In 1933 Germany, as the Nazi regime consolidated power, universities became a focal point for enforcing ideological conformity. The University of Frankfurt, a historically liberal institution, faced early intervention with the appointment of a Nazi official to oversee faculty. Jewish and left-leaning faculty were dismissed or coerced into compliance. Hans Hermann Glunz, chair of English, publicly conformed while privately resisting by maintaining a politically neutral research agenda. His 1938 monograph on medieval poetry illustrated a critique of applying Nazi ideologies to scholarly work, reflecting the broader struggle of academics during this oppressive period.
Glunz argued that Héraucourtâs analysis of Chaucer's values fell short due to its oversimplification of the complex social and cultural dynamics present in the medieval period.
The interference of the Nazi regime in academic institutions led to significant changes within universities, stifling liberal thought and promoting an ideological conformity among scholars.
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