Archaeological finds and the horrors of National Socialism

Research - Archaeological finds and the horrors of National Socialism

A Ladle with Hebrew Inscription, a Red Toothbrush, a Comb or Silverware - finds such as these pose challenges for archaeologists. These pieces come from places where the horrors and power of the National Socialist regime became apparent. Researchers from the Documentation Center at Obersalzberg, a former power center of Adolf Hitler, have dealt with this question. Their result: They plan to handle these pieces with special care, document, and research them.

Against Forgetting

The necessity arises from the historical uniqueness of the Holocaust and the significance of the crimes against humanity of the NS-dictatorship, according to the now published position paper. Written by experts from the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD), the Austrian Federal Monument Authority (BDA), and the University of Vienna.

Bavaria's Minister of Science Markus Blume (CSU) emphasizes the value of this work: "A living culture of remembrance is indispensable for the collective memory of our nation. It prevents the horrors of the NS-dictatorship from falling into oblivion and warns of vigilance – all the more important in these times than ever."

Everyday Items as Testimony of Horror

These items should provide answers when there are hardly any living witnesses left: "Since hardly any witnesses are left alive, archaeological finds gain increasingly greater significance as material witnesses of history to make the reality of victims and perpetrators of the NS era comprehensible," says Mathias Pfeil, General Conservator of the Bavarian State Monument Office. For Claudia Theune from the University of Vienna, they are an important supplement: They could reveal structures of power and terror of the National Socialist dictatorship more clearly.

Ladle with "Josef" Inscription in the Euthanasia Institute

For example, the ladle. Hebrew is inscribed on the handle with the name "Josef." It was found on the grounds of Schloss Hartheim near Linz in Upper Austria. The Nazis had converted the Renaissance building into an euthanasia institute. Around 30,000 people are believed to have been systematically murdered here between 1940 and 1944 in gas chambers, physically and mentally disabled persons, mentally ill, and weak prisoners from concentration camps. In eight pits, ash from the murdered was found, as well as personal items of the victims, including the ladle. It was buried to erase traces that now re-emerge at the site of the atrocity, which is now a learning and memorial site.

"The finds prove not only atrocities but help bring us closer to the victims, not just as a large number but as real people," says Stefanie Berg, head of the monument preservation at the Bavarian State Office in Munich. "Through everyday items, we generate empathy in the viewer, who knows many things from their own everyday life. That is all the more significant, the fewer witnesses and living witnesses there are." In addition, written sources and eyewitness reports could be confirmed or debunked through such findings. "We get a little closer to the truth."

Hitler's Power Center at Obersalzberg

Witnesses to the good life in the circle of power at Obersalzberg. Hitler and high-ranking Nazis such as Martin Bormann or Hermann Göring resided in the Alpine idyll of Berchtesgaden. Military installations, administrative buildings, housing for employees, and bunkers were constructed. Here, archaeologists discovered among other things cutlery, a commemorative coin, a toothbrush, and a round package of "hygienic rubber protection" for prevention. For experts, it is clear: "These finds provide impressively clear evidence of the possessions of higher-ranking SS officers and their staff in contrast to the people persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime."

1. The researchers at the Documentation Center in Obersalzberg, formerly a power center of Adolf Hitler, are dedicated to handling archival artifacts from the National Socialist era with special care and conducting thorough research.
2. In their position paper, experts from the BDA, BLfD, and the University of Vienna emphasize the importance of addressing the history of National Socialism, especially in light of the unique nature of the Holocaust and the crimes committed by the NS-dictatorship.
3. Mathias Blume, Bavaria's Minister of Science (CSU), highlights the value of preserving this history, stating that a living culture of remembrance is essential for understanding and avoiding the mistakes of the past.
4. Ordinary items like a toothbrush discovered at Obersalzberg offer insight into the daily lives and luxuries of high-ranking Nazis, contrasting starkly with the horrors experienced by those persecuted during the NS era.
5. Markus Blume, the Bavarian Minister of Science, sees archaeological finds as crucial in preserving the memory of the victims of National Socialism, allowing us to better comprehend the lives of both perpetrators and victims.
6. Archaeological discoveries can help illuminate the historical context of the crimes committed during the NS era and provide evidence supporting or contradicting historical accounts and witness testimonies.
7. The inclusion of everyday objects, such as a toothbrush, in museum exhibits in Austria and Bavaria serves to humanize the history of National Socialism, encouraging empathy and fostering an ongoing vigilance against crime and totalitarianism.

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