German Research on the Ancient Near East and Its Relation to Political and Economic Interests from Kaiserreich to World War II

The importance of ancient history and archaeology for the construction of national identities has repeatedly been stressed in recent years. This essay addresses the question of the importance of Ancient Near Eastern studies in Germany from 1870 to 1945. It is argued that this seemingly apolitical research developed hand in hand with the economic and political as well as cultural interests prevalent in Wilhelmian Germany. After World War I, this concern, for various ideological and political reasons, gave way to a reorientation toward ancient Greece. During the Nazi regime, the auspices for the study of the Ancient Near East changed again. Here it was put to use for the devaluation of the Semitic people and glorification of Aryan history. But whatever ideological stance was taken toward the Ancient Near East, its research remained a very important vehicle in international relations and a factor for German influence in the region.