Jan de Vries
Encyclopedia
Jan Pieter Marie Laurens de Vries (born 11 February 1890 in Amsterdam
— died 23 July 1964 in Utrecht
) was a Dutch
scholar of Germanic linguistics
and Germanic mythology
, from 1926 to 1945 ordinarius at Leiden University
and author of reference works still in use today.
During the German occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War
, de Vries was part of the Nederlandsche Kultuurkamer, a National Socialist censorship
body corresponding to the Kulturkammer, and prominent in the Ahnenerbe
. In a 1940 pamphlet and in radio speeches, he demonstrated sympathy for Nazi ideology
; in 1944 he fled to Leipzig. After the war, he was imprisoned and stripped of his academic position.
De Vries had demonstrated anti-democratic views earlier and had a great enthusiasm for German culture. However, he rejected the doctrine of the "Nordic race" and was frequently criticized by influential Nazis for insisting on differentiating Dutch culture from German and for specific actions such as seeking to found a new journal that would be open to anti-Nazi contributions and planning to make Ethnography a full subject of study at a Catholic university. He refused to join the Nazi Party, and in the preface to De Germanen in 1941 warned against "an all too uncritical mode of thought." At his trial for collaboration the verdict was that in spite of "personal moral integrity" he had committed "very serious political errors." He was sentenced to time served in internment and was able to resume his research and publishing while teaching Dutch from 1948 to 1955 in Oostburg, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen.
His scholarly work was not tainted by Nazism and continues to be respected and often cited in Germanic studies, particularly the two two-volume comprehensive studies, Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte, still the fullest overview of Germanic religion, and Altnordische Literaturgeschichte, a basic reference work on Old Norse literature
. In the Netherlands his translations and his etymological and placename work were also important.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
— died 23 July 1964 in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
scholar of Germanic linguistics
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
and Germanic mythology
Germanic mythology
Germanic mythology is a comprehensive term for myths associated with historical Germanic paganism, including Norse mythology, Anglo-Saxon mythology, Continental Germanic mythology, and other versions of the mythologies of the Germanic peoples...
, from 1926 to 1945 ordinarius at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
and author of reference works still in use today.
During the German occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, de Vries was part of the Nederlandsche Kultuurkamer, a National Socialist censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
body corresponding to the Kulturkammer, and prominent in the Ahnenerbe
Ahnenerbe
The Ahnenerbe was a Nazi German think tank that promoted itself as a "study society for Intellectual Ancient History." Founded on July 1, 1935, by Heinrich Himmler, Herman Wirth, and Richard Walther Darré, the Ahnenerbe's goal was to research the anthropological and cultural history of the Aryan...
. In a 1940 pamphlet and in radio speeches, he demonstrated sympathy for Nazi ideology
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
; in 1944 he fled to Leipzig. After the war, he was imprisoned and stripped of his academic position.
De Vries had demonstrated anti-democratic views earlier and had a great enthusiasm for German culture. However, he rejected the doctrine of the "Nordic race" and was frequently criticized by influential Nazis for insisting on differentiating Dutch culture from German and for specific actions such as seeking to found a new journal that would be open to anti-Nazi contributions and planning to make Ethnography a full subject of study at a Catholic university. He refused to join the Nazi Party, and in the preface to De Germanen in 1941 warned against "an all too uncritical mode of thought." At his trial for collaboration the verdict was that in spite of "personal moral integrity" he had committed "very serious political errors." He was sentenced to time served in internment and was able to resume his research and publishing while teaching Dutch from 1948 to 1955 in Oostburg, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen.
His scholarly work was not tainted by Nazism and continues to be respected and often cited in Germanic studies, particularly the two two-volume comprehensive studies, Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte, still the fullest overview of Germanic religion, and Altnordische Literaturgeschichte, a basic reference work on Old Norse literature
Old Norse literature
Old Norse literature refers to the vernacular literature of the Scandinavian peoples up to ca. 1350. It chiefly consists of Icelandic writings.See:* Old Norse poetry* Edda* Norse saga* Icelanders' sagas* Kings' sagas* Legendary sagas...
. In the Netherlands his translations and his etymological and placename work were also important.