Propaganda and cultural reconquest:The German scientific associations and the impact of the Great War on the sciences, Argentina, 1914-1930

BALLESTERO DIEGO,; GARCIA, SUSANA V; IRINA PODGORNY

Congreso; War and Propaganda in the Twentieth Century; 2013

Universidad de Lisboa

). In this paper we summarize some of the conflicts related to the tensions between Argentine and German scientists, living in Argentina, and enrolled in German cultural propaganda. In a context that was favorable to French culture and British interests, the ?Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Verein? (Association of German Scientists) of Buenos Aires, through its publications, argued that the history of science and education in Argentina were inextricably linked to German culture. In this paper, we examine the reactions of Argentinan scientists, nucleated at the Sociedad Argentina de Ciencias Naturales, to the German cultural and political agenda in Argentina. We refer to the activities and initiatives promoted by German scientific societies during and after the Great War, when they attempted at the scientific and ?cultural reconquest? of these territories. In particular, we refer to the role and networks of Robert Lehmann-Nitsche, who lived in Argentina between 1897 and 1930 and was involved in several conflicts within the University of La Plata. Lehmann-Nitsche was part also of German anti-republican movements, concerned about the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles and the destiny of the ?Deutschum? (Podgorny, 2002). This paper is based on the analysis of primary sources, Argentine newspapers, and scientific publications- It extensively uses Lehmann-Nitsche?s personal archive (Leg. LN), kept at the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut, SBB (Berlin). Lehmann-Nitsche was a collector of memorabilia of his Argentinean life: he compiled newspaper clippens, posters, and pamphlets. Together with his letters, these materials constitute an important source for examining the activities undertaken by German associations in Argentina, their networks, and how German and Argentinean scientists combined heir own interests with patriotic loyalties