Bernhard Rust

Bernhard Rust

Dr. Bernhard Rust (30 September 1883 — 8 May 1945) was Minister of Science, Education and National Culture (Reichserziehungsminister) in Nazi Germany. A combination of school administrator and zealous Nazi, he issued decrees, often bizarre, at every level of the German educational system to immerse German youth in the National Socialist philosophy. In later years, he was the director of a national research center that oversaw the use of prisoners for medical experimentation. He committed suicide after the fall of Germany, but his death was not discovered until after the United Nations War Crimes Commission had indicted him for what was described as "human guinea pig" vivisection. [ "Nazi Doctors Face Vivisection Charges," "El Paso Herald-Post", 18 May 1945, p2 ]

Rust was born in Hannover, and obtained a doctorate in German philology and philosophy. After passing the state teaching examination in 1908. He became a high school teacher at Hannover's Ratsgymnasium, then served in the army during the First World War. He reached the rank of lieutenant and was awarded the Iron Cross for bravery. [ "Current Biography 1942", pp725-27 ]

Rust joined the NSDAP in 1922, and became the district leader for Hannover and Brunswick. In 1930, he was elected to the Reichstag. When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, Rust was appointed as the Prussian Minister for Cultural Affairs. On 1 June 1934, he was selected as Minister of Science, Education and National Culture (Reichsminister für Wissenschaft, Erziehung und Volksbildung), and set about to reshape the German educational system to conform to his ideals of National Socialism. Considered by many to be mentally unstable, Rust would spuriously create new regulations and then repeal them just as quickly. One noted example was in 1935, when he changed the traditional six-day school week to five days, with Saturday to be "Reich's Youth Day" when children in the Hitler Youth and the German Maidens would be out of school for study and testing. He then ordered the creation of a "rolling week", with a six days for study, followed by the "youth day" and a rest day, in 8-day periods. Thus, a rolling week starting on Monday would end with rest on the following Monday; the next rolling week would start on Tuesday and end 8 days later on the next Tuesday. When the 8-day week proved unworkable, Rust went back to the former system. [ "Current Biography 1942", pp725; "The Good Earth", "TIME"magazine, 30 September 1935 ] .

It was Dr. Rust who, in 1933, issued a rule that students and teachers should greet each other with the Nazi salute "as a symbol of the new Germany". He added his opinion that it was "expected of every German" regardless of membership in the party. [ "Sub-Dictator", "TIME"magazine, 21 August 1933 ] . Rust was instrumental in purging German universities of Jews and other enemies of the State, most notably the University of Göttingen. Nazi Germany's future leaders received their instruction elsewhere, in an NPEA or "Napola" (NAtionalPOLitische erziehungsAnstalten), of which there were 30 in the nation, where they would receive training to become administrators of conquered provinces [ "How Nazis are Trained", "TIME"magazine, 25 August 1941 ] .

Dr. Rust once remarked, "The whole function of education is to create Nazis." Rust also believed that non-Aryan science (such as Albert Einstein's "Jewish physics") was flawed, and had what he felt to be a rational explanation. In an address to scientists, he said, "The problems of science do not present themselves in the same way to all men. The Negro or the Jew will view the same world in a different light from the German investigator." [ "Current Biography 1942", p727 ] .
Erika Mann, the daughter of Thomas Mann, wrote an expose' of the Rust system in 1938, entitled "School for Barbarians", followed in 1941 by Gregor Ziemer's "Education for Death".

Rust reportedly committed suicide on 8 May 1945 when Germany surrendered to Allied forces.

References

External links

* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERrust.htm Short biography of Rust]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bernhard Rust — Bernhard Rust, 1934 Bernhard Rust (* 30. September 1883 in Hannover; † 8. Mai 1945 in Berne) war ein deutscher Politiker (NSDAP), MdL und MdR. 1933/34 leitete er das preußische Kultusministerium und von 1934 bis 1945 das …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bernhard Rust — Bernhard Rust, en 1934. Mandats Ministre de la Science et …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Rust — ist der Name folgender Orte: Rust (Burgenland), eine Freistadt (Stadt mit eigenem Statut) im Burgenland, Österreich Rust (Baden), eine Gemeinde im Ortenaukreis, Baden Württemberg, Deutschland Rust im Tullnerfeld, eine Katastralgemeinde der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Rust (disambiguation) — Rust may refer toPlaces: * Rust, Germany, town in South West Germany near the Rhine ** Europapark Rust, second most popular theme park in Europe * Rust, Austria, in Burgenland, Austria *Rust im Tullnerfeld, in Lower Austria * Rust belt, region of …   Wikipedia

  • Rust — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Personnes Rust est un nom de famille notamment porté par : Albert Rust (1953 ), footballeur français. Bernhard Rust (1883 1945), dignitaire nazi,… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Bernhard Setzwein — (2010) Bernhard Setzwein (* 29. April 1960 in München) ist ein deutscher Schriftsteller. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Michael Bernhard Valentini — (* 26. November 1657 in Gießen; † 18. März 1729 ebenda) war ein deutscher Arzt und Naturforscher. Museum Museorum, Bd.I, Frontispiz (2. Aufl. 1714) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Anna Croissant-Rust — um 1909 Anna Flora Barbara Croissant Rust (* 10. Dezember 1860 in Dürkheim; † 30. Juli 1943 in München) war eine deutsche Schriftstellerin. Inhalts …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke — (à gauche) et Kurt Student …   Wikipédia en Français

  • RWU — Bernhard Rust, 1934, Reichsminister für Wissenschaft, Erziehung und VolksbildungReichskulturminister und Dienstherr der Reichsstelle für den Unterrichtsfilm Die Reichsstelle für den Unterrichtsfilm (RfdU), die 1940 in Reichsanstalt für Film und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”