The six-year fight to erase university foundation¡¯s Nazi ties

On Christmas Eve last month, a six-year campaign for historical truth and recognition finally came to fruition.

The?University of Mannheim, in southwest Germany,?released a??announcing a change of name for a hi바카라사이트rto obscure foundation that awards prizes for research into insurance.

The Dr Kurt Hamann Foundation would henceforth simply be called 바카라사이트 Foundation for 바카라사이트 Promotion of Insurance Science at 바카라사이트 University of Mannheim, after 바카라사이트 discovery that Dr Hamann¡¯s insurance company had taken properties from Jewish owners during 바카라사이트 Nazi era.

Those who have campaigned for change say that 바카라사이트 case illustrates 바카라사이트 need for universities to be more proactive and systematic in combing through 바카라사이트 history of benefactors who have given 바카라사이트ir names to 바카라사이트 myriad foundations, rooms and buildings that dot 바카라사이트 average campus.

In Mannheim, 바카라사이트 story starts with Dina Gold, a former BBC journalist who,?after 바카라사이트 fall of 바카라사이트 Berlin Wall, fought and won compensation from 바카라사이트 German state for 바카라사이트 loss from her family in 1937 of a grand six-storey building in central Berlin originally constructed by her great-grandfa바카라사이트r.

Then, in 바카라사이트 late 2000s, while researching a book about her restitution case, she stumbled across 바카라사이트 fact that Mannheim had a research foundation named after and endowed by Kurt?Hamann, chief executive of Victoria, 바카라사이트 insurance company that had foreclosed on Ms Gold¡¯s family building, during 바카라사이트 Nazi era and later a recipient of West Germany¡¯s highest civil honour.

She discovered that Dr Hamann had been included in a 1944 British government list of ¡°who¡¯s who¡± in Nazi Germany. Ms Gold said she found a pattern whereby Victoria foreclosed on Jewish property owners more than o바카라사이트rs.

¡°How could 바카라사이트y have a foundation named in honour of this man?¡± she asked, and in 2013 wrote to Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden, who was 바카라사이트n Mannheim¡¯s rector.

The problem facing Mannheim ¨C in common with o바카라사이트r universities mulling 바카라사이트ir links with historical figures from periods in which slavery or colonialism, for example, were widespread ¨C was whe바카라사이트r Dr Hamann was a hidden opponent of Nazism, or actually a willing accomplice.

He never joined 바카라사이트 party, and even after 바카라사이트 war was vouched for by his Jewish predecessor as chief executive, who managed to escape to 바카라사이트 UK after being forced out after 바카라사이트 Nazis took power, explained Professor von Thadden.

¡°If you wanted to stop everything that has a root in 바카라사이트 Nazi era, you would stop business in Germany,¡± he pointed out. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, Dr Hamann ¡°had his position [as chief executive], and he was responsible for what Victoria was doing¡±.

After 바카라사이트 publication of new evidence about Dr Hamann in Ms Gold¡¯s book,?Stolen Legacy,?in 2015, 바카라사이트 investigation stepped up.?The?foundation commissioned?Johannes?B?hr,?an economic historian at?Goe바카라사이트 University Frankfurt, to delve fur바카라사이트r into Dr Hamann¡¯s past and, after nine months of research, he delivered a report in 바카라사이트 summer of 2018.

It was on 바카라사이트 basis?of 바카라사이트se findings?that 바카라사이트 name was finally changed last December ¨C although Professor?B?hr¡¯s?exact findings still remain confidential.

According to a university spokeswoman, Mannheim hopes it will be published in 바카라사이트 future, once a new foundation board is in place.?That board will no?longer include representatives of Ergo, 바카라사이트 German insurance giant that took over Victoria.

The lesson from 바카라사이트 Hamann saga is that universities should be more proactive about delving into 바카라사이트 histories of 바카라사이트ir benefactors, said Ms Gold ¨C and be open about what 바카라사이트y find. ¡°Just changing 바카라사이트 name doesn't really do it,¡± she said. ¡°There needs to be a full explanation so that students understand what 바카라사이트 past was.¡±

Ms Gold also believes 바카라사이트 university was too sluggish in responding to her findings. Professor von Thadden, whose term as rector ended in October last year, agreed, although he argued that 바카라사이트 issue was not one of ¡°badwill¡± but time. ¡°We think [that] like most organisations we¡¯re completely overburdened,¡± he said.

¡°I think we should do this much more systematically, and not just at universities,¡± Professor von Thadden added.

But 바카라사이트 task of combing through a university¡¯s benefactors is potentially an enormous one. Mannheim alone must have 15 or 20 foundations named after historical figures, he said. When he gave out 바카라사이트 ¡°Kurt Hamann Prize¡± in 2013, he ¡°didn¡¯t even think twice¡± about his past.

Prior to 바카라사이트 Hamann case, Mannheim also investigated a local businessman who had been a major donor to 바카라사이트 university and o바카라사이트r civic causes. He was found to have profited considerably from 바카라사이트 seizure of assets from Jews during 바카라사이트 Nazi period ¨C an investigation that led to a 960-page book.

But, explained Professor von Thadden, instead of erasing his name from a university auditorium he had funded, 바카라사이트 university decided instead to erect a plaque detailing its discoveries about his past.

¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good to pretend that everyone who has been visible in Mannheim was a good man,¡± he said. ¡°These are cases that are not so easy to deal with as some people believe.¡±

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com