Johannes Stark and the “Aryan Physics” Movement in Germany (9/21)

The time leading up to and during World War II was characterized by an “Aryan” movement in Germany. The concept of what constituted “Aryan” changed depending upon the context it was used in. For example, in relation to race, an Aryan person was a white, blond-haired, blue-eyed, German. When the government tried to “Aryanize” the country in racial policies, any other nationalities and darker-skinned people were at a risk of losing their rights. This was especially the case for Jews. In relation to commodities, an Aryan product was something that was seen as being superior or the best. Thus, anything produced by non-Aryans was labeled as inferior. In relation to science, Aryan physics was characterized as being “pure” and conservative. The radical theories produced especially by Jews were discredited during the Aryanization of science.

The Aryan Physics Movement in Germany led by Johannes Stark was the topic of today’s reading. This movement sought to discredit and alienate any theories or physicists who proposed new research. These alienated scientists tended to be of Jewish background. For example, Albert Einstein and his theory of relativity were not accepted. Deutsche Physik would only promote certain kinds of science, that is, the more conservative types (Walker 13).

It is quite apparent how race was not the determining factor is what made physics “Aryan.” In my opinion, Stark determined what constituted “Aryan” and bent this definition to suit his purposes. He personally felt threatened by the new science of the period. Thus, he did anything to suppress modern physicists, including terming them non-Aryan. The reason for this is that he did not want to lose his position of power during changing times. It seems that Stark was suffering from an inferiority complex. Throughout his career, he did not receive the recognition he wanted for his work. By endorsing himself and his colleagues while estranging his opposition, he hoped to reign supreme in German physics.

We will and have seen this trend throughout history. Later in the course, we learned about how Robert J. Oppenheimer was put on trial for past deeds that he had already been cleared of. The point of the trial of this prominent scientific figure was to utterly humiliate him and remove him from the nuclear physics community. Through the reading, it seemed like no one really questioned the reasons why he was brought to trial. Likewise, not many people asked questions about the motives of Johannes Stark in isolating a large part of the physics community at the time. What it all boils down to is that divisions in science are not really about science at all. Everyone, especially Stark, wants fame and is out there for themselves. It is hard to check the egos of great public figures. It is reasons like these that make it imperative to examine why certain things happened in history and the true motives behind them.