A Mitläufer (German for "fellow traveller"; plural Mitläufer, feminine Mitläuferin) is a person tied to or passively sympathising with certain social movements, often to those that are prevalent, controversial or radical. In English, the term was most commonly used after World War II, during the denazification hearings in West Germany, to refer to people who were not charged with Nazi crimes but whose involvement with the Nazi Party was considered so significant that they could not be exonerated for the crimes of the Nazi regime.
The German word Mitläufer (literally "with-walker" or "one walking with") has been in common use since the 17th century. It means as much as "follower", more literally "tag-along", a person who gives in to peer pressure. A Mitläufer is one who is not convinced by the ideology of the group followed but merely offers no resistance, such as for lack of courage or for opportunism.
The term is usually translated in English as "fellow traveller" or "hanger-on", but it is not equivalent to either. A German dictionary provides the English translation as "follower".[1] An English version dictionary defines it as "a passive follower".[2]
The German word Mitläufereffekt is derived from it. Mitläufereffekt, also called the Bandwagon-Effekt (bandwagon effect), refers to the effect a perceived success exerts on the willingness of individuals to join the expected success. For example, voters would like to be on the winning side and so prefer to choose the candidate that they expect will win.[3]
In the American Sector of Allied-occupied Germany, a "follower" was the second lowest group or category in the denazification proceedings. The denazification hearings classified Germans according to five groups:[4]
1. Major Offenders (German: Hauptschuldige)
2. Offenders: Activists, Militants, or Profiteers (German: Belastete)
3. Lesser offenders (German: Minderbelastete)
4. Followers (German: Mitläufer)
5. Exonerated persons (German: Entlastete)
In Allied-occupied Austria, the Russian term poputchik (fellow traveller) was translated into German as Mitläufer, and they were considered to be "lesser offenders" (a person who, although not formally charged with participation in war crimes, was sufficiently involved with the Nazi regime to the extent that the Allied authorities could not legally exonerate them).[5]
Assessmentedit
Of the five categories, Mitläufer is the most controversial as it does not relate to any formal Nazi criminal activity, as defined by the Nuremberg trials, only to a loosely defined indirect support of Nazi crimes.[6] Therefore, former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt could say about Herbert von Karajan's Nazi Party membership card: "Karajan was obviously not a Nazi. He was a Mitläufer."[7]
In essence, Mitläufer were found de facto guilty of contributing to Nazi crimes, even though they were not necessarily ideologically committed to some essential Nazi doctrines, especially biological racism and the policy of Jewish extermination.[5]
The Nazi Mitläufer often were of a slightly different sort: they sympathised with the Nazis but only indirectly participated in Nazi atrocities such as genocide. This is why this category was often used as an easy way to excuse most Germans legally from Nazi crimes.[citation needed]
^"Mitläufereffekt", Wolfgang J. Koschnik, Standardwörterbuch für die Sozi.alwissenschaften, Bd. 2, München London New York Paris 1993, ISBN3-598-11080-4. (in German)
^"Control Council Directive No. 38 (October 12, 1946)" (PDF). The German Historical Institute. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
^ abOtt, Hugo (1993). Martin Heidegger: A Political Life. London: Harper Collins. p. 407. ISBN0-00-215399-8.
^Arzt, Donna (1995). "Nuremberg, Denazification and Democracy. The Hate Speech Problem of the International Military Tribunal". New York Law School of Human Rights (689).
^"Der Mann, der zweimal in die NSDAP eintrat" [The man who joined the NSDAP twice] (in German). Welt.de. 2008-01-08. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
^"In Aschaffenburg wurde das erste Christian-Schad-Museum eröffnet". Strandgut – Das Kulturmagazin für Frankfurt und Rhein-Main. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
External linksedit
The Mitläufer in Two German Postwar Films
April 11, 2024
mitläufer, german, fellow, traveller, plural, feminine, person, tied, passively, sympathising, with, certain, social, movements, often, those, that, prevalent, controversial, radical, english, term, most, commonly, used, after, world, during, denazification, h. A Mitlaufer German for fellow traveller plural Mitlaufer feminine Mitlauferin is a person tied to or passively sympathising with certain social movements often to those that are prevalent controversial or radical In English the term was most commonly used after World War II during the denazification hearings in West Germany to refer to people who were not charged with Nazi crimes but whose involvement with the Nazi Party was considered so significant that they could not be exonerated for the crimes of the Nazi regime Contents 1 Etymology 2 Legal definitions 3 Assessment 4 Examples 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEtymology editThe German word Mitlaufer literally with walker or one walking with has been in common use since the 17th century It means as much as follower more literally tag along a person who gives in to peer pressure A Mitlaufer is one who is not convinced by the ideology of the group followed but merely offers no resistance such as for lack of courage or for opportunism The term is usually translated in English as fellow traveller or hanger on but it is not equivalent to either A German dictionary provides the English translation as follower 1 An English version dictionary defines it as a passive follower 2 The German word Mitlaufereffekt is derived from it Mitlaufereffekt also called the Bandwagon Effekt bandwagon effect refers to the effect a perceived success exerts on the willingness of individuals to join the expected success For example voters would like to be on the winning side and so prefer to choose the candidate that they expect will win 3 Legal definitions editFurther information Denazification Application In the American Sector of Allied occupied Germany a follower was the second lowest group or category in the denazification proceedings The denazification hearings classified Germans according to five groups 4 1 Major Offenders German Hauptschuldige 2 Offenders Activists Militants or Profiteers German Belastete 3 Lesser offenders German Minderbelastete 4 Followers German Mitlaufer 5 Exonerated persons German Entlastete In Allied occupied Austria the Russian term poputchik fellow traveller was translated into German as Mitlaufer and they were considered to be lesser offenders a person who although not formally charged with participation in war crimes was sufficiently involved with the Nazi regime to the extent that the Allied authorities could not legally exonerate them 5 Assessment editOf the five categories Mitlaufer is the most controversial as it does not relate to any formal Nazi criminal activity as defined by the Nuremberg trials only to a loosely defined indirect support of Nazi crimes 6 Therefore former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt could say about Herbert von Karajan s Nazi Party membership card Karajan was obviously not a Nazi He was a Mitlaufer 7 In essence Mitlaufer were found de facto guilty of contributing to Nazi crimes even though they were not necessarily ideologically committed to some essential Nazi doctrines especially biological racism and the policy of Jewish extermination 5 The Nazi Mitlaufer often were of a slightly different sort they sympathised with the Nazis but only indirectly participated in Nazi atrocities such as genocide This is why this category was often used as an easy way to excuse most Germans legally from Nazi crimes citation needed Examples editIn addition to von Karajan well known Mitlaufer included the philosopher Martin Heidegger Christian Schad 8 and Wilhelm Stuckart See also editBandwagon effect Herd behavior List of Axis personnel indicted for war crimes The Holocaust Fellow travellerReferences edit Mitlaufer Retrieved 23 April 2017 in German Mitlaufer Retrieved 23 April 2017 Mitlaufereffekt Wolfgang J Koschnik Standardworterbuch fur die Sozi alwissenschaften Bd 2 Munchen London New York Paris 1993 ISBN 3 598 11080 4 in German Control Council Directive No 38 October 12 1946 PDF The German Historical Institute Retrieved 23 April 2017 a b Ott Hugo 1993 Martin Heidegger A Political Life London Harper Collins p 407 ISBN 0 00 215399 8 Arzt Donna 1995 Nuremberg Denazification and Democracy The Hate Speech Problem of the International Military Tribunal New York Law School of Human Rights 689 Der Mann der zweimal in die NSDAP eintrat The man who joined the NSDAP twice in German Welt de 2008 01 08 Retrieved 2012 08 25 In Aschaffenburg wurde das erste Christian Schad Museum eroffnet Strandgut Das Kulturmagazin fur Frankfurt und Rhein Main 22 July 2022 Retrieved 25 February 2024 External links editThe Mitlaufer in Two German Postwar Films Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mitlaufer amp oldid 1217870547, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
