Research project reveals dark history of science under the Nazi regime

Research project reveals dark history of science under the Nazi regime

On March 13, 2025, the results of an important research project on the history of departmental research institutions in Germany were presented at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). The project, which was started in 2017 by Professor Dr. Carsten Reinhardt from Bielefeld University and Professor Dr. Dr. Helmut Maier from the Ruhr University Bochum, received partial funding from the BMWK from 2020.

The investigation dealt in detail with the role of the federal institutions during the National Socialist era as well as the structural developments in the post-war period. The research shows that there was a close connection between the departmental research institutions and the armaments policy of the Third Reich. The political congruence and involvement in Nazi crimes remained largely unpunished after the war aktuell.uni-bielefeld.de reported.

Science and responsibility

A total of eight new scientific publications were published as part of the project, which deal with the role of scientists and research institutions in the National Socialist state and their transformation in the Federal Republic of Germany. Sabrina Diab-Helmer, managing director of Bielefeld University Press, emphasizes the importance of these books for historical processing and the influence that academic institutions can exert on political processes.

Prof. Dr. Reinhold Decker, representative of the rectorate at Bielefeld University, described the founding of an independent university press as a significant milestone. The publishing house, which has been operating as an independent entity since the beginning of the year, focuses on high scientific quality, open access and innovative publication formats. This promotes free access to scientific research and enables exchange across disciplines in socially relevant areas, including artificial intelligence and environmental research.

Focus on departmental research institutions

Another aspect of the research concerns the role of three specific departmental research institutions of the BMWK that have their Nazi past investigated: the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and the Federal Physical-Technical Institute (PTB). This subproject started on October 1, 2020 and is led by Professors Helmut Maier and Carsten Reinhardt. The aim is to clarify the role of scientists during the Nazi era and to find answers to the questions of why scientists contributed to the rearmament of the Nazi regime and how they dealt with their past after 1945 bam.de reported.

Such studies are not only historically relevant, but also have far-reaching implications for today's society. The past is crucial for understanding current scientific and political trends.

Historical influences

The historical perspective on the role of science in National Socialism is complex. The introduction of the “Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service” in April 1933 led to the dismissal of numerous civil servants critical of the regime and had a significant influence on German science. About 20% of university employees were laid off, including internationally renowned researchers such as Albert Einstein and Max Born. Many emigrated, while some of the remaining scientists actively supported National Socialist goals and even supported the “professors' commitment to Adolf Hitler.” dhm.de represents.

These developments led to a drastic loss of academic freedom and a strong ideological influence on universities by the Nazi regime. New institutions such as the research community “Ahnenerbe e.V.” and the “Reich Institute for the History of the New Germany” were founded to scientifically substantiate National Socialist ideologies. Despite these efforts, existing universities and academies remained the most important centers of scientific life in Germany.