Die Rolle Karl Haushofers für Entwicklung und Ideologie nationalsozialistischer Geopolitik

Abstract

The image of the personality of the founder of German geopolitics, the Bavarian general and professor, Karl Haushofer, has gained in clarity and detail thanks to the biography written by H.-A.Jacobsen. This contribution gives fresh emphasis to some aspects of the critical analysis of geopolitical ideology and its development. Thus Japan's central importance is presented as original experience for Haushofer's spatial conceptualization. It led to the model of national socialist Geopolitik - to continuing imperialist notions of population pressure, Lebensraum policies and directions for annexation, with racial ideology, a consciousness of mission and the principle of leadership. Another aspect which reveals the influence of geopolitic's image of Japan, takes up Haushofer's antipathy towards large cities and his inability to recognize economic-industrial structures and their significance. It appears that - born out of prejudice - the politico economic image of the enemy corresponded with the tangible basic conception of space in Haushofer's geopolitics, the Eurasian pact between Germany, Russia and Japan inspired by H.J. Mackinder. The analysis of texts and letters by Haushofer underlines the unscientific and politically unrealistic character of his geopolitics. The conclusion is drawn and emphasis is placed upon it to show that it makes no sense to continue the use of the term Geopolitik (geopolitics), even with changed content. Geopolitics never was a term serving scientific classification and political clarity, nor will it serve conceptual order and clarity in the future. The field of political geography requires circumspection, conscientiousness and strictness of scientific approach above all else. It is there that tasks arise which carry extraordinary weight in their association with historical problems of worldwide implications. One problem field emerges with increasing sharpness: namely, what in real terms was the effect of the great politico-social systems of the 20th century and their various control instruments in the spatial system of states? What is determined by the system, what remains free from it or even stands in opposition against it? - It would be of importance if from the bancruptcy of German geopolitics greater incentives for the investigation of such questions could be gained.