DFG was active participant in Nazi regime, study concludes

History of Germany’s biggest funder lays bare activities during Third Reich

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Germany’s largest public research funder, was largely supportive of national socialism during the Nazi era, a study has revealed.

The DFG was officially committed to the Führer Principle between 1933 and 1945, meaning its leadership followed priorities set by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi government. This ultimately led to the funding of “research in support of genocide and expulsion”, the study said.