The magic of a construction: notes on M. Fahlbusch "Wissenschaft im Dienstder nationalsozialistischen Politik?"

This article provides a critical review of a voluminous recent monograph by M. Fahlbusch on German ,,Volksdeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaften'' during t he Nazi dictatorship. The book is based on systematic research in archives and documentation centres. The author claims that during this period an aca demic brains trust existed which was directly involved in planning the war of extermination. However, this thesis is not adequately supported by the e vidence. The author identifies several academic and political networks, yet these are inadequately explained and insufficiently contextualised.