Willibald Hentschel
Encyclopedia
Willibald Hentschel was a German
agrarian and volkisch writer and political activist. He sought to renew the Aryan race
through a variety of schemes, including selective breeding
and polygamy
, all within a firmly rural setting.
at the University of Jena, Henstchel studied for his doctorate under celebrated Darwinist Ernst Haeckel
. He used his knowledge to patent an indigo dye
from which he earned a fortune that enabled him to concentrate his efforts on political ventures. Amongst his earliest activities was his place on the board of directors of the German Social Party, an anti-Semitic group led by Max Liebermann von Sonnenberg
in the 1890s. His 1901 book Varuna, in which he explored the supposed origins of the Aryan race, helped to make him a popular figure on the far right
. In this book he argued that history was driven by the process of racial purification and the energy and spirit that drove this desire. Hentschel was close to Theodor Fritsch
and with him founded the anti-Semitic journal Hammer in 1903. Fritsch announced that Varuna, which complained that Germans were becoming "Semitized" through such initiatives as democratisation and rural depopulation, was the ideological basis of the new journal.
who were outraged by what they saw as an attack on the institution of the family. Hentschel for his part belonged to the tendency within German nationalism that was strongly opposed to Christianity
anyway. Despite the criticism he founded his own Mittgart-Bund to publicise his idea and even attempted to start his colony in Lower Saxony
although this scheme met with little success and had been abandoned before 1914.
he moderated his ideas somewhat, calling instead for a migration of ethnic Germans into the east of the country in order to displace the Poles
living there. Hentschel called for these Germans to be Artamanen, a portmanteau word
he created from art and manen, Middle High German
words meaning 'agriculture man' and indicating his desire for a retreat from urban life to an idyllic rural past. His vision inspired the creation of the Artaman League
youth movement in which the likes of Heinrich Himmler
and Richard Walther Darré were active.
Hentschel joined the Nazi Party (as member number 144,649) on 1 August 1929 although, whilst his ideas about eugenics
were influential on Nazism
as an ideology, he had no real influence in the party personally.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
agrarian and volkisch writer and political activist. He sought to renew the Aryan race
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
through a variety of schemes, including selective breeding
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
and polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, all within a firmly rural setting.
Early political activity
A student of biologyBiology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
at the University of Jena, Henstchel studied for his doctorate under celebrated Darwinist Ernst Haeckel
Ernst Haeckel
The "European War" became known as "The Great War", and it was not until 1920, in the book "The First World War 1914-1918" by Charles à Court Repington, that the term "First World War" was used as the official name for the conflict.-Research:...
. He used his knowledge to patent an indigo dye
Indigo dye
Indigo dye is an organic compound with a distinctive blue color . Historically, indigo was a natural dye extracted from plants, and this process was important economically because blue dyes were once rare. Nearly all indigo dye produced today — several thousand tons each year — is synthetic...
from which he earned a fortune that enabled him to concentrate his efforts on political ventures. Amongst his earliest activities was his place on the board of directors of the German Social Party, an anti-Semitic group led by Max Liebermann von Sonnenberg
Max Liebermann von Sonnenberg
Max Liebermann von Sonnenberg was a German officer who became noted as an anti-Semitic politician and publisher...
in the 1890s. His 1901 book Varuna, in which he explored the supposed origins of the Aryan race, helped to make him a popular figure on the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
. In this book he argued that history was driven by the process of racial purification and the energy and spirit that drove this desire. Hentschel was close to Theodor Fritsch
Theodor Fritsch
Theodor Fritsch, originally Emil Theodor Fritsche , was a German publisher and pundit. His anti-semitic writings did much to influence popular German opinion against Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
and with him founded the anti-Semitic journal Hammer in 1903. Fritsch announced that Varuna, which complained that Germans were becoming "Semitized" through such initiatives as democratisation and rural depopulation, was the ideological basis of the new journal.
Mittgart
In 1904 he published the book Mittgart in which he outlined a scheme to send 1000 ethnically pure women and 100 men picked for their military and athletic prowess to large country estates to procreate Their children would then leave the estates at the age of 16 with the aim of travelling Germany and renewing racial stock. He further argued that in time the countryside would be the only place were pure Germans would be found, with the cities housing the biologically unfit who would die away quickly. Hentschel's scheme attracted criticism not only from religious leaders but also from fellow racial nationalistsEthnic nationalism
Ethnic nationalism is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. Whatever specific ethnicity is involved, ethnic nationalism always includes some element of descent from previous generations and the implied claim of ethnic essentialism, i.e...
who were outraged by what they saw as an attack on the institution of the family. Hentschel for his part belonged to the tendency within German nationalism that was strongly opposed to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
anyway. Despite the criticism he founded his own Mittgart-Bund to publicise his idea and even attempted to start his colony in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
although this scheme met with little success and had been abandoned before 1914.
Interbellum
After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he moderated his ideas somewhat, calling instead for a migration of ethnic Germans into the east of the country in order to displace the Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
living there. Hentschel called for these Germans to be Artamanen, a portmanteau word
Portmanteau word
A portmanteau or portmanteau word is a blend of two words or morphemes into one new word. A portmanteau word typically combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings...
he created from art and manen, Middle High German
Middle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
words meaning 'agriculture man' and indicating his desire for a retreat from urban life to an idyllic rural past. His vision inspired the creation of the Artaman League
Artaman League
The Artaman League was a German agrarian and völkisch movement dedicated to a Blut und Boden-inspired ruralism. Active during the inter-war period, the League became closely linked to, and eventually absorbed by, the Nazi Party.-Etymology:The term Artamanen had been coined before the First World...
youth movement in which the likes of Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
and Richard Walther Darré were active.
Hentschel joined the Nazi Party (as member number 144,649) on 1 August 1929 although, whilst his ideas about eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
were influential on Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
as an ideology, he had no real influence in the party personally.