Renata Filia (Irene Kankeleit)
A topic currently in focus and being worked on by Alexandra Kankeleit deals with the “Activities of German archaeologists in Greece during the Nazi Period (1933-1944)”. The impact of Nazi ideology and the historical caesura since 1933 (“Gleichschaltung”, “Olympiade”, “Anschluss”, outbreak of the Second World War and occupation of Greece) on the work and attitude of German archaeologists in Greece will be investigated. During the occupation (1941-1944), different archaeologically oriented institutions were active in Greece, some of which engaged in bitter disputes. These intrigues and competitive struggles, typical of the polycratic Nazi system, will be discussed in detail in the context of our project.
Furthermore, special attention will be paid to the social and cultural networks in Greece in which German scholars of antiquity were significantly involved due to their prestige as well as their excellent knowledge of the country and the language. In the course of the period under study, their long-standing relationships with Greek colleagues and representatives of the other archaeological schools in Greece were to be put to a severe test. The question of fractures or continuities in the international archaeological community will also be examined within the framework of the project.
The goal is to summarize the research results in a final monograph.