regarding Columbia University, I just learned about this (anonymous) account of negotiations of the Hitler regime in the 1930s with Frankfurt University -- Germany's most prestigious university at the time:
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I know this is not the main point, but I doubt that Frankfurt (founded in 1914) was the most prestigious uni (perhaps in sociology). The prominent places were Goettingen, Berlin, Munich, perhaps Heidelberg ...
I am not a historian, but I have always been surprised that most of the nazi support came from students (especially book burnings). Yes, faculty resistance was rare and very risky.
christoph: historian - me neither. but I know that the nazi support by students came from the *organized* students aka "burschenschaften", which had - and still have - a long nationalistic tradition.
I think the book burnings were often organized by the eager NSDStB against Goebbels' initial wish, but I'm walking on thin ice. I also always thought that many faculty back then were way too snobbish/sophisticated to support the nazis ... prominent exceptions existed and I also might be just wrong
these are the two parallels:
1) motivation: purity of white race, anti-DEI, anti-LGBTIQ
2) strategy: focus on a prestigious, liberal institution to set an intimidating precedent
ironically the leverage is derived from camouflaging the antisemitism many in the current administration share
a timely reminder, joachim! you didn't point it out, but it's well worth to follow on what happened to those academics who readily bowed to the nazis in '33. in their majority, they could enjoy their brilliant careers and continued carefree after WW2 until their retirement in the 50s/60s...
...the career of a leading eugenicist, otmar von verschuer, for example, was was meticulously traced by benno müller-hill in 'murderous science' (1984). not many but some german academics loathed benno as "Nestbeschmutzer" back then.
Curious, what year was this?
That attitude went on to many other universities. To the point that students who didn't salute "seig heil" didn't graduate - even if in last year of study.
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https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1978/12/the-monster-and-the-lamb/662832/
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1) motivation: purity of white race, anti-DEI, anti-LGBTIQ
2) strategy: focus on a prestigious, liberal institution to set an intimidating precedent
ironically the leverage is derived from camouflaging the antisemitism many in the current administration share
(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otmar_Freiherr_von_Verschuer)
That attitude went on to many other universities. To the point that students who didn't salute "seig heil" didn't graduate - even if in last year of study.