Das Ahnenerbe
The Heritage of the Ancestors
Germanic Scientific Mission—Flanders Outpost—
[Germanischer Wissenschaftseinsatz—Aussenstelle Flandern—]
SS—unterstuf. (F) Dr. Augustin
' at present Berlin 17 November 1944
Dr. A/Kg.
ANNUAL REPORT
The Flanders and Wallonia office [Dienststelle] of the Germanic Scientific mission [Germanischer Wissenschaftseinsatz] which is under the same direction as the department for cultural policy [kulturpolitisches Referat] of the office [Dienststelle] of SS Lieut-nant General [Gruppenfuehrer] and Major General of Police Jungclaus Guidance office for Germanic Volunteers in Flanders [Germanische Freiwilligenleitstelle Flandern] was established under the staff-order No. 14/42 of the SS-Main-Office [Hauptamt] A/95/GL, signed SS-General [Obergruppenfuehrer] Berger. They were given to an SS-officer of German nationality.
Purpose
, The work aims at deepening and widening the impact of intelligent propaganda, particularly on the intelligentsia of Flanders and Wallonia. In keeping with the Germanic ideas exclusively represented by the SS.
1. the front of a liberalistic-humanistic education must be penetrated by winning over people holding key-positions in intellectual life,
2. the Greater-Dutch [Grossdietsch] Myth must be attacked through the idea of the Greater-Germanic-Reich-community,
3. the revival of the consciousness of Germanic culture and Germanic Folkdom must be promoted by means of the political propaganda of learning, which is camouflaged as neutral. In view of the arrogant French claims of exclusive civilisation, and the Flemish, inferiority complex this is exceedingly effective. Accu- racy of research and presentation must on principle be observed since its effects are not incompatible with the Germanic intentions. , ' .
We have thus access to strata of the intelligentsia which stand outside the official press- and. ideological propaganda, but which occupy influential key-positions, so far inadequately supervised in the intellectual life of the country. This refers to university-, college and scientific matters, to the promotion of students' interests and, the granting of scholarships, i.e. to the selection of
1698-PS
students and talent promotion scheme; this is one of the points where we should get active. To get hold of, influence and obligate those holding intellectual key-positions (i.e. college professors, associations of lawyers, teachers, students, artists) is a task which has direct political significance and effects, from the press, the propaganda, and particularly the security points of view. The closest co-operation has been maintained from the very start with the security-service.
Accordingly the task of the department for cultural policy [Referat Kulturpolitik] has nothing to do with the automatic cultural work of German civilian corporations, like the German Science Institute [Deutsches Wissenschaftliches Institut], the German Academy [Deutsche Akademie], the Rosenberg Office [Amt Rosenberg], the strength-through-joy-cultural groups, the armed forces-courses, the college-weeks etc. The section for cultural policy [Amt Kulturpolitik] is an office charged by the Waffen-SS with the supervision of the foreign organizations it had created in Flanders and Wallonia. The task of the Flanders outpost of the Germanic scientific mission [department for cultural policy] consists in active international pioneering work on a Germanic basis, making use of the seemingly politically neutral weapon of science, of persona] influence and of press-methods, which must be specially developed.
Extract from a report on the Ahnenerbe project in Flanders, on the mission to promote Germanic views through "neutrally camouflaged" propaganda
Authors
Augustin (Dr., Ahnenerbe project, Flanders (1944))
Augustin
- Additional details not yet available.
Date: 17 November 1944
Literal Title: Annual Report.
Total Pages: 1
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: PS-1698
HLSL Item No.: 451513
Notes:This extract from PS 1698 (not necessarily this copy) was entered as UK exhibit 589 in the trial.
Document Summary
PS-1698: Annual report by the Germanic scientific institute (Germanischer Wissenschaftseinsatz) 'Ahnenorge', department for Flanders and Walonic signed by Lt. Dr. Augustine