Paul de Lagarde: A Nineteenth-Century 'Radical' Conservative -- and Precursor of National Socialism?

In: European history quarterly, Band 26, Heft 4, S. 527-557

Abstract

The political & politicoreligious writings of Paul de Lagarde are analyzed to determine their impact on the policies of the German National Socialist movement during the early 20th century. It is contended that Lagarde's proposals for national reform merely foreshadow Nazi policies; moreover, while the Lagarde of the 1870s is delineated as radical, the Lagarde of the 1880s is simply an unorthodox conservative. An overview of Lagarde's views on religion explicates his theory of the history of religion, his reproach of the liberal Zeitgeist, & his perspective on a new religious movement. Lagarde's national reform proposals covered the political role of the state vs the biological/spiritual role of the nation, religion & education, Jewish inhabitation of Germany, politics & society, & the unification of Germany with Austria. Although his problematic definition of religion & his support of using force to overcome national opponents would have transformed Germany into a modern Rome, it is concluded that Nazi ideology was a product of the 20th century, not Lagarde's theories. J. W. Parker