Students and National Socialism in Germany GEOFFREY J. GILES Students and National Socialism in Germany PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS Copyright © 1985 by Princeton University Press Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Guildford, Surrey All Rights Reserved Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data will be found on the last printed page of this book ISBN 0-691-05453-3 Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation This book has been composed in Linotron Trump Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are chosen for strength and durability Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey To Jack and Frances Giles for their encouragement and love CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ΪΧ ABBREVIATIONS Xl ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ΧΪΪΪ INTRODUCTION 3 CHAPTER ONE A Political Fringe Group 14 Postwar Student Politics and the University of Hamburg 14 The Formation of National Socialist Student Groups 26 CHAPTER TWO The Struggle for Power 44 The Emerging Role of the NSDStB 44 The Seizure of the German Students' Union 62 CHAPTER THREE The Difficulties of Consolidation 73 The Credibility of the Nazi Student Leadership 74 Student Disillusionment with the NSDStB 91 CHAPTER FOUR The Political University 101 The Purging of the University 102 Adolf Rein and University Reform 111 Factionalism in the Student Leadership 129 First Attempts at Indoctrination: The Kameiadschaft Scheme 136 CHAPTER FIVE Gown or Brown Shirt? 151 The Effects of Nazi Polycracy on University Autonomy 151 Factionalism in the Student Body 162 The Destruction of the Fraternity Associations 175 Student Apathy and Political Education 186 CHAPTER six The Consolidation of Control 202 The Reich Student Leadership and the Growth of the Kameiadschaften 203 City Pride and Hamburg's Initiatives 229 The Nazification of Scholarship 250 CONTENTS CHAPTER SEVEN The University at War 266 War Service Duties 266 Women Students and the NSDStB 278 The Instability of the Wartime University 282 The White Rose Resistance Group 299 The Collapse of the NSDStB 305 CONCLUSION 314 APPENDICES 327 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 331 INDEX 351 TABLES 1. Percentage of Votes Polled by National Socialists in Students' Union Elections 1928-1930 54 2. Growth of NSDStB Membership in Hamburg Colleges, July-December 1933 104 3. Faculty Endorsement of Statement of Support for Hitler 128 4. Occupancy of Hamburg University Kameiadschaft Houses, Summer Semester 1934 138 5. Underutilization of Kameiadschaft Houses 1937 213 6. Percentage of Male Student Body in Kameiadschaften, Including Students Beyond Third Semester, Summer Semester 1938 215 7. Hamburg University Male NSDStB Membership According to Students' Semesters 226 8. Social Composition of German Male Freshman Cohorts during the Third Reich 242 9. Proportion of NSDAP Members Among All Hamburg University Students 245 10. Proportion of NSDAP Members Among Hamburg University NSDStB Members 247 11. Proportion of Hamburg Students in Military Service by Faculty, Winter Semester 1942-1943 283