The Explorer's Roadmap to National-Socialism: Sven Hedin, Geography and the Path to Genocide

315 Pages·2012·1.553 MB·English

by  Sarah K. Danielsson

The Explorer’s Roadmap to
National-Socialism
Sven Hedin, Geography and the Path to Genocide
Sarah K. Danielsson
The explorer’s roadmap To
NaTioNal-socialism
To Henry, for an amazing friendship.
The explorer’s roadmap to
National-socialism
sven hedin, Geography and the path to Genocide
sarah K. daNielssoN
The City University of New York, USA
© sarah K. danielsson 2012
all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
sarah K. danielsson has asserted her right under the copyright, designs and patents act, 1988,
to be identified as the author of this work.
published by
ashgate publishing limited ashgate publishing company
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
danielsson, sarah Kristina.
The explorer’s roadmap to National-socialism : sven hedin,
geography and the path to genocide.
1. hedin, sven anders, 1865-1952. 2. hedin, sven anders, 1865-1952--political and social
views. 3. hedin, sven anders, 1865-1952--political activity--Germany. 4. National socialism-
-history--20th century. i. Title
320.5'33'092-dc23
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
danielsson, sarah Kristina.
The explorer’s roadmap to national-socialism : sven hedin, geography and
the path to genocide / sarah K. danielsson.
p. cm.
Based on the author’s thesis (doctoral)--University of minnesota, 2005.
includes bibliographical references and index.
isBN 978-1-4094-3212-8 (hardcover) -- isBN 978-1-4094-3213-5 (ebook)
1. hedin, sven anders, 1865-1952--political activity. 2. explorers--sweden--Biography.
3. National socialism and intellectuals. 4. National socialism and science. 5. Geopolitics--
Germany--history. i. Title.
G306.h4d36 2012
320.53'3092--dc23
[B]
2011045040
isBN 9781409432128 (hbk)
isBN 9781409432135 (ebk – pdf)
isBN 9781409484325 (ebk – epUB)
V
printed and bound in Great Britain by the
mpG Books Group, UK
Contents
List of Abbreviations vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction At the Heart of the Matter: The Politics of Science 1
Part: From GeoGraPher to Political activist,
1880–1933
1 “Geographical Knowledge is World Power”: Sven Hedin’s Rise to Fame
and Influence (1885–1903) 9
2 The Ideological Conviction of a Germanic Nationalist:
Hedin the Agitator (1904–1913) 47
3 At the Front Lines of the Great War:
Defending the Germanic Cause (1914–1918) 77
4 “There is a Cancer in the Middle of Europe”:
Hedin’s National-Socialist Blueprint (1919–1934) 103
Part ii: the Nazi Years aNd the aFtermath, 1934–1952
5 “The Hour of Retribution has Struck”:
The Fateful Years (1935–1938) 129
6 “On a Mission” in Berlin: Plans for the East
and the Move toward Genocide (1939–1941) 165
7 “The Truest Friend” of the Third Reich:
Justifying Genocide – Clinging to the Hope of Victory
(1942–1945) 211
vi The Explorer’s Roadmap to National-Socialism
8 The Final Years: Sven Hedin, Apologia Pro Vita Sua (1945–1952) 239
Conclusion: The Politics of Science: In Defense of the Indefensible 257
Bibliography 261
Index 295
List of Abbreviations
RA Riksarkivet
SAH Sven Anders Hedins Arkiv
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Acknowledgments
I am especially grateful to historians and colleagues who took the time to
discuss and read numerous drafts of this text. Among those, I particularly want
to mention my PhD advisor Eric D. Weitz, Professor of German History and
Genocide at the University of Minnesota; and Henry R. Huttenbach, Professor
Emeritus of the City College of New York. There have also been numerous
librarians and archivists that greatly facilitated my research. I want to especially
mention the archivists at Riksarkivet in Stockholm and the National Archives at
College Park, where I conducted most of my research.