Indology in National Socialist Germany

国家社会主义德国的印度学

• 批准号: 406234174
• 负责人: Professor Dr. Moritz Epple
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Historisches Seminar
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2017-12-31 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/406234174?language=en
• 关键词: Indology; National; Socialist; Germany

The main objective of this research project is to provide an in-depth analysis of how the field of Indology interacted with political institutions in National Socialist Germany. In particular, we propose to analyse the ways in which certain scholars of this field in National used their specialised knowledge of India in the service of the regime’s cultural politics, in exchange for resources and academic status. Given the obvious relevance of the ideology of ‘Aryan culture’ such a study is of significant historical interest. --The project will focus on four institutions which employed Indologists in such capacities: 1. Indischer Ausschuss or India Institute (part of the Deutsche Akademie). 2. Deutsches Auslandswissenschaftliches Institut (DAWI) and Auslandswissenschaftliche Fakultät (AF), both affiliated to the University of Berlin. 3. Sonderreferat Indien (SRI), primarily its military unit, the Indian Legion (Tiger Legion). 4. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Indien (also known as the Indien Institut) at the University of Tübingen. -- Following the approaches proposed by Mehrtens, Ash and others, the project will investigate the ways in which scholars of Indology engaged in these four institutions, developed collaborative relationships with different centres of power in the Third Reich. Particularly relevant in this context is the question as to what extent the scholars mobilised themselves to participate in the Third Reich’s research policy. -- Relevant centres of power that interacted with these institutes and the scholars of Indology were the Reichssicherheitshauptamt and the Ahnenerbe of the SS, the External Affairs Ministry and the Amt Rosenberg. Our project will also look at the exchange of different kinds of capital and resources between the academics and the non-academic functionaries, the ‘managers’ who represented the interests of the state in the four aforementioned institutions, and who acted as ‘communicative bridges’ in the complex networks of the institutes and the power centres. --A further objective of the project is to review the position of India as the ideological battle­ground between British imperialism and expansionist ambitions of Nazi Germany. The latter made propaganda overtures to India by claiming to support its anti-colonial movement and stressing on the so-called common ‘Aryan heritage’ of India and Germany. A review of the substantial role played by Indologists in this propaganda venture is long overdue. --India at present is experiencing a resurgence of Hindu political nationalism, in which admiration for Vedic Aryan discourse as well as for certain tenets of Nazi ideology play a significant role. These are legacies of the historical confluence of German Indology, Nazi cultural politics and Indian nationalism. By critically examining the nature of this conflation, our project can also provide a new perspective on the history of the transnational relationship between Germany and India.

本研究项目的主要目标是提供一个深入的分析，如何在国家社会主义德国的印度学领域与政治机构的互动。特别是，我们建议分析的方式，这一领域的某些学者在国家使用他们的专业知识，印度在该政权的文化政治服务，以换取资源和学术地位。鉴于“雅利安文化”的意识形态的明显相关性，这样的研究是具有重大的历史意义。--该项目将集中在四个机构，雇用印度学家在这样的能力：1。Indischer Ausschuss或印度研究所（德意志学院的一部分）。2. Deutsches Auslandswissenschaftliches Institut（DAWI）和Auslandswissenschaftliche Fakultät（AF），均隶属于柏林大学。3.印度特种部队（英语：Sonderwestern at Indien），主要是其军事单位，印度军团（英语：Indian Legion）。4. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Indien（也称为Indien Institut），图宾根大学。--遵循Mehrtens、Ash等人提出的方法，该项目将调查印度学学者参与这四个机构的方式，以及与第三赖希不同权力中心建立合作关系的方式。在这一背景下，特别相关的问题是，学者们在多大程度上动员自己参与了第三赖希的研究政策。--与这些研究所和印度学学者互动的相关权力中心是党卫队的Reichssicherheitshauptamt和Ahnenerbe，外交部和Rosenberg。我们的项目还将研究学术界和非学术界官员之间不同类型的资本和资源的交换，这些“管理者”在上述四个机构中代表国家利益，并在机构和权力中心的复杂网络中充当“沟通桥梁”。--该项目的另一个目标是审查印度作为英帝国主义和纳粹德国扩张主义野心之间意识形态斗争战场的地位。后者通过声称支持印度的反殖民运动和强调印度和德国的所谓共同“雅利安遗产”向印度提出宣传建议。对印度学家在这场宣传活动中所起的重要作用进行审查是早就应该的了。--印度目前正在经历印度教政治民族主义的复兴，其中对吠陀雅利安语的崇拜以及对纳粹意识形态的某些信条发挥了重要作用。这些都是德国印度学、纳粹文化政治和印度民族主义历史交汇的遗产。通过批判性地研究这种混淆的性质，我们的项目也可以提供一个新的视角，德国和印度之间的跨国关系的历史。