Popular racism

• Racism was a feature of German political culture in the early part of the 20th century and was associated with undemocratic political movements.
• All Germans were committed to the notion that white European civilisation was superior to other cultures in Africa and Asia.
• widespread support for colonialism across the political spectrum
• Africans were inherently inferior was also widespread
• some Germans supported the 'racial war' which led to genocide of Herero and Namaqua, two groups living in one of Germany's African colonies from 1904
• unlike the French and British gov's, the German army refused to recruit black soldiers to fight for the empire in Europe during WW1, believing that black soldiers would 'pollute' the 'racial purity' of white Europe.
• Anti-Semitism was a powerful force in Germany. antisemites blamed the Jews for a host of calamities. 1890's - the Jews were blamed for spreading the plague, poisoning German children and corrupting German culture through music, literature and drama.
• Racism was related to various undemocratic ideas. - associated with Social Darwinism.
• Social Darwinists:

  thought humans were naturally unequal and that it was the right of strong humans to dominate the weak.
• Democracy was unnatural because it gave equal political rights to profoundly unequal people.
• antisemites also looked forward to the emergence of a 'secret kaiser' who could 'cleanse' Germany of 'impure' races.
• antisemites of this type put their faith in a 'strong man' to save Germany rather than trusting in democracy.
• Racist ideas were extremely influential in Imperial Germany
• Racial Hygiene Society and Karl Lueger, the antisemitic mayor of Vienna, campaigned for racist laws and racial persecution.
• These kinds of views did not disappear with the fall of the empire but continued to influence German politics after the creation of the republic.