Nietzsche in National Socialism. A small exhibition on a major topic

What does Friedrich Nietzsche have to do with National Socialism? What was it about Nietzsche that enthralled both fascists and anti-fascists alike? These are the questions addressed in the small cabinet exhibition Nietzsche in National Socialism. A small exhibition on a major topic from 22 March to 1 November 2024 at the Nietzsche-Archiv.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy was ideologically instrumentalised during the era of National Socialism. His sister and founder of the Nietzsche-Archiv, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, along with other family members, actively encouraged this ideological appropriation. In this way, the philosopher, who had been a lifelong critic of anti-Semitism and National Socialism, was reimagined as a “German thinker”. His disaffection with imperial politics was redirected to discredit the Weimar Republic, and his concepts of the “Übermensch” and “Herrenmensch” were glorified under the Nazis. However, there were some from both sides of the political spectrum who warned against embracing Nietzsche’s philosophy. The staunch Nazi sympathiser Curt von Westernhagen described Nietzsche’s incompatibility with Nazi ideology, while Oscar Levy, the translator and editor of the complete English edition of Nietzsche’s writings, fought for decades against the politicised reinterpretation of Nietzsche’s work. The cabinet exhibition highlights the contradictory appropriations of Nietzsche’s legacy during the years of National Socialism and asks to what extent Nietzsche himself might have been responsible for this fatal rupture in his literary reception.

“Even those who know almost nothing about Nietzsche – or perhaps because they don’t – have likely heard that he had something to do with National Socialism. That’s why we felt it was important to examine Nietzsche’s reception during National Socialism and explore the connection between his philosophy and Nazi ideology. At closer inspection, we find that the claim that Nietzsche anticipated National Socialism to be entirely unfounded,” explained Helmut Heit, director of the Kolleg Friedrich Nietzsche. 

The exhibition opens on 21 March 2024 at 6 pm at the Nietzsche-Archiv in Weimar. 

Exhibition info:

Friedrich Nietzsche in National Socialism. A small exhibition on a major topic

22 March – 1 November 2024 

Nietzsche-Archiv | Humboldtstraße 36 | 99425 Weimar 

Wed – Mon | 10 am – 6 pm 

Free admission with purchase of museum ticket