From Racism to Genocide

Book excerpt: From Racism to Genocide is an explosive, richly detailed account of how Nazi anthropologists justified racism, developed practical applications of racist theory, and eventually participated in every phase of the Holocaust. Using original sources, correspondence between anthropologists of the time, and previously unpublished documentation, Gretchen Schafft shows the total range of anti-human activity from within the confines of a particular discipline. Based on seven years of archival research in this country and abroad, the work includes many original photos and documents, most of which have never before been published. It uses primary data and original texts whenever possible, including correspondence written by perpetrators. A discussion of Hitler's final solution, Nazi slave labor, and the rape of occupied Poland reveal the full horror of the Third Reich. Embedded concepts of scientism, denial, academic responsibility, and race contribute to understanding some of today's most pressing social science issues. The book also reveals that the United States was not merely a bystander in this research, but instead contributed scientific and financial support to early racial r