied perhaps by medical skill, abstain from having 
children. 

At this point, we wish to add a word regarding inbreeding and the marriage of 
relatives. We know from the teachings of genetics that many hereditary 
characteristics have a "concealed" hereditary course. They are, therefore, in 
contrast to the dominant characteristics of the one parent, recessive. Now the 
recessive characteristic is retained in the blood of the generations that follow but 
is not apparent. Only when both parents possess such a recessive, inheritable 
characteristic does this particular hereditary characteristic reveal itself in the 
children. The greater part of the hereditary diseases have, in fact, this concealed 
process of transmission. The men who possess such a diseased, recessive 
characteristic in their heritage are sound of course, but carry the bearer of the 
disease within them. Only when they marry a partner with the same hereditary 
factor does the hereditary disease appear in the children. By reason of common 
descent the members of one family or clan have a common heredity. By 
spreading hereditary diseases, having a concealed hereditary course it can 
easily happen that such a disease belongs to the common heredity. In such a 
case, a marriage between relatives would certainly produce diseased children. 
For this reason, inbreeding and intermarrying are not advisable. 

Since diseases with concealed hereditary courses cannot be detected offhand in 
the case of individual men, there is only one possibility of making sure about 
them: through careful study of kindred and through family fostering. Besides 
hereditary diseases, there are germinal injuries, which likewise affect successive 


32 



generations. They can be called forth by misuse of alcohol and nicotine, by 
industrial poisons, radium and X-rays, and by sexual diseases. A large proportion 
of the idiots and epileptics, for example, owe their sad state to alcoholism and 
sexual diseases. Even criminal tendencies go back to hereditary diseases and 
germinal injuries. 

The more serious of the hereditary diseases, especially the mental diseases, 
make their carriers completely unsuited for living. They rob those so afflicted of 
the capacity to reason and the feeling of responsibility so that they become of 
little value to the community. The less worthy multiply without restraint and are 
continually spreading their hereditary sufferings abroad. We see that form the 
fact that in Germany the average number of children amounts to 

2.2 in the case of sound families 
3.5 in the case of weak minded families 
4.9 in the case of criminal families 

Thus, the number of the less worthy rose from 10 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1880 
to 40 in 1930. While the increase of the total population during this period ran 
about 50 percent, during the same period, the less worthy increased by about 
300 percent, that is to say about six times faster than the entire population. It is 
no wonder, therefore, that we in Germany today have to reckon with some 

1,000,000 feeble minded 
250,000 hereditary mental defectives 
90,000 epileptics and 
40,000 hereditary bodily defectives 

Most of these congenitally diseased and less worth persons are completely 
unsuited for living. They cannot take care for themselves and must be maintained 
and carted for in institutions. This costs the state enormous sums yearly. And in 
this connection some figures might well be given. The outlay for an inmate of an 
institution for hereditary disease is eight times as high as it is for a sound person. 
Just about as much money is needed for an idiotic child as for four or five sound 
children. The instruction of a pupil for eight years costs about 1,000 marks, the 
educational outlay for a deaf mute about 20,000 marks. Altogether, Germany 
pays every year about 1,200,000,000 marks to care for and support comrades 
afflicted with hereditary maladies. 

This enormous sum is lost as far as the fostering of the congenitally sound part of 
our people is concerned. How many sport places, baths, homesteads, 
kindergartens could have been built with this money, if people, during the past 
decades had not observed without doing anything about it the threat to our 
people by those less worthy. Whoever has once visited an institution for 
incurable diseases, feels a deep sense of guilt for these unfortunate creatures 
who were called into life in defiance of all true humanitarianism for the afflicted 


33 



and the strongest feeling of responsibility to our people as a whole the National 
Socialist government has taken legal steps to prevent a further, unrestricted 
spreading of the more serious hereditary diseases. The most important laws 
dealing with this problem of hereditary are: 

The law for preventing the increase of incurable diseases of 

July 14, 1933 

The law against dangerous and habitual criminals of 

November 24, 1933 

The law for preserving the hereditary soundness of the German 

people (Healthy marriage law) of October 26, 1935 

The law for preventing the increase of hereditary diseases prescribes the 
voluntary and also compulsory sterilization of those persons who, in 
consequence of serious hereditary diseases may, "as is with great probability to 
be expected, according to the experiences of the medical profession cause their 
descendants to suffer serious bodily and mental harm." The great feeling of 
responsibility of the legislator is shown in that the law's application is limited to 
the most serious hereditary diseases, and in the inclusion of safety measures to 
prevent any misuse of the law. 

The law against dangerous criminals provides for the castration of serious moral 
offenders in the interest of security and progress. It is to be regarded as a health 
measure, which aims to free the criminal from his perverted inclinations. In that 
way, many serious crimes will be prevented in the future. 

The sound marriage law forbids marriages in those cases where one of the 
parties has a dangerous contagious disease (sex disease, tuberculosis, and so 
forth), or suffers from a mental derangement, or is afflicted with a hereditary 
disease which suggests the advisability of sterilization. The hereditary health 
legislation of the Third Reich has been opposed in different quarters most 
vigorously. Some would deny the state the right to interfere with the personal 
freedom of a man in this manner. The reply to that is that, on the one hand, the 
law is restricted solely to the most serious cases, and on the other, that the 
surgical operations are not so dangerous that the persons concerned suffer any 
kind of damage whatever. The moral basis for these measures designed to wipe 
out hereditary defects and to prevent further mischief is really founded on a deep 
humanitarianism. For it is better and more humanitarian to prevent widespread 
misery, which those afflicted with hereditary diseases transmit to others, than to 
pity the unfortunates later and to burden the community with them. Moreover it is 
a natural right of the community to protect itself against the threat of the 
individual. Everywhere in nature, there are safety measures of this kind 
established in the interest of the superior whole. The existence of the individual is 
of no importance whatever in this connection. Have mind and understanding 
been given to man in order that he may disregard such natural laws? Or is it not 
rather the task of the human mind to perceive these natural laws and to make 
use of them in a manner worthy of a man? We believe the latter. 


34 



The hereditary welfare measures heretofore explained are for the purpose of 
preventing the further spread of existing hereditary defects and gradually doing 
away with them altogether. A completely effective welfare program of this kind is 
not sufficient however. The selection and fostering of the sound part of our 
people must go along with the wiping out of hereditary defects. Along this line, 
great efforts and accomplishments on the part of the National Socialist state are 
to be noted. The marked expansion of health activities, the fostering of bodily 
exercises, and well-planned homesteading activities show us how much 
emphasis is being laid upon the fostering of sound blood. The new social and 
economic regulations of the past few years also serve the high purpose of 
keeping our working population sound and happy. The Winter Help Work with its 
division "Mother and Child" the Labor Front with its bureaus "Beauty of Work" 
and "Strength through Joy" function in the same direction. In addition, numerous 
other examples could be given to show the effort being made to develop the 
sound part of our people. 

More important than all these measures, however, is the selective process, which 
today as formerly is being applied by the National Socialist movement. The 
appeal to the racial pride of our people, has led the best Germans into our 
movement as fighters and continues to be decisive for the recruiting of the future. 
Not money and possessions, nor name or parentage are the things most 
esteemed, but only attainment and readiness to take an active part. The latter 
qualities, however, are to be found in all ranks and classes of the people. A real 
socialistic process of selection leads those who have the requisite capacity, and 
are called for the purpose to the highest positions of the party and the state. 

The fighting period, by reason of its daily sacrifice of blood and goods, naturally 
brought with it the severest process of selection. Today the process of selection 
must take place along other lines. The numerous schools for leaders, especially 
the Ordensburgen and the Adolf Hitler schools, have taken over these tasks. 

Here character, willingness to serve the community, power of decision, and 
ability to do are tested as they once were during the fighting period. The 
fundamental principle of the socialistic process of selection likewise applies here. 
As stated in the announcements regarding the Adolf Hitler schools, "School 
training is gratuitous" and further "Every career within the party and the state 
stands open to the Adolf Hitler scholar after the successful completion of his 
course. By these measures, the German people will always be certain of having 
a suitable supply of leaders. A new nobility, the nobility of accomplishment and 
work, will guarantee the future of folk and Reich. 

Intermarrying with races of foreign blood is as dangerous for the continuance and 
existence of a people as inheritable internal defects. The German people have 
direct contact only with one type of foreign people: with the Jews. Therefore, for 
us, fostering race is the same thing as a defensive warfare against mind and 
blood contamination by the Jews. The extent to which Germans and Jews cross 
each other's paths scarcely needs to be presented today. The Jewish hegemony 


35 



in the cultural and intellectual life of the last few decades has brought the 
disrupting and disturbing character of this people to the attention of all Germans. 

The first opposition measures of the National Socialists must aim to remove the 
Jews from the cultural and economic life of our folk. Numerous laws have laid the 
basis for this. Not all these laws can be enumerated here. Only the most 
important will be noted: The "law for the restoration of the civil service" of April 7, 
1933 is the first to contain the Aryan clause and exclude the Jews from the 
German civil service. From here on, the cleansing process has quickly extended 
to all other spheres of life, to economic and cultural organizations, the 
professions, motion pictures, theatre, and press. Special mention should be 
made of the "law regarding the acquisition and loss of citizenship by 
naturalization" of July 14, 1933. It gives the Reich the possibility of declaring 
invalid "undesirable" naturalizations, which occurred during the period of the 
great immigration of eastern Jews between November 9, 1918 and January 20, 
1933. The inheritance law of September 29, 1933 excludes the Jews from 
German soil by stipulating, "a peasant can only be one who is of German blood." 
That the Military Defense law of May 21, 1935 and the Labor Service law of 
October 15, 1935 exclude the Jews from active service to the nation is self- 
evident. Finally, the Citizenship law of October 15, 1935 deprives the Jews of 
their citizenship. They are, to be sure, members of the German Reich, but not 
citizens. The Jews are by this law strictly separated from the German people as a 
distinct group. 

The number of Jews in the German Reich is generally given as 500,000. This 
figure includes, however, only Jews of the Mosaic faith. The Jew has always 
attempted to disguise himself by changing his name and faith so that the 
proportion of Jews is actually much higher. An official publication estimates that 
the number of real Jews, not of the Mosaic faith, is about 300,000 and that the 
hybrids number about 775,000. The number of those not having German blood in 
the German Reich would, according to this report, amount to almost 1,555,000. 
This figure reveals the extent of the Jewish invasion into our folk. At the same 
time the large number of hybrids is a sad indication of the absence of racial 
instincts in the past. Racial pride and a feeling of racial shame were first re¬ 
awakened by National Socialism. However, racial intermixings have also been 
forbidden legally. The "law for the protection of German blood and of German 
pride of October 15, 1935" imposes very severe punishments upon those of 
German blood who unite with foreign races, and states precisely what proportion 
of non-German blood causes a person to lose his status as a German. 

Anyone belonging to a non-German or related race is considered a member of a 
foreign race according to law and according to general usage. For this reason, 
the racial outlook on life of National Socialism is frequently misunderstood. 

People insist on finding in this racial outlook on life haughtiness and intolerance. 
To do so is fundamentally false, however. We reject the idea of race-mixing first, 
because the hybrid produced by the mixing is a sacrifice to such a disregard of 


36 



nature. For "during his life he is a split personality in his racial makeup. Without a 
home he stands between two peoples and does not know in his soul whether he 
belongs to the one or to the other." In short, he is an unfortunate, restless 
creature. In the second place, we believe that races receive their different 
natures in order to develop them and not to mix them. In this connection, we 
have already stated that we see in racial differences no real differences in 
quality, but rather differences in kind. Therefore, we will preserve the race of 
Germans in its true character and guard it against false mixing. 

The constructive tasks of race fostering now consist in injecting the racial 
character of our folk into all spheres of life. Culture and art can only be the real 
possession of the nation when these are the expression of our racial character. 
Moreover, the capacity of the German man to achieve economically is greatest 
when the economic form is racially adapted to men. The National Socialist 
movement has quickly gained the victory in this sphere too because its structure, 
internally and externally, corresponds to the heroic conception of life and the 
racial character of the German people. 


37 



38 



V 


POPULATION POLICY 


Wiping out of the less worthy and selection of the best, are the means for raising 
and maintaining the racial values of our people. Selection, however, is possible 
only when a sufficiently large number of persons are at hand. Therefore, it is the 
duty of the leaders of a people who are conscious of their responsibility to be 
concerned about having as large as a population as possible. This is the 
objective of our population policy. Fostering heredity and population policy 
obviously work hand in hand to produce a quantitative as well as qualitative 
increase in population. 

The state has not always valued a growing people. In centuries past, because of 
mass emigration, and because of the sale of soldiers to foreign rulers, the 
condition of our people had been weakened considerably. A people that feels 
strong and alive and knows that it is called upon to perform a task in the world 
must possess the determination to have a steady growth. For standing still is the 
beginning of retrogression. 

Growth, standing still, or retrogression of a people express themselves in the 
proportion of births to deaths. If the number of births exceeds the number of 
deaths, a real population growth occurs; if the reverse takes place, a people is 
threatened with death. 

The German people, at the moment, are no longer a growing folk. If its birthrate 
remains unchanged, it is threatened with slow extinction. This seems at first to be 
contradicted by the fact that the population of the German Reich has risen from 
62.6 million in 1925 to 65.3 million in 1933. Before we draw snap conclusions 
from this, we need to deal somewhat more thoroughly with the state of our 
population policy. If we exclude from the great stream of generations the one 
now living, we could compare the momentary condition of a people to a sea. The 
sea is fed by a stream, which adds fresh water continually. Moreover, it has an 
outlet through which the water flows out again. In our picture births, the stream 
which continually adds new, fresh blood: deaths are the outflow which carries 
away blood that has been used up and aged. If more water flows into the sea 
than flows out the level of the water rises, the sea grows. The same result may 
be obtained, however, by damming up the outflow. For a time the level of the 
water rises until finally, the weight of the dammed up water breaks the dam, and 
the level of the water recedes again to the point where it is regulated by normal 
intake and outflow. The growth of the sea was therefore deceiving, no real 
natural growth. 

The same phenomena takes place in the life of a peoples. A "damming up" of 
devitalized blood can come about because a part of the people remains alive 


39 



longer. Nevertheless, the aged inevitably die too. Then a higher number of 
deaths balance the rise of the population again. The population increase of the 
German Reich during the past decade, as mentioned above, is no real growth. It 
is due to a damming up of old blood. This is proved by the death figures, which 
sank from 17.4 per thousand to 10.8. The consequence is an exceptional growth 
in the higher age brackets. As over against 1910, the 45-50 age category 
increased about 37 percent; the 55-60 age category about 38 percent; and the 
65 age category about 25 percent. 

The births on the contrary have greatly decreased. In 1901 with a population of 
57 million at that time, the number of children born amounted to 2,032,000. In 
1932, however, in spite of a population of 65 millions there were only 978,000 
children. That indicates that the number of births fell from 37.7 per thousand to 
15.1. 

The marked growth in the higher age brackets and the decrease in the birthrate 
at the same time have brought about very serious changes in the age structure of 
our people. In from one to two decades the higher age classes are more 
numerously represented than the younger. This has paved the way for the 
superannuation of our people. The social and economic consequences of this 
superannuation will place a burden upon coming generations. If a numerically 
weak body of individuals that are capable of working have to support a large 
number of people incapable of working, the social cost is greater than in the 
normal case. 

The terrifying decline in the birth rate is plainly evident especially in the large 
cities. Berlin, for example, had in 1933 only 45 births for every thousand women 
of childbearing age, whereas the average for the Reich was 99. 


40 



19 30 
1 + 000 000 



loao 

I So ooo 


Chari* 14.—'The Population of Berlin in 1930 and in 2080 if no 
Immigration from Outside Occurs lo Change the Present Rate 

of Population Increase 


If Berlin did not have any addition from the Reich then, after 150 years, only 
about 750,000 of its 4,000,000 inhabitants would remain (Chart 14). Similar 
conditions exist throughout the whole Reich. To keep our population figure as it is 
we need 3.4 births per family. The actual figure in 1933, however, was only 2.2. If 
this figure should not change our population would shrink to 47 millions by the 
need of this century and fifty years later to about 25 millions. Then the German 
people could no longer maintain their position in the world and would sink into 
insignificance. 

During the past few decades, those in responsible positions have shown little 
concern about the decline of the German population. In fact, people thought that 
the threatened extinction of our people in consequence of the lowering birth rate 
was an entirely natural process. Some were of the opinion that peoples like 
persons pass through periods of childhood, youth, and maturity only to grow old 
and finally die. This comparison of the life of a people to the life of a person is 
altogether false, however. For fundamentally different biological conditions apply 
in the two cases. Man receives at birth the requisite store of life energy for the life 
journey. He cannot replenish this, but must die after the store is exhausted. It is 
entirely different in the life of a people. A people can supplement and renew itself 
indefinitely by propagation through the family. Its living energy need not therefore 
expire, if its individual members do not wish to have that happen. There is no 
such thing as the inevitable decline of a people. 


41 



Occasionally one also finds the contrary opinion represented which assumes that 
a people can never die. This is just as false as the belief in the inevitable death of 
a people. It is true that, with the present distribution of the population, there no 
longer exists territory that is uninhabited because of the dying out of a people. 

For a territory with too small a population inevitably attracts persons from over- 
populated areas, in this way the population of a territory can be maintained. But a 
people with a low birth rate lose their original character by such an infiltration of 
foreigners until, in the end, they are completely overwhelmed by them. So it was 
in ancient Greece as in ancient Rome. The present population of Italy and 
Greece is different in character from that of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It 
has acquired its new appearance today through infiltration. The same process is 
repeating itself before our eyes in France. Here the declining birth rate has 
already continued for more than 100 years. Colored people stream into the 
southern part of France from the African colonies and have already given certain 
cities an African appearance. Already 15 per cent of the inhabitants of France 
today are of foreign blood. If this development continues, in a few decades 
France will no longer be the cultural nation of old. 

The German people would also be threatened by an infiltration of foreigners if, as 
a result of the declining birth rate, a checking of population growth should occur. 
The distribution of the population among the three great peoples of Europe 
shows plainly that our Slavic neighbors would impose their growing population 
forcibly upon the less populated regions. 

Make-up of the European Population 


Year Latins Germans Slavs 

1810.34 percent 31 percent 35 percent 

1910.24 percent 34 percent 42 percent 

1930.24 percent 30 percent 46 percent 

1960.22 percent 27 percent 51 percent 


The causes for declining births among Germans are twofold: internal, non¬ 
material; and external, material. The internal, non-material causes are traceable 
to the mental attitude of the past. This state of mind placed the individual at the 
center of its thinking and disassociated him from the community. It gave him the 
right to shape his life with absolute freedom, according to the dictates of 
"reason." With most men, however, reason does not go much beyond comfort. 
Now, according to the views of this period freedom and comfort would be greatly 
jeopardized by offspring. Therefore, people gave up the idea of having children 
or limited their number. This superficial and irresponsible attitude of mind was 
most pronounced in the larger cities where at first a two-child system came into 
fashion, and was finally transformed into a no child system. The automobile or a 
lap dog requiring little work took the place of a child. 


42 







That these non-material reasons were more important than economic causes is 
evident from the fact that the smallest number of children were to be found right 
in the well to do circles. Nevertheless, economic considerations also may have 
contributed their share to the decline of births. The opinion was still widespread 
that overpopulation increased unemployment and limited the well-being of the 
individual. The situation is exactly the reverse fundamentally, as a moment's 
reflection shows. A large number of children consume much more than a smaller 
number. It gives all callings more work and bread for that reason. The production 
of goods rises, and with it the well being also. To be sure, the economic benefit 
of a goodly supply of children works at first solely to the advantage of the entire 
community. The individual who did not regard himself as being responsible to the 
community, would not would not be influenced by such a consideration. 

Corresponding to the twofold character of the reasons for the decline of births 
there are also two ways of reawakening the joy that comes from births: education 
and economic measures. National Socialism has proceeded along both lines. Its 
outlook on life gives a man once again a feeling of responsibility toward the 
community and shows him that the highest purpose in life is service to the 
people. In converting the German people to this belief in the community, National 
Socialism also removes the spiritual causes for the decline of births. The high 
calling of motherhood has once again become the natural task and 
accomplishment of every sound woman. A large family of children is again a 
mark of distinction before the whole nation. The National League of Large 
Families functions expressly to protect and foster large families. 

Economic relief depends primarily upon the general improvement of economic 
conditions. Beyond that, additional help can be provided by lowering taxes, by 
supplementary assistance in caring for large families, and by marriage loans for 
those wishing to found new families. What sums are being devoted to this 
purpose can be seen in the case of marriage loans. From August 1933 to 
January 30, 1937, 700,000 marriage loans were granted, amounting to 420 
million marks. 

The measures of the National Socialist state have not been unfruitful. The 
number of marriages rose from 517,000 in 1932 to 639,000 in 1933; 739,000 in 
1934; and 651,000 in 1935. The number of births has risen correspondingly. The 
number of births in 1933 was 971,174; in 1934, the figure was 1,198,350; in 
1935, it was 1,261,273. That is an increase from 14.7 to 18.9 births per 
thousand. 

In spite of this gratifying increase in births the number needed for maintaining the 
present status of our people has not yet been reached. The measures relative to 
population policy must go on making all Germans aware of these facts. For all 
the efforts and anxieties for the future of the nation and state will be permanently 
successful only in case our people lives on forever, from century to century. 


43 



44 



VI 


MAN AND EARTH 


From all we have learned so far we can see that the fate of a people is 
determined primarily by its manpower. The biological forces are decisive for its 
maintenance. Many peoples who have done great things in the past have already 
disappeared from the face of the earth because they die out on account of a 
decline of births. A growing population alone guarantees the future life of a 
people and its lasting permanence. The racial structure of peoples, however, 
determines the form their community life takes. Art and science, economy and 
culture are developed by peoples according to their racial character. Even the 
kind of political leadership and the form of the state are conditioned by the 
character of the race. The historical accomplishments as well as the present life 
of a people are primarily determined by blood. 

On the other hand, territory is not without its influence on the life of a people. Its 
geographical situation in the world, whether on the ocean or other means of 
communication, its relation to the territory of neighboring peoples affect deeply 
the course of political events. Its soil provides nourishment and possibilities for 
work. Treasures of the soil, raw materials, and climatic conditions influence the 
cultural and economic life, fostering or hampering it. The life of the state develops 
out of harmony of man and land. For a state exists only where people and 
territory are forever bound together. During the course of history the people's 
consciousness of homeland arose, and conferred upon territory, in addition to 
positive, material values, spiritual and idealistic ones as well. 

Certain ideologies would attribute an excessive and exclusive significance to the 
influence of territory upon political events. That is just as erroneous, certainly, as 
it is to leave all territorial suppositions out of consideration. It still remains true 
that men make history. However, statesmen are comparable to artists. As the 
artist adapts the form and style of his artistic work to the peculiarities of the 
material used, so, also, do real statesmen, in the formation of their policies, 
proceed from things as they are, racially and territorially. Their greatness and 
their achievements depend upon their ability to recognize these gifts of nature 
rightly and to use them. 

Attachment to the soil is naturally not equally strong and deep in the case of all 
peoples. The German people have distinguished themselves from earliest times 
by reason of a special attachment to their territory. Only when racial 
contamination threatens to suffocate the living and unique forces of the German 
people, could those powers, which were striving to uproot the German people, 
gain ground. To this end, the spiritual values of the soil were the first to be 
disturbed. The love of homeland was destroyed and made ridiculous. A world 
citizenship with a "supernational" imprint was presented as the goal worthiest to 


45 



strive for. Then the agricultural basis of our economic life was also attacked. Idea 
foreign to our people spread among German economic leaders and took away 
from our productive working forces a consciousness of the national basis of their 
work. Because of this, the German people became more and more dependent 
economically upon foreign countries. We experienced the consequence of this in 
the World War. Because Germany was cut off from its foreign sources of food 
supplies by the blockade our people, unbeaten from the military point of view, 
they finally had to stack their weapons, and, in consequence of the lack of 
economic freedom, undergo the loss of political freedom too. Moreover, by 
uprooting the German economy the way was paved for unrestricted financial 
domination by the international Jews. The once flourishing, firmly established 
German economy was transformed into a heap of ruins. An enormous army of 
unemployed was the outward indication of the unceasing decline. 

National Socialism has now reestablished the natural order of things in the 
economic sphere. It has restored the creative forces of our people and made the 
resources and products of our own territory the basis of the German economy. 
Even today, after only a few years, the success of this new economic way of 
thinking is evident. The army of unemployed, numbering millions has 
disappeared. The German economy has experienced a new upward swing. 

The ever-changing relations between man and earth. 

People and territory are revealed externally in a far-reaching transformation of 
the original character of the land. In century-long, trying struggles, steppes, 
forests, swamps and heaths, which at one time covered the whole of Germany, 
have been remade into the present areas of cultivation. With the development of 
cultural and economic life there arose successively, the farm, city, and industrial 
districts. These areas, in layout and partitioning, are closely related to the 
attitudes of life of our people. The German territory has received, thereby, a 
typical German imprint, which already distinguishes it from the territories of other 
peoples. 


46 



VII 


THE GERMAN TERRITORY 


By German territory, we mean every region of central Europe, which is inhabited 
by Germans, in more or less permanent settlements, and has received its cultural 
imprint form the German people. This territory includes the heart of Europe. It is 
surrounded by lands, which, in comparison to Germany, are European rim states, 
because they are surrounded on three sides either by water, or by uninhabited 
regions. 

The location of the German territory in the center of Europe has influenced 
tremendously the historical fate of our people. For all spiritual and political 
movements of Europe had to encounter one another on German soil. For many 
centuries, it was the center of conflict for spiritual movements from the east and 
west, north and south. Here the spirit of north and south struggled against each 
other during the Thirty Years' War. 



During our people had to struggle with the idea of western liberalism and eastern 
Bolshevism. Moreover, all kinds of warlike attacks threatening to destroy the very 
life and culture of the European continent had to be parried continually on 


47 



German soil. Thus, the Avars were overcome on the Danube in 735, the Magyars 
at Riade and Augsburg in 933 and 955, the Mongols at Liegnitz in 1241, and the 
Turks near Vienna in 1683. The German people have always been able to fulfill 
the all-European task assigned them by their central European location. 

Furthermore, the German territory by reason of its central location was exposed 
from the very beginning to the pressure of its neighbors. Since they were on the 
rim of Europe, as already explained, they were forced to direct all their efforts for 
expansion and growth against German territory (chart 15). The history of the 
German people is the story of innumerable wars in defense of its territory. 

On the other hand, the central position of the German territory also brought with it 
certain advantages. Because of contacts with almost all the peoples of Europe, 
large and small, it was possible to build up an active cultural and economic 
intercourse. Traces of Germany's philosophy and outlook on life have, as a 
result, spread far beyond the borders of our frontiers. Many lesser peoples have 
received their cultural and spiritual standards from the disinterested leadership of 
the German people. Today, even in cases where peoples consciously hold 
themselves aloof from Germans, the historical influence of the German people 
cannot be denied. 

The position of the German territory in the midst of 25 foreign peoples has, 
therefore, both its light and its dark sides. For a German people which is torn to 
pieces and a Reich that lacks unity such a position must necessarily always 
seem to be a curse. For a Reich, which is united, forcefully led, and strong, it 
signifies, on the contrary, a blessing. One consequence of its central European 
location is the threefold form, which the German territory takes today. In addition 
to the political area of the German Reich, there is a German population area and 
a cultural area. 

The German Reich, the political area of the German people, includes only a 
small part of the German territory. Since the downfall of the emperor's power, as 
it was during the Middle Ages, the political area of the Reich has become smaller 
and more circumscribed. Several German states have broken away from the 
Reich and parts of them have become completely estranged from the German 
people. Moreover, some parts of the Reich have been seized by foreign peoples 
(chart 16). 


48 



Territory oj the German Reich 
German population area 
Rejion o| German language and cultural injluence 

Chart 16— The Three-Cold Character of the German Territory 




The German population area extends "as far as the German tongue wags." It 
extends far beyond the political frontiers of our Reich and includes all German 
states as well as the compact German population areas, which are in the 
possession of non-German states. The present German population area has 
developed from small beginnings during the course of the centuries. In spite of all 
attempts by foreign peoples to win over the German population area, it has been 
able, with the exception of a few minor losses, to preserve its original boundaries. 
This is an indication of the strong vitality and unbending will of the German 
people. Millions of German comrades along the frontiers of the Reich are daily 
giving up goods and property, blood and life for the sake of the German 
population area. 

The German culture area extends even farther, beyond the German population 
area toward the east. It also includes lands of non-German peoples who, 


49 





however, have received their historical consciousness, their culture, and their 
national character from Germans. In this German culture area traces of German 
life are recognizable everywhere. German language, German art, and German 
law are present everywhere throughout the German culture area. Many large 
islands of Germans lie scattered about in it. They preserve intact, even today, the 
living bond between the German culture area and the Germans themselves. 


50 



VIII 


THE GERMAN POPULATION AREA 


The threefold character of the German territory is the consequence of our 
people's ever-changing past. If we wish to understand rightly the existing 
distribution of the German political, settlement, and cultural areas, we must go 
back to the very beginning of our history. 

Our earliest forefathers were Norsemen of the early stone age (2500-1800 B.C.). 
After the ice, which originally covered a large part of Europe, had worked its way 
back on to the mountains, the Norsemen descended into the western regions 
along the East Sea. For many thousands of years they dwelt in southern 
Sweden, in Denmark, and northern Germany. The Norsemen developed a high 
agrarian culture. They knew husbandry, cattle raising, and seafaring. They set up 
permanent monuments to their dead, which are known to us as the giant tombs 
of the Luneburg heath or the Oldenburg land. The Norsemen dwelt in high 
gabled, wooden houses, which are very similar to those of our farmers today. 

The household furnishings consisted of beds, cupboards, benches, and other 
articles. Beautifully formed vessels and tools carved out of wood were in use. 

The Norsemen made their clothing out of linen materials and twill. They knew 
how to tan the finest leather out of animal hides. Their artistic sense was highly 
developed. It showed itself very clearly in their beautiful stone weapons, the 
dagger and the battle ax. 

The Norsemen of the early Stone Age were energetic, well-developed men of the 
Nordic and Phalic races. They multiplied very rapidly so that a time finally came 
when their arable land was no longer sufficient for all. The youth, the pith of the 
folk, had to go forth in order to acquire new land. The Norsemen wandered away 
along many routes following every direction under the sun. They settled in 
neighboring and far distant regions inhabited by foreign races. In only a few 
cases was it possible for them to preserve their racial character. Frequently they 
mixed with the natives and formed new peoples such as the Celts, Illyrians, etc. 

In some cases, however, they acquired, almost unmixed, new territories and 
created there as Indoiranians, Greeks, and Romans the highly developed 
cultures of antiquity. The cultural values and racial traits of the Norsemen were 
spread throughout Europe in the course of these wanderings. The unity for 
former times is still evident today in the languages of most European peoples. 
Science has grouped these people together under the name of Indo-Germans 
(chart 17). 

The culture of Europe and particularly that of antiquity, as well as all that is today 
based thereon, does not come therefore out of the east. 


51 




Its origin lies in the north, to a considerable extent on German soil. At the 
conclusion of the Indo-Germanic wanderings of the Nordic and Phalic Norsemen 
of the early Stone Age united to form in their homeland a people unified internally 
and externally, the Germans. The Bronze Age (1800-800 B.C.) brought German 
culture to a flourishing state and also the first acquisitions of land by the 
Germans on the continent. 

The heritage of their forefathers was developed still further, and to an 
unprecedented degree by the Germans. Land cultivation, animal husbandry, and 
sea faring experienced a great upward swing. Objects of use, clothing, and 
weapons were refined. Weapons which are objects of wonder even today were 
create out of gold, amber and bronze, the first metal. Fighting and sports were 
encouraged on all sides. Music and art also flourished to a high degree. All in all 
the Bronze Age presented such a magnificent picture of the cultural development 
of the Germans that it gave rise to the expression "golden age of the Germans." 

Natural catastrophes, apparently spring floods along the coast of the North Sea, 
suddenly produced a great need for land among the Germans. The rapidly 
growing people were forced to decamp and take up new land. Constantly 
struggling with their neighbors, they spread out unceasingly. They pushed across 
the Weser and Oder. By the end of the Bronze Age, they had reached the lower 


52 




Rhine in the west, the mouth of the Vistula in the east, and the mountain ranges 
of central Germany in the south (chart 18). 

The Iron Age (800-50 B.C.) followed the golden age. It did not derive its name 
solely from the new material, iron, which now came into use. However, the name 
also signified that now a real iron age had emerged full of fighting and tussling for 
new land. 

Nevertheless, German culture showed further progress even during this hard 
time. The handicrafts and especially the art of forging blossomed forth, to which 
the new weapons, swords, daggers, and spears bear witness. 




2500 — 1800 B.C. 

1800 — 800 B.C. 

800—30 B.C. 


Early stone age 
Bronze age 
Iron age 


Chart i 8.—'I lie Germanic Territory 


The raising of horses and the building of wagons attained a high degree of 
perfection, thereby giving for the first time the possibility of great advances in 
farming. 


Once again, youth was forced to stride out new land. A climatic disturbance in 
the western part of the East Sea region reduced the productive capacity of the 


53 





















greatly overpopulated land. Food for man and beast no longer sufficed. In long 
trains, the heavy wagons of the peasants once rolled out of the homeland. In 
great battles and continual fighting the young peasants were obliged to force 
their way into new lands. This time they spread out over an enormous area. The 
greatest expansion took place toward the east. From the coast of the German 
East Sea, branches of Germans pressed across East Prussia, the interior of 
Poland, and southward along the rivers as far as the Black Sea. Their numbers 
were so weakened, however, in the course of numerous battles that they were 
unable to establish themselves in south Russia and were absorbed by foreign 
peoples. Groups of Germans from Denmark and south Sweden wandered into 
the region vacated along the East Sea. They spread or rather worked their way 
across the lower Rhine to South Holland and Belgium and pressed along the 
Rhine as far as the Rhine-Danube-Winkel. The Iron Age had, in this way, brought 
about a tremendous enlargement of the German territory. It was now bounded on 
the continent by the line Flanders, South Holland, the upper Rhine, Danube, 
Carpathians, Bug, and Memel. In consequence of this great expansion, the 
German people, up to this time unified and compact, assumed the form of 
numerous branches, which we classify as north Germans in Scandinavia, east 
Germans east of the Elbe, and west Germans to the west. 

The age of the Romans (50 B.C. - 375 A.D.) which succeeded the Iron Age is 
replete with countless struggles of Germans with the Roman Empire, which was 
powerful at that time. The splitting up of the German people into branches now 
proved to be especially disadvantageous. For all the successes of the Romans, 
even though they were only temporary, are traceable back to the disunited, 
defensive struggles of the Germanic branches. Nevertheless, the Romans were 
unable to conquer the core of the German territory, the Germany of today. In the 
great and decisive battle in the Teutoburg Forest (9 A.D.), the west Germans 
under the leadership of Armin were victorious over a powerful Roman army. This 
army was completely destroyed and Germany was preserved for all time from the 
fate of Romanization. The frontiers of the German territory in the west and 
southwest remained almost unchanged. In the east, however, a powerful 
expansion took place once more. East Germans, Goths, and Gepidae pushed 
out from the region between the Vistula and the Memel across Poland towards 
south Russia to the Black Sea and the lower Danube. Here they separated into 
eastern and western groups. The east Goths spread out from southern Russia to 
the east and north. They founded a powerful empire, which, under King 
Hermanarich, "united all the land between the Ural mountains, the East Sea, and 
the Black Sea." West Goths and Gepidae moved up the Danube and in a similar 
manner created a great empire between the Danube and the Carpathians, which 
was able to withstand the onslaughts of the Romans. The Marcomanni forced 
their way into the territory of the Sudetens and likewise established an empire, 
which gave the Romans a great deal of trouble. By the end of the Roman period, 
therefore, the Germans had taken possession of all the land between the Urals, 
the Black Sea, the Danube, and the Rhine. 


54 



The period of Germanic migrations (375 to 1000 A.D.) is the heroic age of the 
Germans. The invasion of Mongolian hordes from the far distant steppes of the 
east set the east Germans in movement. Giving way before this pressure, they 
abandoned their old homeland and turned westward. After tough assaults, they 
overflowed the boundary walls and streamed into the Roman Empire, which fell 
to pieces under this onslaught. Some of the Germanic branches succeeded in 
winning new land out of the territory of the old Roman Empire and in building up 
great kingdoms beneath the southern sun. The Vandals erected an empire in 
North Africa, the west Goths in Spain, the east Goths and Lombards in Italy, and 
the Burgundians on the soil of southern France. These kingdoms could not last 
long however, for the Germans constituted only a thin layer of leaders above the 
older peoples and were gradually extirpated in the course of constant strife 
(Chart 19). 

Once again, some centuries later another stream of Germanic peoples poured 
out over Europe. This time it was the north German branch, known as Normans, 
Vikings, and Varangians. The Normans, aboard bold dragonships, pushed as far 
as the Mediterranean and settled on its shores. They established states in 
southern Italy and in Antioch, as well as in northwestern France and southern 
England. While the Vikings and Normans wandered about over Western Europe, 
the Varangians pushed across the East Sea onto the continent, proceeded with 
their ships downstream to the Black Sea and even appeared before Byzantium, 
the capital of the eastern Roman Empire. 


55 




StlfM Region oj Germanic settlement from too A.D. to 1000 A.D. 

Chart ig.—The Germans Bring About the Unity oC Europe 


In that part of present day Russia, to which they gave their name, they 
established a powerful Varangian Empire. The Varangians, therefore, overran 
Europe form the east. 

The Germanic territory had, during the period of migrations, spread out over all 
Europe. The political significance of this lies, not only in the fact that for once the 
peoples of Europe were refreshed with Nordic-German blood and the common 
basis of western culture was strengthened, but also in the fact that through 
Germans Europe achieved unity for the first time. Whereas the Roman Empire 
had not pushed beyond the limits of the Rhine and Danube, and did not include 
all of central and eastern Europe from the Urals to Gibraltar, from the North Cape 
to Constantinople. Europe, as a cultural and spiritual unity, is therefore the work 
of the Germans. 

The west German branches had not participated in the great migrations. They 
remained in their old homesteads, spreading out westward, however, over the 
Ardennes and the Vosges. One of the west German branches, the French, 
founded an empire in western and central Europe, which, after long continued 


56 






struggles, also included the remaining Germanic branches on the continent. 
About the year 900, this empire emerged the German Reich. Its eastern 
boundaries coincided with the frontiers of the territory thickly populated by 
Germans and extended along the line of the Elbe—Saale—Bohemian Forest— 
Enns. Its western limits, after fluctuating back and forth, finally followed the line 
separating Germans and Romans. Small territories belonging to the Romans 
were added to the Reich, while the northwest tip of the Germanic region 
remained with France. 

During the succeeding centuries, the branches of Eastern Empire—Frisians, 
Saxons, Frankonians, Thuringians, Swabians and Bavarians—merged to form 
the German people, a people that blossomed forth mightily and governed the 
course of history throughout the Middle Ages. The greatest accomplishment of 
the German people, was the winning back, during the middle ages, of the eastern 
territory between the Elbe and the Vistula. 

After the migration of the east Germans, Slavic tribes pushed their way into this 
territory. They shared the land with the hardy remnants of Germanic settlers who 
had remained on the land. 

The colonization movement was first taken hold of by the Bavarians. In the 
course of tough struggles with mountains and forests, they spread out along the 
Danube to the southeast under the bold leadership of the Babenbergers. Slowly 
they forced their way high up into the valleys of the Alps and the Bohemian 
primeval forest. These regions were for the most part uninhabited so that here 
the acquisition of land could proceed peacefully. Moreover, in this way, the 
Germans won the central and eastern Alps, the Danube region as far as 
Pressburg, and the southern interior of the Bohemian basin. To be sure, the 
Bavarians in their thrust towards the south and southeast found exceptional 
support from the German Kaiser, since the territory acquired cleared the way to 
Italy. Thus, the oldest settlements of the Reich came into being, the Austrian, 
Styrian, Carinthian, and Krain districts. They have remained for all times the 
southeastern outposts of the Germans. After the dying out of the Babenbergers 
(in 1156), the new districts were separated from the Bavarian motherland as 
independent duchies. The propelling forces of the homeland were thereby cut off 
and the southeastern movement came to a standstill. 

In the northeast, along the Elbe and Saale, special districts were set up to protect 
the German frontiers and to give the Reich military security. Hermann Billung 
administered the northern district, Count Gero the central one, and feudal counts 
of the king administered the one in the south, the Sorbische mark. Since there 
was still enough land for pasturage and cultivation within the German Reich, 
these special districts remained purely military areas at first populated by Slavs. 
So long as the German Kaiser, who was of Saxon parentage, focused his 
attention primarily on the internal building up of the Reich and, therefore, on the 
security of the frontiers, peace and order reigned in these districts and the 


57 



neighboring territories of the Slavs. When, however, Emperor Otto II suffered a 
defeat in Italy and, in consequence of incessant fighting around Italy, the Reich 
became weak, the Slavic tribes revolted in the year 982 in order to shake off the 
hated German overlordship. The German towns and settlements along the 
frontiers of these districts were destroyed and all Germans massacred. Only with 
the greatest difficulty was it possible to bring the onslaught of the Slavs along the 
Elbe to a halt. 

After this crucial insurrection, the Elbe remained the frontier toward the east for 
almost 200 years. However, during this period the German population increased 
considerably. The German soil could no longer provide for this increase. In this 
emergency, the broad, thinly settled regions east of the Reich were remembered. 
The procession of the German peoples toward the east began. To be sure, the 
German Emperors fostered the new eastward movement only in exceptional 
cases. They had taken a fancy to the south and now pursued the unholy dream 
of Roman world domination. The Princes of the German frontier lands, on the 
contrary, realized the great possibilities, which the east offered them. They put 
themselves at the head of the movement and thereby assured the success of 
German colonization on that side of the Elbe. The protection of German Princes 
was even more necessary in as much as the Slavs interposed bitter opposition at 
first to the onward march of the Germans. The sword had to clear the way for 
settlers at first (Chart 20). 

Along the coast of the East Sea Henry the Lion, the Guelf Duke of Braunschweig, 
with the aid of his true friend, Adolf of Schauenburg, won the territories of 
Holstein, Lubeck, and Mecklenburg. For the first time the German Reich 
extended as far as the East Sea. 


58 




, Boundary about 900 


Chart 20.—Result of the Eastern Colonization work of the 
German People in the Middle Ages 

Trade with lands along the East Sea was developed. Henry the Lion devoted 
himself to this task with particular zeal. The founding of Liibeck, later head of the 
German Hansa, was one of the farseeing acts of this great colonizer. After the 
unfortunate rift between the Lion and Kaiser Frederick Barbarossa, the former's 
work was destroyed because of the southern policies of the Reich. Nevertheless, 
the regions had been so thickly settled with German peasants and urban 
dwellers already that, in spite of later seizures by the Danes, they henceforth 
retained their German character. 

At the same time, Albert the Bear, of the tribe of the Askanians, originating in the 
old frontier district of Geros, secured control over the lands along the Havel, 
Spree, and Priegnitz. By clever negotiations and sudden seizures, he gradually 
extended his territory to the limits of the district of Brandenburg. He was the first 
who could properly call himself Margrave of Brandenburg. His successors were 
inspired by the same spirit. They extended the Askanian lands across the Oder 
and so shaped the point of departure for the later state of Brandenburg. 


59 






South of the district Brandenburg, the Wettinian Princes strove to win land back 
again. They built up the old Sorben district and recovered the territory of the 
present state of Saxony for the Germans. Besides peasants, there are primarily 
miners and lumbermen here, people who settled the mountain ranges and the 
interior of the Bohemian foreland. 

About this time the Sudeten territory, in which the German Marcomanni had 
formerly resided, also seemed to defy complete Germanization. The Dukes of 
Przemysl, who were friendly to Germany, called German settlers onto the land 
in order to further its development. Likewise Ottokar II of Bohemia, a Czech King 
and whole-hearted German, continued the Germanization of the Bohemian 
region. However, when he, with shrewd, political insight, undertook to build a 
solid front from Bohemia toward the east he was driven out of his lands by the 
vile, power politics of the Hapsburgs. Once again a wave of Germans moved into 
the Bohemian lands when, during the middle of the 14 th century, Charles IV of 
the House of Luxemburg made the Bohemian lands the center of the German 
Reich. He died, however, before he could complete his work. His successors 
were incapable of carrying on the great work. The settlements of the Czechs had 
already been pushed back to little remnants of land. The Germanization of all 
Bohemia seemed to be assured. Then, just before the outbreak of the 
Reformation, the Hussite war flared up ad completely destroyed the whole of 
German life in Bohemia. Since that time, the Germans in this region have been 
forced into a defensive position. Although Bohemia belonged to the German 
Reich up to the World War, that is to say to Austria, it has never been possible to 
bring about complete Germanization. Therefore, a deep wedge has been driven 
between the northern and southern regions of the German population area 
hindering the development of a unified German front on the east. 

Whereas the land between the Elbe, Saale, and Oder, had been acquired by 
warfare, the winning of Silesia and Pomerania followed a more peaceful course. 
The Slavic Dukes of these countries called German peasants and settlers onto 
the land. The German settlers came at first from cities established by Germans. 
The penetration of lowlands proceeded slowly because of the ideological 
opposition of those living under Polish influence. In spite of that, however, by the 
13 th century both of these lands could be added to the German Reich, and 
attached to the German population area forever. 

With the incorporation of Pomerania and Silesia, the area about the Oder was 
completely Germanized. In the territory about the Vistula, on the contrary, the 
task of German colonization succeeded only I the northern parts. The opening up 
of the eastern territory for the Germans was accompanied by the conversion of 
the pagans residing there. The Poles settled along the Vistula, had already, after 
the first meeting with the Germans, laid aside their "paganism." As far as they 
were concerned, the need for conversion no longer existed. So long as these 
Polish regions were subject to the archbishopric of Magdeburg there existed no 
obstacle to colonization. For the first time, in the year 1,000, when the religious 


60 



enthusiast Kaiser Otto III founded the Polish archbishopric Gnesen the Poles 
received their own Polish national church. They also became independent 
politically and culturally thereby. Therefore, a second bulwark against the 
Germans came into being. Further penetration of the Germans on the north was 
checked. They were forced to follow the shores of the East Sea and leave behind 
them the national territory of the Poles as a standing threat on their flank. 

The recovery of the East Sea region lying east of the Vistula was the work of the 
German Order of Knights. Conrad Massovia, a Polish Duke, called upon the 
German Orders for protection against the pagan Prussians and Lithuanians. 
During the course of yearlong struggles, they took possession of the whole 
region from Danzig to Riga. Moorlands, islands, and numerous estuaries of the 
lower Vistula, and impenetrable wilderness opposed them. Nevertheless, after 50 
years of bloody fighting the Order overcame the opposition. The German Order 
of Knights that ruled over the region which is today East Prussia, drew German 
peasants and manual workers into the country, gave them land and soil and 
protected them from hostile attacks. About the year 1300, the power of the Order 
reached its high point. Many walled cities and numerous peasant settlements 
over the whole land were destroyed. Emigrants to this eastern land from all parts 
of the Reich built up new settlements everywhere. 

The colonization of the Baltic lands situated to the north of East Prussia, in which 
the Order of the Brothers of the Sword took part, was more difficult. Because of 
the long sea journey, a sufficient number of German peasants and manual 
workers could not be induced to go. Consequently, the Germans in these districts 
were confined principally to the cities, which were strengthened by Hansa 
merchants from Bremen, Lubeck, and Luneburg. 

In the course of time, since the Order of German Knights had been weakened by 
internal conflicts, Poles and Lithuanians united in mutual hatred for the struggle 
against the Germans. There resulted the terrible defeat at Tannenberg in 1410. 
The Order of the Brothers of the Sword was completely driven out of the Baltic 
provinces and only the land around Marienburg was left for the Knightly Order of 
the Cross. However, East Prussia was German and remained German, although 
for some decades it remained a Polish fief under the overlordship of the Polish 
crown. 

During the period of the decline of the German Orders the power of the German 
Kaiser had also sunk to a mere shadow of what it once way. The driving force of 
the German people was spent, and the march toward the east came to a halt. 
Much of that which the Germans had built up in the east by blood and toil was 
now exposed to the onrushing flood of Slavs. Only after Brandenburg-Prussia 
rose out of the ruins of the Thirty Years' War did a new power appear which 
devoted itself consciously and with determination to the eastern problem of the 
Germans. The Great Elector rescued East Prussia from the feudal domination of 
the Poles and attached it firmly to Brandenburg. The soldier king, Frederick the 


61 



Great, with the acquisition of Silesia, offered for the first time a strong united 
German front in the northeast. He was able also to win back the bridge to East 
Prussia. As a result of the first partition of Poland in 1772, he obtained West 
Prussia and by the third partition of Poland in 1793 Posen together with Thorn 
and Danzig fell into his hands. In that way the compact German population area 
was again united under German rule. 

For more than 500 years, therefore, Mecklenburg, Pomerania, East and West 
Prussia, Silesia and Sudeten Germany and German Austria were to be listed as 
part of the German population area. In the course of a truly historical 
accomplishment all branches of the German people won back these territories, 
which comprise almost one-half of the present German population area. This 
reconquering was primarily a colonization process and a cultivation of waste and 
unproductive districts by German peasants and townsmen who had been called 
upon to do this by Princes, Nobles, and Clergy. In no case were foreign peoples 
deprived of culture area. German work and German achievements alone 
transformed these districts into cultural areas. Out of this fact arises a justifiable 
claim on behalf of the German people for these regions. 


62 



IX 


THE GERMAN CULTURAL AREA 


The region influenced by German culture extends far beyond the boundaries of 
the German population area, far into the east of Europe. It comprises the 
territories of many non-Germans who, however, remained for centuries under 
overlordship of the Reich or belonged to that state of many peoples, Austria. 
These political ties no longer exist today. Nevertheless the influence of German 
culture is still plainly visible everywhere. The enduring traces of the influence of 
German culture are the islands of Germans scattered throughout the east of 
Europe. 

The regions where Germans have settled go back to the same colonization 
activity, which brought about for the Germans the recovery of the territory 
between the Elbe and the Vistula. Nevertheless, the new settlements for the 
most part lay so far beyond the gates of the Reich that they could not be 
attached to the German population area. 

The German colonists flowed into the lands of Eastern Europe in three great 
waves. These were the eastward migrations from the 11 th to the 14 th centuries 
inclusive, from the 17 th and 18 th centuries, and of the 19 th century. About four 
million Germans now live in the Germanic regions of Eastern Europe as 
successors to these colonists. During the course of centuries, some rather large 
groups of Germans abroad have developed a cultural life of their own and seem, 
just at present, to be transforming themselves into new branches of the German 
people. 

The first wave of eastern migrations occurred during the time of great German 
eastern colonization (11 th to 14 th centuries).The two occurrences are closely 
related to each other. They are distinguishable only because of the distance of 
the new settlements from the central core of the German territory. The settlement 
of Transylvania, the Zips, the Baltic, and the Gottsche go back to the time of the 
first eastward migration. The Zips lie in Czechoslovakia. About 42,000 Germans 
reside there, the so-called Zip Saxons. In the language island of Gottsche 
(Yugoslavia), there are 44 purely German localities with around 13,000 Germans. 
Of greater significance are the Germans of Transylvania and the Balkans, whose 
history, therefore, we shall consider more in detail. 

The Saxons of Transylvania constitute the oldest group of German nationals 
abroad. About 1150 the first German settlers heeded the call of the Hungarian 
King, who settled them as a frontier watch against the onrushing Turks. During 
the period of German Knightly Orders, Transylvanians (1225) once more 
received emigrants from the Reich, and after the Mongolian invasion (1241) a 
third stream of colonists came into the country. For centuries, the Saxons of 


63 



Transylvania have lived in political independence and created their own great 
principality. Since then they have developed a culture of their own on an agrarian 
basis and their own political consciousness. This has given them the strength to 
preserve their purity as a people through eight centuries, although their political 
fate has been ever changing. For in the year 1526 they fell under Turkish 
overlordship; about 1700 they came under Austrian rule; after 1867 Transylvania 
then merged with Hungary; and since 1919, they have belonged to Rumania. 

The Saxons of Transylvania number today some 230,000 Germans, who boldly 
maintain their own character as a people against every attack. 

The Baltic Germans in Esthonia, Lettland, and Lithuania are a century younger. 
Seven hundred years ago German merchants and manual workers with the 
Hansa; and German knights and peasants with the Order of the Brothers of the 
Sword, moved into the Baltic region. There they founded cities and towns and 
gave the land its cultural imprint. Up until the middle of the 15 th century, the Baltic 
countries, together with East Prussia, constituted a state of German Orders 
belonging to the Reich. With the decline of the Orders, the Reich lost the Baltic 
lands also. For several centuries, the fight for possession of them went on 
between Sweden, Poland, and Russia. These struggles almost brought about the 
end of the Germans. When, however, the three countries fell to Russia in 1793 a 
new age blossomed forth. German culture and a high degree of self-government 
made the Baltic provinces the most worthwhile part of the Czarist Empire. Yet the 
powerful process of Russianization soon set in, from which the Baltic Germans 
had to suffer until the World War. Then the Bolshevist revolution brought with it 
the greatest devastation. After the war, the independent Baltic States came into 
existence. Within their confines, the Baltic Germans attempt today with great 
expenditures of money and goods to maintain their German culture. At the 
present time, 150,000 Germans still live in the Baltic states. 

With the end of the eastward movement during the Middle Ages, the migration of 
German colonists toward eastern Europe finally ceased. Not until three centuries 
later, did a new wave of eastward migration set in. The devastations of the Thirty 
Years' War had increased the economic needs of the German people 
immeasurably. Over large parts of the Reich there was added the spiritual 
distress due to religious and political suppression and the narrow mindedness of 
little states. It is no wonder, therefore, that many Germans longed for better living 
opportunities. Therefore, when, in the 17 th and 18 th centuries, the rulers of 
Eastern Europe called for German colonists for the purpose of better settling their 
regions large bands of Germans heeded the call. They were settled in 
Carpathian-Russia, Kongress-Poland, Sathmar, the Bukowina, along the middle 
Danube and lower Volga. In Kongress-Poland 350,000 Germans live in a number 
of little villages as well as in small industrial cities centered about Lodz, which 
was founded by them. 

Carpathian-Russia or east Slovakia belongs to Czechoslovakia. 15,000 Germans 
are distributed about in the region, for the most part in small village settlements. 


64 




Chart 21— Scittercd Settlements of Germans in Eastern Europe 


The Bukowina, the "Buchenland," is a region belonging to the state of Rumania. 
70,000 Germans dwell here, principally miners and lumbermen. Not until later 
were peasant settlements added. Sathmar also belongs to Rumania. About 
50,000 "Sathmar Swabians" live here as a group of poor, small scale peasants in 
a foreign environment. The Danube-Swabians were settled along the middle 
Danube by the Austrian emperor. The regions here, wrested from the Turks— 
Batschka, the Banat and the Baranya (Swabian Turks)—had been almost 
completely depopulated and destroyed during the course of long periods of 
warfare and were now to be built up again by German settlers. After decades of 
hard work the Danube-Swabians transform=med these regions into productive, 
arable land, and, in consequence, expanded tremendously. In contrast to the 
Transylvanian Saxons, however, they did not have the right of self-government 
thereby lacking the strongest inducement for developing a culture of their own. 
For that reason, they were seriously threatened by the danger of Magyarization 
when they came under the control of Hungary after its awakening. Following the 
World War the Swabian region along the Danube was partitioned off to 
Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Hungary. Through contacts with German soldiers, 
they had again acquired their national self-consciousness and joined together in 
cultural associations. Today they are one of the most active of the German 


65 




groups abroad. Over one million Germans continue to live in the Swabian region 
of the three states mentioned along the Danube. 

The Germans along the Volga originated during the same period. The German 
born Czarina, Catharine, called peasants and manual workers to Russia and 
settled them along the lower Volga. In connection with this recruiting, cultural and 
military freedom had been promised the Germans for all time. Nevertheless, at 
the end of the 19 th century, military freedom was done away with and many 
Germans along the Volga migrated to North and South America. The Germans 
along the Volga, by persistent hard work, have made out of the unproductive 
steppes assigned to them "the corn crib of Russia." Up to the World War, they 
were the models for the peasantry throughout the entire Russian Empire. After 
the first establishment of the Bolshevist Soviet Republic, the Germans along the 
Volga were also awarded political self-determination. The "autonomous Socialist 
Soviet Republic of the Germans along the Volga" is about the size of Belgium 
and has 500,000 German inhabitants. Self-determination has been of little use to 
the Germans, however. Bolshevism has fought the well to do German peasants 
as Kulaks. Many were confined to forced labor and still others starved pitifully in 
the great famine crisis. The number of Germans living in the Volga republic today 
is not to be overlooked. 

Also during the 19 th century, numerous other groups of German nationals abroad 
sprang up in Eastern Europe, but only a small part of them came directly from the 
German homeland. The greater part came into being instead through 
resettlement within the older national groups. In Croatia-Slovenia (Yugoslavia), 
the Swabians along the Danube created daughter colonies in which 160,000 
Germans live today. In the Dobrutscha (Rumania), 15,000 Germans dwell in 
some 31 villages. They came from German settlements in southern Russia. The 
Germans in Wolhynia constitute the most significant group of nationals in this 
century. By hard work, these Germans have also developed flourishing colonies 
out of unproductive soil. Before the War, their cultural development was checked 
by the Russians. In the face of these measures directed against them, the 
Germans joined together in cultural associations. As the fruits of the work of their 
organizations began to ripen, the World War broke out. Wolhynia was a center of 
military activity and all the German colonists were dispatched to Siberia. After the 
conclusion of peace with Russia, those who had been banished were abler to 
wend their way back again. However, their territory had been partitioned off to 
Poland and Soviet Russia. Courageously they went to work again and in spite of 
the fact that many migrated to South America, about 320,000 Germans are today 
still settled in both Wolhyian regions. 

In the 19 th century, German settlers also came to Bessarabia, which fell to 
Rumania as a result of the War. Today 76,000 Germans live in 130 Bessarabian 
settlements. The colonization of Galicia (Poland) by Germans began after the 
conquest of this region by Austria (1772). It is estimated that the number of 
Germans in Galicia today is 60,000. The Germans in Bosnia (Yugoslavia) are still 


66 



more recent. They consist of both German nationals, and German colonists 
abroad and number about 23,000. 

Thus, the whole of the territory of Western Europe is overset with islands of 
Germans. They have exerted a strong cultural influence on their environment. 
"These islands are the radiating points for efforts to raise the level of soil 
cultivation, for better housing, for cultivating the handcrafts, and for developing 
the scientific spirit. German law sets the standard for the legal systems 
throughout central Europe. The municipal law of Magdeburg and the Saxon 
mirror, for example, apply even into the confines of Russia. In the language 
development of eastern peoples, German words are taken as the symbols for all 
designations of the higher cultural life. The German language, the language of 
the great powers in central Europe, is the language of trade and commerce as far 
as the territorial boundaries of the eastern Slavs. From the Ordenburg of Marius 
to the German settlements in the Crimea, even to the frontiers of European 
Turkey, that plainly visible local culture frontier which is identical with the eastern 
boundary of the cultural influence of the Germans." (K. Trampler.) 

German cultural areas in the broadest sense also comprise the compact German 
settlements overseas. They have come into being primarily through migrations, 
which began after the Thirty Years' War and reached their high point during the 
19 th century. During this period about 6 million Germans, whose descendants 
amount to from 10 to 12 million; have migrated to the United States of North 
America. Only a small number have remained German conscious, however. It is 
estimated that there are 3 million German-speaking persons in the U.S.A. today. 
After the War, they joined together and founded a flourishing press and 
associational life. 

Some 400,000 Germans live in Canada. As a consequence of their wide 
dispersion and their varied antecedents the Germans of Canada lack a closely 
knit cohesiveness. Larger and more compact German settlements exist in the 
states of South America, especially in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. They were 
likewise all established in the 19 th century. Here the Germans maintain many 
German schools, German newspapers, and cultural associations. Some 700,000 
Germans live in Brazil, 200,000 in Argentina, and 30,000 in Chile who confess to 
their German identity. Only small groups of Germans live in the remaining states 
of South America and they have settled principally in the cities. Their number 
may amount to about 25,000. 

There is also a large number of Germans in Australia. Since 1838, some 85,000 
Germans have migrated there. Perhaps 200,000 Australians are of German 
descent. The greater part is, to be sure, no longer folk conscious. After all 
perhaps 90,000 are still to be looked upon as having German sensibilities. There 
are also many thousands of Germans in Asia, Africa, and on the borders of the 
Orient. They do not settle to be sure in compact regions but form small groups in 
cities instead. 


67 



The German colonies likewise are to be looked upon as spheres of German 
cultural influence. They experienced their first development under German 
administration, were opened up and explored by Germans, and have thereby 
received a German imprint. 

The German Reich began to acquire colonies very late. There are two reasons 
for this. In the first place, the Spanish Hapsburgs sat on the throne of Germany at 
the time of great colonial expansion. They not only set for themselves the task of 
conquering a world empire "in which the Sun never set" but they also wished to 
establish Catholicism as the sole religion in this world empire. The task of 
acquiring the world empire itself was assigned to the Spanish motherland, while 
the Germans were supposed to fight to win Europe back to Catholicism. 
Therefore, the German Reich was entangled in bloody, religious wars, while 
Spain, Portugal, England, and France won for themselves an enormous colonial 
empire. As a result of this division of labor the German Reich got the raw end of 
the deal. Another reason is to be found in the fact that the German Reich first, 
during the second half of the last century, attained that cohesive unity which is 
necessary for a successful colonizing enterprise. All attempts, therefore, 
undertaken before this time were destined to fail. 

In the year 1528, the Wesler had acquired the land of Venezuela as a family fief 
from Emperor Charles V. They tried to build it up as a German colony. 
Nevertheless, this attempt had to be given up by 1555 after the German leader 
had been murdered. Later the Great Elector attempted once again to set foot in 
Africa. In 1683 he conquered the territory along the Gold Coast and in 1687 
along the Cape of Arguin. But the attempt to establish permanent colonies here 
did not succeed this time either. Although the natives remained true to 
Brandenburg, the African occupation had to be given up again in 1718. 

It was the united German Reich under its great Chancellor Bismarck, which 
finally succeeded in actually acquiring colonial possessions. Although the so- 
called representatives of the people at that time even opposed the possession of 
colonies, bearing in mind the colonial urge of our people. How greatly the 
German people longed for colonial activity is shown by the fact that all our 
colonies were originally private business undertakings of German trading 
companies. 

In this way the Bremen merchant, Adolf Luderitz, by treaty with the ruling house 
of the Hottentots acquired in 1883 the Bight of Angra, which is called Luderitz- 
Bight after him today. In the following year, he purchased additional stretches of 
land along the coast, about 150 kilometers in width, from the Orange River up as 
far as the Hottentot Bay. On April 24 th , 1884, Bismarck placed the territory under 
the protection of the German Reich. The first German colony was thereby 
established. Further treaties with the natives enlarged the colony to its present 
size. In January 1904 the Herero uprising broke out and in the fall of the same 
year, the Hottentots revolted. At the end of 1906, peace was re-established. 


68 



Following this satisfactory state of affairs, German South-West Africa quickly 
blossomed forth. Great irrigation projects, ranches, mines, and flourishing little 
towns spread out all over the land. Before the War 13,500 Germans lived in 
German South-West Africa, which is twice the size of the Reich. In July 1884 the 
well known German African explorer, Dr. Nightingale, was commissioned to raise 
the German flag in Togoland and the Cameroons. After considerable trouble with 
England, Bismarck forced the London Colonial Conference in august 1884 to 
recognize the three aforementioned African colonies. As a result of colonial 
negotiations with France the Cameroons were enlarged in 1911 to their present 
dimensions. 

German East Africa goes back to the pioneer work of Dr. Karl Peters, a true son 
of Lower Saxony. At 27 years of age, he went to East Africa and by treaties with 
the chief tribes acquired, in 1884, four large tracts of land. The German East 
African Company, which he founded, received an imperial letter of protection 
from Bismarck on February 27, 1885. Some years later there followed the final 
determination of the boundaries of German East Africa through the German- 
English agreement of April 1, 1890. All the land between the Indian Ocean and 
the three great internal seas of Africa, the Victoria, Tanganyika and the Niassa 
Sea, was recognized as a German protectorate. The former rulers of this land, 
the Arabs, staged a bloody uprising in 1888, which was put down by Hermann 
Wissmann. In 1905, an uprising of the Negroes in the hinterland of Kilwa broke 
out, which was quickly suppressed however. Climatic conditions in the German 
East Africa are favorable and permit Europeans to settle there. Soon large 
plantations sprang up from which coffee, hemp, cotton, oil seeds, and spices 
were harvested. Before the War 4,701 Germans lived in East Africa. 


69 




The German South Sea possessions were acquired during these same decades. 
Adolf von Hausemann had extensive interests in New Guinea and brought about 
the acquisition of this territory by the German Reich in 1884. The acquisition of 
Karolina, Mariana, Palau Island, and Samoa followed in 1899. 

The German colonies were built up by great sacrifices on the part of the Reich. 
After profiting from the first experiences, the colonies blossomed forth mightily 
and soon demonstrated that they were profitable. Their soil was not only 
moistened with the sweat of German planters and laborers, but also watered with 
the blood of German soldiers. In spite of that, the German people were denied 
the right to colonies at Versailles. The lie regarding colonies, which is refuted by 
the German successes and by the natives themselves, was intended merely to 
veil, and to excuse the robbery. German East Africa fell to England; German 
South- West Africa to the Union of South Africa. France received the Cameroons 
and Togoland was divided up between England and France. New Guinea was 
given to the Federation of Australia and the remaining South Sea possessions 
were assigned to France. To be sure, these countries received only the power of 
"Mandatories" over the colonies, so that legally the possibility exists of restoring 
them to the owner. The German Reich will at all events never cease to demand 
the restoration of its colonies. 


70 





X 


THE POLITICAL AREA OF THE GERMAN FOLK 


The boundaries of the German Reich, that is the political territory of our people, 
have experienced many changes since the beginning of German history. During 
periods when there was unity of political purpose, the frontiers of the state 
extended beyond the borders of the German population area. Periods of internal 
dissention and lack of unity, however, led to the involution of the state's territory 
behind the population area. 

After the close of the great eastern colonization movement the Rhine, Danube, 
and Vistula were the life arteries of the German Reich. All of the German 
population area lay within the boundaries of the German Reich. In the west not 
only the crests of mountains, but also the foothills of the mountains, important 
from the military point of view, were German. In the south, the passes of the 
eastern and western Alps lay within the German Reich. The remaining part of the 
eastern boundaries between Silesia and East Prussia was reduced to the 
shortest possible dimensions. In all directions, the boundaries of the state as well 
as the military line of defense were pushed far beyond the frontiers of our 
population area. 

A strong policy on the part of the German Reich needed to be striven for 
continually to hold to the last the life arteries and favorable defensive positions of 
the German Reich. After the downfall of the Hohenstaufen, however, the German 
Reich sank to a mere shadow of what it once was. The German Princes 
continued to make themselves independent and the little states gained the upper 
hand. There no longer existed any central power, which would have been strong 
enough to hold the frontiers against the onslaughts of neighboring peoples. 

These weaknesses of the German Reich were taken advantage of by its 
neighbors to give effect to their geographic and national aspirations. 
Consequently, during the succeeding centuries, almost all of them at one time or 
another established themselves on German soil. Swedes, Danes, the French, 
Italians, Poles, and Russians have tried repeatedly to win for themselves, land 
belonging to the German people. Thus, the land along the Vistula was occupied 
by the Poles for a time. In the north, the island of Rugen and a part of Upper 
Pomerania was still in the hands of the Sweden in 1815 and Schleswig-Holstein 
still in Danish possession in 1866. Likewise, for centuries, France stood on the 
German Upper Rhine. 

Nevertheless, it was possible to cancel all these losses again. Even before the 
World War merely on the western and southeastern frontiers had parts of the 
German population area been loosed from the Reich. A part of these had been 
seized by foreign states; a part had made themselves independent politically. 


71 



Especially great were the losses, which the German Reich suffered because 
large sections of the German population area were made independent. These 
losses were due primarily to the lack of unity within the Reich and to the anti- 
German policies of the Hapsburg Kaiser. Naturally, the great powers of Europe 
also contributed their part thereto. 

In 1315, the Austrian Hapsburgs wanted to annex to their dynastic holdings the 
land belonging to the Swiss Confederation. In the course of long struggles (1315 
to 1388), however, the Confederation was able to offer successful resistance and 
save itself from the Hapsburgs. At first, as a group of independent communes, it 
remained within the Reich directly subject to the old German Empire; in other 
respects, however, going its own way. After the Thirty Years' War (1648), at the 
instigation of France, Switzerland withdrew from the Reich Federation and 
became an independent state. Of the 24 Swiss cantons, 17 are German, 6 Latin, 
and one mixed. The Germans are the most significant, historically, and even 
today are the real supporters of the state. They profess German culture in its 
entirety. 

Political conditions at the mouth of the Rhine developed much as they did in the 
region around its source. As a defense against French attacks (1302), the cities 
of Flanders joined together and during the following centuries secured a 
considerable degree of self government within the framework of the Reich. 

During the period of the Reformation, they accepted the reformed teachings. 
Then, when the Netherlands fell to the House of Hapsburg, the latter attempted, 
with cruel force, to win the land back to Catholicism again. The Spanish 
Hapsburgs preferred to "rule over a graveyard rather than to endure apostasy 
from the Holy Mother, the Roman Church." The great was for the liberation of the 
Netherlands began (1586-1648). The German Reich offered no support to the 
oppressed brothers in their hard fight. When the seven northern provinces 
obtained their freedom, therefore, they broke away from the Reich and made 
themselves independent (1648). Since then the low Germans in Holland have 
taken on a cultural development of their own and have developed their own 
written language. 

After the separation of Holland, the southern provinces of the Netherlands 
reverted to the Hapsburgs. Although they belonged to Hapsburg-Austria until the 
time of Napoleon (1815), they, together with Luxemburg, joined the kingdom of 
Holland. However, fifteen years later they, together with the western part of 
Luxemburg, made themselves independent again and formed the new state of 
Belgium. Two thirds of the territory of Belgium is an old Germanic, German 
population area. In spite of that, the Latin Walloons rule the state even today. 

The Flemish section of the population has a hard time fighting for its rights. 

The part of Luxemburg not added to Belgium became a grand Duchy in 1830. 
The ruler was the King of Holland. Nevertheless, the little country remained in the 
Federation of the German Reich until 1867. Then France extended its hand to 


72 



Luxemburg. Prussia opposed the move. Then, through England's mediation, 
Luxemburg was declared "neutral." Until 1919, however, it remained in the 
customs' union with the German Reich. Then this tie was also dissolved. Since 
the 4 th century, the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg had belonged to the German 
language area. Its changeful history has brought it strongly under Romantic 
influence, so that today French has become the preferred language of the 
"educated," and the second official language. The prevailing speech of everyday 
life, however, is German. The German folk-consciousness of the people in 
Luxemburg is suppressed in favor of a specially derived type. 


73 




| Western boundary oj Germany until 1550 
)| Western boundary oj Germany until 1919 
\ Language boundary today 

Chart 23.—Terri lor ial Losses in the West 


Thus, four independent buffer states were created between France and the 
German Reich. The German Reich had to bear the cost of this development. 


74 




















For by far, the largest part of the territory of these states was torn away from the 
German population area. 

In the southeast of the Reich, two more countries were torn away from the Reich 
and set up as independent states during the last century. After the Thirty Years' 
War, Prussia grew ever stronger to a point where it was actually the dominant 
power in the German Reich. Austria, bearer of the old Imperial crown had, on the 
contrary, turned toward the southeast and conquered territories, large sections of 
which were populated by non-Germans. The task of governing an empire of 
many peoples soon laid claim to so much of Austria's strength that its Imperial 
German tasks fell into the background. Therefore, when after the collapse of the 
old Reich and the removal of the Napoleonic danger, Imperial thoughts revived in 
the German people, the question necessarily arose, who should take over the 
leadership of the new Reich. It came to a showdown in the war between Prussia 
and Austria (1866), out of which Prussia emerged as victor. The new German 
Reich was finally established under Prussian leadership in 1871. Austria 
withdrew from this Reich and turned over more emphatically toward the 
southeast. Once again, on the German population area a new state had broken 
away from the Reich. 

Along with Austria and almost unnoticed the principality of Lichtenstein also 
broke away from the German Reich. Its territory had been raised to that of a 
principality of the old German Reich in 1719. After the downfall of the old Reich 
(1806), it became a completely independent state. Nevertheless, in matters of 
economic and foreign policy, Lichtenstein leaned heavily on Austria. After the 
World War, it dissolved these ties and turned to Switzerland. Its independence 
unimpaired, it remains today a part of the Swiss sphere of economic influence. 

So far as the attachment of its population and its culture are concerned, it is pure 
German and, in contrast to Luxemburg, consciously fosters its German art. 

In addition to losses due to making territories belonging to the German people 
independent, the Germans have also suffered territorial losses by a process of 
denationalization of the German population area. The nationalistic struggle on 
the western frontiers was especially violent. About 1550, after France had 
attained political unity as a national state its "thrust to the Rhine" policy became 
evident. The attack on the German population area was first prepared by clever 
cultural propaganda. This cultural policy gradually succeeded in getting in under 
the frontier walls of the German people and shoving them bit by bit towards the 
east. This is shown by the names of old German cities such as Ryssel (Lille), 
Doornik (Tournay), Kamerich (Cambrai), Widen (Verdun), Tull (Toul) and Brienz 
(Besangon), which today have names and a character completely French and 
are surrounded by French nationals. The father of the French Rhine policy was 
the Roman Catholic Cardinal, Richelieu. His methods and aims still apply to the 
France of today. He recommended: "the building and opening of gates in order to 
make possible an entrance into the neighboring lands of the Germans. This must 
take place slowly and with great caution, meekly, attitudes carefully disguised." 


75 



The German cities and peasants as seldom offered the French opportunity to 
build gates on German soil as the German Princes, in contrast, did offer such 
opportunities. In spite of this, warlike measures had to support the cultural 
advance. The French King Louis XIV finally resorted openly to a policy of war 
robbery. Thus, Burgundy, Western Lorraine, and "French" Flanders were lost. 
From 1684, France stood implanted on the Upper Rhine. Not until 1870-71 could 
Alsace-Lorrain get back home in the Reich again for a period of 50 years and the 
state boundaries be shoved up again to the present population frontiers. 

In addition, on the southern borders the German population area had to register 
losses even before the World War. The striving of Italy for the passes over the 
Alps had since 1859, yielded territory settled by Germans on the Tessiner frontier 
and on the Rathorn. In 1866, Italy obtained Friaul, a territory with a predominantly 
German imprint. 

To the east and southeast, the national struggle experienced its first real revival 
only after the French Revolution. For that reason, it was then carried on all the 
more violently and recklessly. Although the frontiers of the Austrian dual¬ 
monarchy lay far beyond the boundaries of the population area, the southern 
Slavs, Hungarians, and Czechs succeeded in winning for themselves rather large 
sections of the German population area. Thus, the Germans in bohemia were 
continually being pushed back to the borderline. Carniola, a German territory for 
a thousand years, was completely Slavenized. On Prussian soil, too, the Poles 
succeeded in putting themselves in an ever-stronger position, and pushing the 
Germans further and further back. In this manner, preparations were made for 
dividing up the region, a plan which was carried out in the treaties of Versailles 
and Saint Germain. 

The peace dictate, which ended the World War, brought to fulfillment all the geo¬ 
political wishes of the enemy powers directed against the German population 
area. Germany was to be excluded forever from the ranks of the great nations. 
Merely a little "German reservation" was to be preserved for our people. If the 
results did not go quite as far as our opponents dreamed, that is really due to the 
lack of unity within their own ranks. Nevertheless, the most important wishes of 
our opponents were realized and large sections of the German population area 
were taken away from the German Reich and from the German remainder-state 
Austria, contrary to the announced right of self-determination of the peoples. The 
dictate of Versailles robbed the German Reich of the following territories: Alsace- 
Lorrain, a territory of 14,521 sq. km. with 1,634,260 Germans had to be ceded to 
France without a plebiscite. 

Eupen and Malmedy, a territory of 3993 sq. km. with 40,172 Germans was united 
with Denmark. On the occasion of the plebiscite, the election districts had been 
defined so unfavorably that parts of compact German settlements had to be 
given up. Memel, a region of 2657 sq km. with 71,781 Germans and a foreign 
group overwhelmingly German in a political sense was torn away from the 


76 



German Reich without any plebiscite. In 1923, it was placed under the authority 
of Lithuania with limited rights of self-government. 

The Vistula corridor, a territory of 23,000 sq. km. and 1,077,300 Germans and 
German-sympathizing Kaschubes was annexed to Poland without a plebiscite. 
The corridor consisted of a large part of the former province of West Prussia, the 
northern part of the province of Posen (Netzegau) and a part of East Prussia 
(Soldau). Five German villages along the Vistula located on the right bank of the 
river and remaining in German hands according to the treaty of Versailles were 
awarded to Poland by a diplomatic conference even after the successful election 
in East Prussia. In that way, East Prussia was completely excluded from access 
to the Vistula. 

Danzig, the old German Hanseatic city, with a surrounding territory of almost 
2,000 sq. km. was made a "free state." Danzig's freedom, however, was greatly 
restricted politically and economically in favor of Poland. The province of Posen 
(without Netzegau) a region of about 20,000 sq. km. likewise fell to Poland 
without a plebiscite. It was thickly settled with Poles, but if a referendum had 
taken place, apparently the southern part would have stayed with the German 
Reich. 



Chart 24.—Territorial Losses at Versailles and St. Germain 


Eastern Upper Silesia, a territory of 3270 sq. km. and 890,000 inhabitants, who 
are more than 60 percent German, was annexed to Poland contrary to the results 


77 





of the plebiscite, which took place on March 20, 1921. The little land of Hultschin, 
a region of 316 sq. km. and 48,466 inhabitants who are 90 percent German, was 
given over to Czechoslovakia without a plebiscite. Finally, the German Reich was 
deprived of the German colonies. Luxemburg was forced to withdraw from the 
German customs' union. By the treaty of Saint Germain, the following territories 
were taken away from the German territory of Austria: The Sudeten area, a 
territory of 26,600 sq. km. and 3, 071,304 Germans, was annexed to 
Czechoslovakia without a plebiscite. 

The land of Odenburg, a part of the territory of Burgenland allotted to Austria, 
was united with Hungary on the grounds of a plebiscite, which was improperly 
conducted. South Styria, a region of about 6,000 sq. km. with 75,000 Germans 
was given to Yugoslavia without a plebiscite. Parts of South Carinthia, 332 sq. 
km. in size, with about 10,000 Germans were awarded without a plebiscite to 
Yugoslavia (Miestal) and Italy (Kanaltal). Italy received German South Tyrol, a 
region of 7720 sq. km. and 232, 659 Germans, and 19,605 Ladinern who are 
Germans in a political sense, and this without a plebiscite. 

The "Anschluss" of Austria with Germany was also forbidden. The dictate treaty 
contained many other provisions, which curtailed the independence of the 
German Reich and Austria from a military and economic point of view. To explain 
them all is unnecessary, since, as far as Germany is concerned, they have now 
been done away with because of the Leader's forceful policies, so that a 
consideration of them is pointless. The political splitting up of the German 
population area reached its high point after the War. East Prussia is now 
separated from the remaining parts of the Reich by a wide corridor. Silesia and 
Austria are wedged in on three sides and parts of Poland and Czechoslovakia 
have been driven deep into the body of the German people. 

Since the War, Germans have been partitioned among 15 states; 14 lands 
wedge into the German population area; 25 neighboring peoples live in direct 
contact with the German people. The result is that German youth is being 
brought up according to 15 different ideologies, that the boundaries of numerous 
countries separate Germans from Germans. These facts make it a duty of the 
German people not to confine its thinking and dealing merely to the political area 
of Germany, but to learn to think in terms of their folk policy. 


78 



XI 


TERRITORY AND POPULATION 


On the historical and cultural attachment of Germans to earth and homeland 
rests the spiritual, idealistic value of the German soil for our people. In addition, 
there is the objective, material worth which the soil possesses in supplying food 
and supporting the economic life of our people. 

Before we consider the everlasting earthly foundations of our economic life, we 
must investigate the relation of territory and population, the relation of population 
density and population distribution, for they are of decisive significance for the 
social and economic life of the German people. The soil cannot feed an indefinite 
number of persons. It cannot provide an indefinite number of possibilities for 
work. There is a prescribed limit to such possibilities fixed by nature. As soon as 
this limit is reached, a people must win new territory, if it does not wish to lower 
its whole standard of living. 

The peoples of the earth are, from the point of view of the size of their territories, 
very unequally situated. Some rule over such large areas that they are unable, by 
themselves, to get the full benefit out of them. Others suffer from a lack of 
territory, and are forced to leave many talents unused because their limited 
territory deprives them of sufficient opportunities to live. 

Territory and population do not remain forever in the same lasting relationship. 
People are living beings; they wax and wane. Political areas change also; they 
are extended and contracted. It is clear from what has gone before that the 
political area of the German Reich has undergone continual changes during the 
course of history. Since the beginning of the 15 th century, it has steadily grown 
smaller in size. Attacks from without and dissension within have given it its 
present very small dimensions. The Reich of Bismarck's time, even, was about 
70,000 sq. km. greater in size than the Reich of 1919 was. The boundaries of the 
Reich, even after the Thirty Years' War, extended far beyond those of the second 
Reich, and the Reich of the Middle Ages was about six times as large as it is 
today. 

The development of the population on the contrary was exactly the reverse. At 
the time of Charlemagne, the Reich had 3 million inhabitants. At the time of 
Barbarossa, it had 8 million, at the time of the Reformation, about 16 million, 
about the year 1800, over 24 million, by the turn of the last century, almost 56 
million, and finally in the year 1911, over 67 million inhabitants. A progressive 
diminution in the political area of the Reich was accompanied by the pressure of 
an ever-increasing population. 


79 



The political area of the German Reich was further reduced in size and to a 
marked extent by the infamous dictate of Versailles. The increasing need for 
territory was, at the same time, actually strengthened by the return of German 
comrades from all over the world. After the World War, many thousands from 
other parts of the world were forced to return to the Reich. 

12,000 Germans from Lithuania and Estonia 
15,000 Germans from Memel 
40,000 Germans from Russia 
900,000 Germans from Posen—West Prussia 
100,000 Germans from Upper Silesia 
125,000 Germans from Alsace-Lorraine 
54,000 Germans from France 
2,000 Germans from Eupen-Malmedy 
3,000 Germans from Belgium 
2,000 Germans from North Schleswig 
13,000 Germans from German Colonies 


80 





The German Reich 
about i 4 oo 

VS71 



about ,1600 



1919 


Chart 25.—The Shrinking of the Reich 


Since the end of the World War, therefore, the need of our people for territory 
has increased to an extent, which is unendurable. The expression "folk without 
space," which was coined during the years following the War, is more applicable 
to Germans than to any other people in the world. That is shown by a 
comparison of the population density of the larger states of the earth. 

The population density is the number of inhabitants living on one square 
kilometer of definite territory. It is easily seen that this measure gives only a very 
incomplete picture of the true relation between territory and population. For no 


81 




















consideration whatever is given to such important factors as the productivity of 
the soil, the climate, and minerals. Moreover, the social and cultural needs of 
Germans are higher than those of many other peoples. In spite of all this, the 
figures for population density remain the only possible bases of comparison. 

The German Reich has a territory of 470,715 sq. km. and a population of 67.7 
millions (end of 1936). This gives an average population density of 144 persons 
per square kilometer. The territory of the Reich amounts to 3.0 percent of the 
earth's surface; the population, however, is 3.3 percent of the total population of 
the earth. That is to say, the population density of the German Reich is about ten 
times as great as that of the whole earth. The population density of Europe with 
50 persons per square kilometer is also about three times less than that of 
Germany. 

Among the European states, only Belgium (266), Holland (232), and Great Britain 
(190), have a greater population density than the German Reich, after which 
comes Italy (137), and Czechoslovakia (105). All other European states have 
less than 100 inhabitants per square kilometer. The three states, which are more 
thickly populated than Germany, possess enormous colonial empires. Italy, 
France, Spain, and Portugal also possess large colonial territories, which are 
many times larger in size than the motherland. For example, the colonial 
possessions of 

England are 150 times the size of the motherland 
Belgium are 80 times the size of the motherland 
Holland are 60 times the size of the motherland 
Portugal are 23 times the size of the motherland 
France are 22 times the size of the motherland 

The wealth of colonies in terms of raw materials and foodstuffs reduces the 
significance of population density in these lands. Such an adjustment of the 
situation is not possible for the German Reich since, among all the great 
European powers, it is the only one to be deprived of colonies. Its colonies, 
which, before the World War, were developed with great success and heavy 
outlays, were stolen by the dictate of Versailles, abetted by one of the greatest 
lies in this history of the world. 

If therefore, one wishes to obtain an absolutely true comparison between states it 
is necessary to take into consideration the colonial possessions of individual 
countries. This gives the following picture: 

The German Reich is the most thickly populated by far with 143.6 persons per 
square kilometer. 

Countries likewise having a population density above the world average, but far 
less than Germany, are Poland (82.7), Japan (62), China (46.2), Holland (33.3), 
and Spain (29.6). With respect to population density, Great Britain (15.3), Italy 
(15.2) and the United States of North America (14) correspond somewhat to the 


82 



average for the world, and far below the average are Belgium (8.5), Russia (7.8) 
and Portugal (6.9). 

The correct picture emerges only when both homelands and colonies are 
considered. Of all the states of the earth, the German Reich exhibits the greatest 
population density. It is forced to maintain the largest population on a fixed 
territory. France and Russia have at their disposal from fifteen to eighteen times 
the territory per inhabitant that Germany has; the British Empire, Italy, and the 
United States of North America more than ten times, and even Poland, which 
next to us shows the greatest population density, has more than twice the 
territory per inhabitant that Germany has. 

No matter how the comparison is made, a striking difference always results 
between the great lack of room for our people and the enormous territory at the 
disposal of the remaining world powers. Our claim for a corresponding share of 
earthly possessions, of raw materials, and foodstuffs is based on the past and 
present achievements of our people in all spheres of life. Only blind hate or lack 
of political wisdom can deny this inalienable claim. For this reason, the solution of 
the colonial question is and remains the basic condition for an enduring world 
peace and for a happy working together of all peoples. 


83 





under 25 inhabitants 
per SQuare kilometer 

50—75 


\lift 1 100- 125 



Ml 25 - 50 



BS 125-150 



200 and more 


Chart 26.—Population Density of European Countries about 1930 


The strong overpopulation of the German Reich compelled the prewar ear to 
search for a way out of the need for territory. Since it was impossible to obtain 
land peacefully and we did not wish to follow the path of force, new possibilities 
of gaining a livelihood on the land itself had to be found. Therefore, 
industrialization resulted. Unfortunately, the agricultural possibilities at the time, 
however, were not fully utilized, with the result that the economic structure of the 
German Reich became very one-sided and lacked organic unity. 

As a result of industrialization, flight from the land was strongly encouraged. The 
younger sons of farmers no longer attempted to win new land by clearing, 
cultivating, or improving it, but went into cities, which offered them, more 
agreeable living conditions. As a result the agricultural estate became smaller 


84 










and smaller in relation to the number of consumers in the cities. The population 
of the large cities increased about six fold after 1870, while the farming 
population decreased accordingly. The number of metropolitan cities grew from 8 
in 1870 to 56 in 1930. The proportion of the rural population declined from 59 
percent in 1875 to 33 percent in 1933, while the urban population rose during the 
same period from 41 to 67 percent. 

The cities received their principle additions form the rural areas of the German 
east. From East Prussia alone about % of a million migrated to the industrial 
west. The consequence of this population movement east is, that in the eastern 
regions of the Reich, less than 70 persons on the average live on a square 
kilometer of land, while in Saxony 311, and in Westphalia 222 persons crowd 
together on the same space. The flight from the land thus became a national 
danger. For it is right here in the east that the flood of Slavic peoples with a very 
high birth rate surges against our frontiers. The last century has shown us, with 
the example of West Prussia and Posen, what kind of a fate threatens an under¬ 
populated region. 

This unbalanced distribution of the population had economic disadvantages as 
well. The overemphasis on industrialization made the German Reich always 
more and more dependent upon foreign countries in the matter of raw materials. 
Soon the feeding of our people was only possible with the help of large imports of 
foodstuffs. The whole economic structure became so susceptible to crises, that 
the slightest fluctuations were accompanied by grave dangers. 

The National Socialist state has clearly recognized the dangers resulting from 
overpopulation and an unbalanced distribution of the population, and has 
straightway undertaken remedial measures. The National Agency for Territorial 
Research investigates and prepares measures for bringing about a better 
distribution of settlements. The most important plans thus far are those dealing 
with the depopulation of the metropolitan cities, the homesteading program in the 
east, industrial planning, and in general, the fostering of an economic structure 
capable of withstanding crisis. The following chapter tells how the security of our 
food supplies and the provision of sufficient raw materials are on the way to 
being realized. 


85 



86 



XII 


THE SOIL AS A SOURCE OF FOOD 


The first necessity of all living things is food. If there is no possibility of satisfying 
this need, life cannot go on. Man also is subject to this law of life. From his first 
day he must be fed by the gifts of the earth, fruits of the field, and the flesh of 
animals. Vegetation and animal life are in turn dependent upon the nature of the 
soil and climate. The soil, which supplies food for a people, has, therefore, the 
greatest economic significance for men. 

The quality of the soil in the German Reich is not equally good everywhere. A 
large part of the German Reich is covered with sandy, marshy, and rocky soil. 
The main part of this rather unfruitful soil comprises the non-arable mountain 
ranges and the north German plains once covered with ice. Only a 
proportionately small region has very good soil. It is distributed in the main along 
the lower courses of the German rivers (Rhine, Oder, Vistula), in south 
Westphalia, along the borders of Hanover, around the bays and inlets of Saxony, 
the Rhine basin, in Wurttemberg, lower Bavaria, and the Rhine-Main region, as 
well as the southern parts of Thuringia and middle Silesia. 

Nor is the climate equally good everywhere in the German Reich. The mildest 
weather prevails along the Rhine, since warm air currents from the 
Mediterranean penetrate Germany through the doorway between the Alps and 
the Vosges mountains. Along the coast, a moderate, seasonable climate 
prevails, because the sea brings about a balance of temperature and humidity. 
The farther the land is from the coast, the more extreme the climate. Hot 
summers and cold winters in the eastern sections allow only a comparatively 
short growing period. Because of these influences of soil and climate, the 
productiveness of the different farming areas in Germany varies greatly. 

In accordance with its position on the earth, the German territory belongs within 
the great forest zone, which stretches over the north of Europe, Asia, and North 
America. Originally, therefore, Germany was also covered by a more or less 
dense forest. But now, the encroachment of man has pressed the woodlands 
back to their present confines and opened up soil for cultivation. 

From time immemorial, men have not only gathered the products of German soil, 
but have regularly farmed it. The Norsemen of the early Stone Age cultivated 
twelve different kinds of grain. They raised fruit, flax, and many kinds of 
vegetables. With the exception of poultry, they had all our domestic animals. The 
Germans went on from this beginning to develop husbandry and cattle raising. 
They were a settled peasant folk who worked the soil without stint. When they 
came into contact with the Romans, their agrarian culture was already so high 
that the southern people took over from them, among other things, the wheel 


87 



plow and the cultivation of rye. It was neither the Romans nor even the monks 
who introduced farming into Germany. During the Middle Ages in Germany, the 
transformation of the original soil into land for agricultural purposes began on an 
even larger scale. Forests were cleared, moors and marshes irrigated, and dams 
built to prevent the overflow of sea and river. This work has been continued down 
through the centuries. It is only necessary to recall the work of cultivation of 
Frederick the Great in Oderbruch and his homesteading activities in the rest of 
the German east. This work, even today, has not yet come to a halt. The Labor 
Service continues to win and make land for the German farmers. So by 
persistent work, the original land of nature became that kind of cultivated 
farmland which gives the central European space- its marked German imprint. 

Since 1919, the political territory of the German Reich has extended over an area 
of 472,000 square kilometers. Only a part of it is used for agricultural purposes. 
For more than a fourth of Germany's soil is covered with forests. About 5 percent 
of the German soil is taken for dwelling purposes, for streets, railroads, and parks 
and 2 percent is covered with water, and 4 percent of the German soil is 
wilderness. The remaining two-thirds (around 312,000 square kilometers) is left 
for agriculture. If the way in which the soil is used is presented comparatively by 
Lander and provincial areas, the results are as follows: Farming includes an area 
as large as the provinces of Rhineland, Hesse-Nassau, Saxony, and 
Brandenburg, together with Grensmark, Silesia, East Prussia, and Mecklenburg. 
Meadows and pasturelands are as great as the area of Hanover, Schleswig- 
Holstein, and Pomerania. German forests extend over an area as large as all of 
Wurttemberg, Baden, and Bavaria, and the amount of wasteland is as large as a 
whole province the size of Westphalia. 

In farming, a variety of plants is cultivated, each according to the climatic 
conditions and the productiveness of the soil in the individual German districts. 
Rye thrives best on the barren, sandy soil of North Germany and in the cool, 
mountain regions. Wheat prefers the better soil of the hilly slopes in central 
Germany, the heavy, marshy soil along the Elbe and Vistula, and the loose soil of 
Silesia. Oats are better adapted to the niggardly soil of northwestern Germany. 
Sugar beets are raised principally on the nutritive soil in Silesia and in the 
foothills of the mountains in central Germany. The potato has spread out over all 
Germany, but is raised especially in the central and eastern parts of the north 
German lowlands, and on the mountains along the Rhine. Fodder in large 
amounts exists only in East Prussia, Saxony, Thuringia, and southern Germany. 
Truck farming is carried on principally in the vicinity of large cities. In addition, 
there are rather large areas devoted to truck farming in Saxony, Thuringia, 
Holstein, and the Rhine valley. The only vineyards today are along the Rhine and 
its tributaries (Mosel, Saar, Nahe, Neckar, and Main), comprising nearly 10 
percent of the agricultural area. 


88 



In this region, a great deal of fine fruit is also cultivated. Animal husbandry 
provides the German people with meat, fats, dairy products, and eggs. Cattle 
raising is carried on primarily in regions along the northern coast of Germany, in 
the Alps and its foothills, while horse breeding takes place in East Prussia, 
Hanover, Bavaria and Brandenburg. Hog and sheep raising go on mainly in 
northern and central Germany. The principal regions of poultry farming are 
Pomerania and central Germany. 



Bil Roads, railroads, parks 

Chart 27.—Use of the Soil in the German Reich 


The German Reich is the most important producer of oats in Europe. And it also 
produces a fourth of the world's rye. In spite of the increased consumption of 
sugar since the War, German sugar production is still greater than the domestic 
needs. Rye, oats, and sugar beets were formerly exported therefore. All 
remaining agricultural products cover, however, only a part of Germany's 
requirements. The German Reich could assure the feeding of its population only 
by means of imports. During the preceding century as well as during the last 
decades those in responsible positions have faced this fact without concern. 
They have neglected German agriculture because of cheaper foreign prices. 
Therefore, the basis for feeding our thickly populated Reich was destroyed. The 
experiences of the World War have taught us, in this regard, that the basis for 


89 










feeding the German people must not be looked for abroad. For as sacrifices to 
the enemy blockade, 88,000 undernourished women, children, and old men died 
in 1915; 122,000 in 1916; 260,000 in 1917; and 294,000 in 1918. We will always 
experience this fate if we have not assured the feeding of our own people within 
our own territory. 

The Dictate of Versailles by separating and taking away large, surplus 
agricultural regions in West Prussia, Posen, North Schleswig and in Alsace and 
by robbing German colonies made the basis for feeding our people even worse. 
With the loss of the colonies the Reich lost every chance for producing colonial 
products herself, such as cocoa, tea, coffee, bananas and tropical plants 
(cocoanuts and citrus fruits) and was made completely dependent upon imports 
so far as these are concerned. In the regions taken away along the frontiers the 
Reich lost, along with one eight of its territory, a yearly production of 

5,000,000 tons of grains 
11,000,000 tons of potatoes 
3,200,000 hogs 
2,600,000 head of cattle 
790,000 horses 
535,000 sheep 

In 1914, the German colonies had the following areas devoted to plant 
husbandry: 


42,000 hectares of cocoa palms 
5,000 hectares of oil plants 
13,200 hectares of cocoa 
4,800 hectares of coffee 
2,200 hectares of bananas 

National Socialism has not remained inactive in face of the present condition of 
our food supply. It has learned the lessons taught by the World War and has 
done everything to assure the feeding of our people from its own soil. To this end 
agriculture had to be rescued from impending ruin first of all. Protection against 
foreclosures, reduction of the debt burden, and lowering of interest rates served 
this purpose. Then, by the National Inheritance Law of September 29, 1933, 
farmers were relieved of the burdens of the capitalistic land law, which treated 
land as an article of trade. From now on peasant estates are fundamentally non- 
saleable, non-distrainable, and indivisible. Any further pernicious breaking up of 
peasant holdings is thereby checked. The Reich Food Estate Law of September 
13, 1933 supplied the legal basis for organizing the agricultural estate itself. The 
farming population, broken up into many hundreds of organizations, associations, 
and groups was brought together into one great front and transformed into a 
mobilized instrument of National Socialist agrarian policy. By the same law, a 
comprehensive system for regulating markets was also set up which assured the 
sale of agricultural products and provided an economically just price for them. 


90 



Therefore, the most important requisites for the work of reconstruction in the 
sphere of feeding a population were created. The Reich Peasant Leader could 
now issue the call for the battle of production, which he did at the second Reich 
Peasant Day in Goslar in 1934. This battle should guarantee for us, in addition to 
the military independence which we have again won, an independence so far as 
Food supplies are concerned and free us so far as possible from the necessity of 
importing foodstuffs from abroad. Since it is actually impossible to reduce the 
consumption of foodstuffs, everything hinges on our ability to increase our 
domestic production of food supplies to equal the need. 

The most effective methods of doing so are first: enlarging agriculturally usable 
areas; second, increasing the productivity of existing farms; third, reducing waste 
and destruction of agricultural products; and finally, cultivating needed products 
which have up to this time not been produced at all, or not in sufficient quantities. 

The extension of agriculturally usable areas is being realized by Cultivation and 
Land reclamation. From 1933 to 1936, the Office of Land Cultivation cultivated an 
area of 1,500,000,000 hectares with the help of official subventions and credits. 
One assumes an average increase in yield of 20 per cent, so this signifies a 
winning of 300,000 hectares of new land, whereas from 1929 to 1932, using the 
same method of reckoning, only a winning of 85,000 hectares of new land 
resulted. The accomplishments in the field of land cultivation, however, evidence 
only a beginning. During succeeding years, the work will be continued and 
should, as the following presentation shows, make possible the recovery of about 
6,500,000 hectares. 


Work in Prospect 

Number of 
Hectares 

Improvement 
in Percent 

Corresponding 
New Land Area 

Cultivation of waste 

land and more 

2,500,000 

80 

2,000,000 

Draining green land 

3,500,000 

30 

1,050,000 

Draining fields 

4,000,000 

30 

1,200,000 

Grading 

3,700,000 

25 

925,000 

Irrigation 

3,500,000 

20 

700,000 

Ditching 

1,000,000 

30 

330,000 

Rotation Improvement 

450,000 

20 

90,000 

Flood reclamation 

300,000 

30 

90,000 

New land on the coast 

50,000 

100 

50,000 

Marling 

400,000 

20 

80,000 


The principal agency for carrying out the work of land rehabilitation is the 
National Labor Service. Besides numerous smaller reclamation undertakings it is, 
for the time being, at work on 30 large projects, which alone comprise an area of 
600,000 hectares. 


91 




Chart 28.—Location of the Larger Projects of the National Labor 

Service 


To increase the yield of existing farmlands it is first necessary to strengthen 
the working forces on the land. On newly reclaimed land, as well as on other 
land, which is not being profitably tilled, homesteaders and farmers are being 
established for this purpose. Here too, National Socialist has done far more than 
the previous "system," as we perceive from the following presentation: 

Extent of Homesteading in 

1933-34 1919-32 


Pomerania. 22,400 hectares 8,800 hectares 

Mecklenburg.19,600 4,200 

East Prussia. 18,000 9,600 

Hanover, Oldenburg. 

Brunswick.15,900 2,600 

Brandenburg.14,800 4,500 

Lower Silesia.13,400 3,300 

Schleswig-Holstein. 8,900 4,700 

Upper Silesia.7,300 1,800 

Rest of Germany. 13,000 3,500 


The restored Germany peasantry has likewise done everything to increase the 
yield of our agricultural land, in that it has devoted the surplus income of recent 
years to increased provision for machines and tools, fertilizer, etc. 


92 













Agricultural Expenses for Fertilizer 


1932- 33 . 522 million R M 

1933- 34 . 567 

1934- 35.626 

1935- 36 . 723 

Agricultural Expenses for Machines and Tools 

1932- 33 . 138 million R M 

1933- 34 . 177 

1934- 35.234 

1935- 36 . 327 


Agricultural Outlays for 


Dwellings and 
Business Structures 


Maintenance of 
Buildings 


Maintenance of 
Plant Equipment 


1932- 33 ...157 million R M 

1933- 34 ...181 

1934- 35 ...196 

1935- 36 ...190 


203 million R M 

217 

228 

225 


475 million R M 

514 

581 

697 


The effort to diminish the waste and destruction of agricultural products 
expresses itself, among other things, in the erection of silos. 

Number of Silos Contents 


1918-32 . 30,000 800,000 cu. Meters 

1933 . 20,000 500,000 

1934 . 35,000 1,000,000 

1935 .68,000 1,600,000 


The efforts of the German farmer are also observable in an increase in the area 
of cultivation for those agricultural products, the lack of which for feeding our 
people is felt especially. Above all the domestic production of fats and meats is 
still far behind the consumption. The reason for that is that up until now the 
cultivation of fodder as well as of oil fruits has been completely neglected. 
However, the production battle has brought about a real change along this line 
too. 


93 















Increase in Area for the Cultivation of Fodder in Hectares 



Grain 

Alfalfa 

Green Maize 

Sweet Lupine 

1933 

3,700 

315,000 



1934 

6,300 

318,000 

45,600 


1935 

15,800 

366,000 

55,900 

12,200 

1936 

19,300 

404,000 

59,000 

25,000 


Increase in Area for the Cultivation of Oil Fruits and Fiber Materials in Hectares 

Rape and Rapeseed Flax and Hemp 


1933 . 5,103 4,889 211 

1934 . 26,738 8,740 366 

1935 . 47,023 22,276 3,636 

1936 . 51,950 44,082 5,733 


Special successes have attended the production battle as it relates to the domes- 
Tic production of grains. The importation figures declined as follows: 


1928-32 .1,400,000 tons of imports 

1933 . 436,000 

1934 . 517,000 

1935 . 329,000 

1936 . 49,000 


Moreover, the production of fats rose so markedly that the domestic share of the 
total has risen from 42 percent in 1933 to 49 per cent in 1936. In fact, the 
domestic production of food-fats rose to 55 percent. 

Cattle raising, in consequence of the production battle, has likewise been greatly 
expanded. The number rose as follows 

Sheep from 1933 to 36 about 1,000,000 head, or 29.2 percent 
Cattle from 1935 to 36 about 1,200,000 head, or 6.1 percent 
Hens from 1935 to 36 about 2,200,000 head, or 2.5 percent 
Geese from 1935 to 36 about 402,000 head, or 17.4 percent 
Ducks from 1935 to 36 about 133,000 head, or 5.1 percent 

The citation of particular results naturally cannot give a complete picture of the 
success of the production battle. This is expressed much more clearly in the 
marked decline in our imports of agricultural products. In the years 1928-32 we 
Imported on the average yearly, three million R M worth of such products while 
the imports in 1936 amounted to only 1,500,000 R M. The average yearly 
domestic production rose from 74 percent in 1928-32, to 83 percent in 1936. 


94 












The proportion of domestic production to total consumption of agricultural 
products is distributed as follows: 

Bread grains (rye and wheat), potatoes, sugar, pastry ingredients, grits, 
hulled barley, oatmeal, sago, etc., beer (malt barley), coarse vegetables, 
such as white cabbage, savoy cabbage, carrots, turnips, and the like, as 
well as asparagus, celery, horseradish, plums, cherries, veal lamb, goat 


meat, horse flesh, milk to drink, fresh water fish. 95-100% 

Meat as a whole, vegetables as a whole (including red 

cabbage, green peas, spinach, lettuce) pears. 90-94% 

Eggs, honey, fruit as a whole 9 including apples) green 

Beans, onions. 80-89% 

Dairy products as a whole, fowl, cucumbers.90% 

Butter and cheese. 75-80% 

Fish.70% 

Grease and bacon, berries, cauliflower, tomatoes. 60-69% 

Fats as a whole.50-55% 

Apricots, peaches.40-49% 

Nuts.30-39% 

Citrus fruits as a whole.20-29% 

Margarine.5-10% 


This presentation shows that we are still dependent upon imports for some 
important foodstuffs. Within the scope of the Four Year Plan, efforts to increase 
still further the domestic production will be extended. The most important 
measures are: 

1. Strengthening of land reclamation within the program of land cultivation, 

2. Reduction in the price of fertilizer, 

3. Speeding up the unification of diversified landholdings, 

4. Government aid for building manure tanks and sunken pits, 

5. Raising the prices for rye and early potatoes, 

6. Reducing the prices for seed potatoes thru government aid, 

7. Government aid for breaking up meadows and fencing in meadows and 
pastures, 

8. Short tern credits for construction purposes, 

9. Government aid for building dwellings for land workers, 

10. Build up of economic advisory services, 


These government subventions obligate the German farmers, but not less so 
than the German consumer, for the greatest efforts can only be fruitful, naturally, 
if they are supported by German comrades in every possible way. It is the public 
duty of every German, for the sake of attaining the goal, which is being striven for 
- namely self-sufficiency in food, to cooperate by adapting his needs to those 
products over which Germany exercises control in the fullest measure: 


95 















From the Economic Point of View It Is Desirable to have: 


A Greater use of 

The Same Use of 

Less Use of 

potatoes 

bread, bakery products 

beef 

sugar, marmalade 

flour 

veal 

skimmed milk 

pork 

butter 

curds 

wild game 

grease 

hulled barley, grits 

fowl 

bacon 

oatmeal 

eggs 

margarine 

sago 

rice 

vegetable oils, fats 

artificial honey 

cocoa 

buckwheat 

buttermilk 

fruit 

millet 

Hartz and Limburger Cheese 

tropical fruits 

imported vegetables 

native vegetables 

peas, beans 

especially imported 

fish 

lentils 

early vegetables 

mutton 

whole milk 

whole cheese 

rabbit meat 

dried fruits 
honey 



96 



XIII 


THE LAND AS A SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY 


Just as the land gives man home and food, it also supplies him the foundations 
of industrial life. In natural resources and agricultural products, it provides the 
basic things out of which every man according to the state of his culture 
fabricates the needed consumer goods and wares. 

The distribution of minerals in Germany is to be explained in terms of their origin. 
Since they originate in part out of the interior of the earth they can come to the 
surface only by breaking through the earth's crust, as for example, by forming 
mountains. For this reason, the presence of ores in Germany is confined 
primarily to the mountain ranges of central Germany. Even the minerals, which 
originate from prehistoric, oceanic deposits, are to be found mainly in central 
Germany, since these oceanic waters extended to the base of these mountain 
ranges. 

The German land is blessed with numerous minerals and raw materials. Long 
ago, our explorative and industrious forefathers learned how to exploit these 
minerals and turn them to account. The stone weapons and pottery, clothes and 
Dwellings of the Norsemen show that even during the early Stone Age, wood and 
stone, wool, flax, and clay were used as raw materials. Then the Germans made 
use of metals. They built mines and smelted the ores so obtained into bronze 
and iron. The handicrafts, which carried the work further, were held in high 
esteem by them. During the Middle Ages the handicrafts continued to develop. In 
fact, the entire economic life of this period was determined by the handicrafts. 
With the rise of natural science and technology industry emerged out of the 
handicraft stage in consequence of the steady progress during this new period of 
economic life. With the same talents and capacities as in other spheres German 
spirit and German work successfully asserted itself in the industrial age. The 
German worker, technician, and scientist made Germany the leading economic 
power of the world. About 19 million men are at work today in industry and the 
handicrafts fabricating German raw materials into consumer goods, which are 
highly prized, and in demand throughout the world. 

The most significant German minerals are coal, salt, and ore. Petroleum is also 
found in some places. 

The mining of hard coal goes on in six large districts - in the Rhine-Westphalian 
Coal region, the Saar basin, the Aachen basin, in the ore bearing mountain basin 
near Zwickau, the lower Silesian basin around Waldenburg, and in the upper 
Silesian basin. 


97 



Deposits of soft coal lie principally in the central German regions of Halle, 

Leipzig, and Kottbus, the west German region of Aachen, and the south German 
districts of Regensburg and Munich. 

While the deposits of hard coal lie close to the frontiers and in case of war are 
especially endangered, the supplies of soft coal are in a more favorable location 
from the military point of view. Germany's stores of coal are sufficient for a long 
time. About 35 percent of the European and 6 percent of the world's supplies are 
in Germany. Consequently, Germany is the third largest producer of coal in the 
world. The export trade absorbs a large part of the coal supply. Approximately 88 
percent of it is distributed to take care of German power needs. It is consumed 
not only in its raw state but also as gas, coke, and benzene. In the smelting 
process, valuable by products emerge, which like tar and ammonia, constitute 
one of the bases for our chemical industry. Coal is the most important factor in 
Germany's economic life. 



A Lead + Zinc □ Nickel A Petroleum 

Chart 29.— The Minerals of the German Reich 
The German deposits of calcium and rock salt are as significant as coal. They 
are to be found principally in the province of Saxony and in Anhalt. The entire 
domestic needs can be covered from our resources and a large part devoted to 
the demands of the export trade. Rock salt is primarily used for technical 
purposes, and in manufacturing soda. Table salt is procured from 46 salt works 


98 




scattered throughout Germany. Calcium is turned over to the chemical industry, 
which uses it mainly to manufacture fertilizer, also important by-products emerge, 
which are further utilized. Before the War, Germany was the only source of 
supply for calcium. By the dictate of Versailles, the Alsatian deposits fell to 
France, thereby making a part of the foreign market competitive for us today. 

The German ore deposits occupy third place. They are: Iron and manganese in 
Siegerland, the Lahn-Dill district near Vogelsberg in southern Bavaria, near 
Salzgitter, and more recently in the Weser Mountains, in upper Franconia and in 
the Riesengebirge. Copper ores are extracted near Mansfeld, Goslarand in 
some small pits in the Rhineland and the Riesengebirge. There are sulphur 
deposits in Weggen on the Lenne. 

Lead is mined in Upper Silesia, along the lower course of the Lahn, near Koln 
and Aachen, zinc in the northern Harz Mountains, and nickel in Saxon 
Oberlausitz, and near Frankenstein in Silesia. 

The supplies of all these ores do not by any means meet the German 
requirements. Ninety percent of the iron and copper ore requirements must be 
imported, while almost all the remaining ores come from abroad. A fourth of 
Germany's sulphur requirements are taken care of at home. 

Gold and silver are also obtained in very small quantities in Germany: Gold from 
the arsenic deposits of Reichenstein in Silesia, silver as a by-product in the 
copper mines of Mansfeld. By far the largest part of these precious metals is 
imported. 

Finally, consideration must be given to Germany's supply of petroleum. The 
largest centers of operating at present are in Hanover and Thuringia. They 
provide, however, only 10 percent of Germany's requirements. Therefore, new 
sources are now being tapped in Rhinegraben, along the Tegernsee, and near 
Passau. Germany suffered irretrievable loss by having Alsace taken away, since 
the most productive German supplies were found there in the oil fields of 
Pechelbronn. 

As far as plant and animal raw stuffs (flax, hemp, wool, and skins) are 
concerned, Germany has no domestic production worthy of the name, in 
consequence of neglect in this sphere. Attempts are now being made to increase 
the production of these raw materials also, although agricultural land must be 
used primarily to insure German independence in food. The textile and leather 
industries, which make use of these raw materials, are, in large part dependent 
upon imports. Even wood must be imported, since it is used so extensively that 
the large forests of Germany could supply sufficient quantities only in case of 
irresponsible robbing of the woodlands. 

If one compares the domestic supply of raw materials with the use in industry 


99 



and the handicrafts in 1935 one obtains the following picture of imports and 
exports: 


German Exports of Raw Materials 1935 


Hard Coal, coke . 
Salt and calcium 
Nitrogen fertilizer 


279.0 million R M 

52.6 

43.1 


Total 


374.7 


In contrast, the imports of the most important raw materials for the year 1935 
were as follows: 


Textile raw materials (fiber and yam).849.2 million R M 

Ores and metals.430.9 

Wood and cellulose.226.7 

Hides, leather, felt.185.6 

Mineral oils (benzene).178.1 

India rubber.45.5 

Mineral phosphates.35.0 

Other raw materials. 259.2 


Total.2.230.2 

These figures indicate that Germany must import about 45% of the raw materials 
used in German Industry. Foreign countries can at any time therefore exercise an 
economic pressure on Germany. To this end, Germany was quite consciously 
forced into its present raw material situation, in that she was deprived of 
important sources of raw materials by having territory taken away and being 
robbed of colonies in the Versailles treaty. 

Because of the loss of Alsace-Lorraine and Upper Silesia, the Reich lost: 

80 percent of her iron supplies 
70 percent of her zinc deposits 
64 percent Thomas meal production 
41 percent lead supplies 
26 percent hard coal supplies 
26 percent calcium production 
10 percent standing timber 
10 percent wool production 
and important petroleum resources. 

Therefore, it is evident that Germany could save millions of R M, which must now 
be used to pay the cost of importing raw materials, if she had not been deprived 
of her best ore pits. Te perpetrators of the Versailles diktat have not been 


100 
















satisfied, however, with this theft; in addition they have taken away Germany's 
colonies from her, and thereby barred access to all tropical and colonial raw 
stuffs. In the African pos-sessions alone Germany was deprived of: 

52,400 hectares of rubber plants 
13,000 hectares of cotton plants 
554,000 head of sheep 
722,000 head of cattle and goats 

Moreover, in our former colonies there are supplies of gold, diamonds, tin, 
copper, lead, and mineral phosphates, which can cover a good part of our 
present imports of these raw materials. When the colonies were stolen from 
Germany they were just at the beginning of their development. The mandate 
powers today possess enormous colonial empires and yet by no means make 
productive use of them. The opening up of the former German colonies is partly 
delayed on purpose, since they appear only as competitors of their older 
colonies. Germany could, therefore, by more intensive cultivation obtain greater 
results than the mandate powers do today out of our former colonies. In the year 
1935, one could see on the export list of the old German colonies: 

Textile raw stuffs: cotton, sisal hemp, and kapok; 

Ores: lead, copper, tin; 

Wood: tanning bark and hardwood; 

Hides and pelts; 

India rubber and phosphates and finally 
Gold and diamonds. 

All these are products, which head the list of German imports of raw material. 

To obviate our scarcity of raw materials the return of our former colonies is 
absolutely necessary. The Leader has emphasized repeatedly that Germany, as 
a great industrial country can never renounce its colonies. 

Germany would in its present strained condition, gladly and willingly buy from 
abroad the raw materials, which we lack if a sufficient possibility were given for 
doing so. Foreign countries, however, demand payment in foreign currency. 

The only way we can obtain foreign money is by exporting German goods. In a 
senseless manner, the countries with raw materials shut out German imports, 
isolate themselves in their great economic enclaves, and play in part the Jewish 
boycott game. Our exports have shrunk, therefore in exactly the ratio—and the 
same ratio also applies to our supply of foreign exchange—that the National 
Socialist economic revival has increased our need for raw materials. 

The possibility of importing and our need for raw materials develops, therefore, 
along exactly opposite lines. For that reason, the Germany economy, — industry 
and handicrafts, —finds itself in very serious difficulties. If, therefore, German 
industry is to put all German workers back to work again and raise the production 
of goods to the point of doing away with German poverty, extraordinary measure 


101 



are necessary in order to create sufficient supplies of raw materials. The Leader 
has, for this reason, announced the Four Year Plan, which is to free the German 
Reich from necessity of importing raw materials. 

The most pressing task of the Four Year Plan is to assure a sufficient domestic 
production of textiles. For on the one hand textile raw materials, which account 
for more than a third of the total imports of raw materials, are the heaviest burden 
on our foreign trade; on the other, the largest number of workers, proportionately, 
are at work in the textile and related industries. In 1933, every sixth person 
employed in industry and the handicrafts was at work in the textile business. The 
technical and scientific preparations for building up a domestic foundation of 
textile raw materials have already been in process longer and have gone 
farthest. Here the Four Year Plan will be able to show the quickest and most 
positive results. 



HH§ Overwhelming industrial 

Chart 30.—The Industrial Regions of the German Reich 

Even now, artificial silk can be produced in unlimited quantities out of German 
raw materials (wood). By obtaining cell-wool from short fibered leaf woods, it is 
possible for us to reduce enormously, by means of domestic production, the 
importation of textile raw materials, especially the importation of wool and cotton. 
During the coming years, an even greater progress in this field is to be expected. 
The hard fibers too, like jute, hemp, etc., can now be supplied to a certain extent 


102 


by the use of wood products. Even if wood must be imported in large part, the 
amount of money, which is used for this purpose, is actually far less than that 
needed for importing textile raw materials themselves. In case attempts should 
succeed, such as those on the Rhine and in the Taunus lead one to hoper, to 
adapt to our climate a fiber plant, the Yucca, coming from Central America, then 
the independence of the German textile industry would be in sight. 

Ores and metals occupy second place on the list of imported raw materials. They 
make up about one fifth of all imports. To reduce imports of metals and ores the 
greatest of all efforts within the scope of the Four Year Plan are being made. The 
assurance of a necessary supply of ores and metals is especially important since 
they have a high significance in defense policy. 

In order to make the German Reich as independent as possible from imports of 
ores and metals, the most varied paths are being followed. In the first place, 
German land is being searched for new ore deposits. Work is being done to find 
new methods of exploiting and smelting to make possible the utilization of 
already known but "poor" ore deposits and make them pay. Instead of heavy 
metals, light metals derived from German raw materials (Aluminum and 
Manganese) are used wherever possible. Moreover, non-metallic materials 
(artificially hard pressed) are finding extensive use in place of metals. Finally, our 
domestic stores of metals are being kept intact by salvaging and using scrap 
metals and those that have been discarded. 

We shall succeed by these measures in producing to a satisfying extent many 
ores (zinc, lead) ourselves. For all other ores, this procedure must succeed in 
bringing about noticeable reduction in imports. 

The efforts to realize self-sufficiency, in the case of rubber and mineral oils, have 
progressed the farthest. In fact, we have been successful in producing from 
German raw materials, namely coke, and coal, a product, Buna, superior to 
natural rubber. This product can be dealt with and used exactly like natural 
rubber, and is superior to it in its ability to withstand chemical, its reaction to oil 
and benzene, in its greater ability to stand up under heat and age, and it its much 
greater wearing qualities. Since Bune is already being produced in large 
quantities and since, within the scope of the Four Year Plan, the production will 
be increased by extending the number of plants for Buna productions about four 
fold, every need which may arise in Germany will easily be taken care of. 

Germany's domestic production of petroleum amounts to only 10% of her 
requirements. Further successful borings even, such as those being drilled 
everywhere in Germany, cannot within conceivable time produce sufficient 
quantities. Nevertheless, the chemical industry has also succeeded here by 
processes of evaporation and carburization in producing gasoline and oils out of 
our adequate supplies of existing raw materials such as: hard coal, soft 


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coal, oil shale and wood. Tireless work is being done to better and cheapen 
these manufacturing processes in order that the production of gasoline and oils 
out of German raw materials will soon be an accomplished fact. 

Excellent preparatory work is also being done for the domestic production of the 
remaining but proportionately small number of import items. In the case of 
sponges, tanbark, lampblack, sulphur, cork, paraffin, wax, etc., it has been 
possible to lower imports noticeably during the last few years. Further progress 
within the scope of the Four Year Plan toward self-sufficiency as to these items is 
also being made. In all other spheres of raw material production, the struggle for 
self-sufficiency and freedom from foreign countries is going on with the same 
zeal and fixed purpose. Great successes have already been realized by 
Germany. The Four Year Plan will continue to accelerate this succession of 
victories. German spirit and German work, science, and practice will give back to 
Germany, now that she has regained her military freedom, her economic 
freedom also. 

It must be obvious to every German comrade that if he supports these efforts by 
using Germany's own products, then the slogan will soon be fulfilled: 

German Work out of German Raw Materials! 


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