Reichsuniversität Straßburg
Encyclopedia
The Reichsuniversität Straßburg (RUS) was founded 1941 by the National Socialists
in Alsace
while the regular University of Strasbourg
had moved to Clermont-Ferrand
since 1940. The purpose was to create a continuity to the German character of the German Imperial University of Strasbourg, that had been in operation from 1872 to 1918. In 1941, it was to the fore of German invaders to propagate the „pure German knowledge“ of national socialistic character in the annexed Alsace-Lorraine
. When the Allies arrived in Alsace in 1944, the Reichsuniversität was first transferred to Tübingen
and then dissolved.
Nazi physician and war criminal August Hirt
was the most famous professor serving at the RUS. It is at its Institut d'Anatomie Normale that he conducted his notorious experiences of "racial anatomy" and planned the Jewish skeleton collection
.
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
while the regular University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
had moved to Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
since 1940. The purpose was to create a continuity to the German character of the German Imperial University of Strasbourg, that had been in operation from 1872 to 1918. In 1941, it was to the fore of German invaders to propagate the „pure German knowledge“ of national socialistic character in the annexed Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
. When the Allies arrived in Alsace in 1944, the Reichsuniversität was first transferred to Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
and then dissolved.
Nazi physician and war criminal August Hirt
August Hirt
August Hirt , an SS-Hauptsturmführer , served as a chairman at the Reich University in Strasbourg during World War II....
was the most famous professor serving at the RUS. It is at its Institut d'Anatomie Normale that he conducted his notorious experiences of "racial anatomy" and planned the Jewish skeleton collection
Jewish skeleton collection
The Jewish skeleton collection was an attempt by the Nazis to create an anthropological display to showcase the alleged racial inferiority of the "Jewish race" and to emphasize the Jews status as untermenschen as opposed to the German race which the Nazis considered to be Aryan ubermenschen...
.