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Franz AltheimGerman historian and philologist, leading employee of the Ahnenerbe
Date of Birth: 06.10.1898
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Franz Altheim: German Historian and Philologist
- Military Service and Academic Career
- Involvement with the SS and Academic Advancement
- Collaboration with the Ahnenerbe
- Post-War Career
Franz Altheim: German Historian and Philologist
Early Life and EducationFranz Altheim was born into a Protestant family in the bohemian household of a sculptor father. Following the departure of his mother, his father committed suicide on Christmas Eve 1914. From 1916 to 1921, Altheim pursued classical philology and ancient history at the University of Frankfurt.
Military Service and Academic Career
In 1917, Altheim joined the army as a translator and served in the Ottoman Empire. After defending his doctoral dissertation on Aristotle's "Politics" in 1921, he completed his postdoctoral thesis on "Greek Gods in Ancient Rome" in 1928.
Involvement with the SS and Academic Advancement
From 1934 to 1936, Altheim was a member of the SA (Sturmabteilung). In 1935, he became a private lecturer and in 1936, an extraordinary professor of classical philology at the University of Frankfurt. He also held a deputy position at the University of Halle-Wittenberg and became a full professor in 1943.
Collaboration with the Ahnenerbe
Altheim actively collaborated with the Ahnenerbe, an SS research organization that provided funding for his studies. He directed the research and education department for ancient history within the Ahnenerbe and participated in an expedition to the Middle East in 1938.
Post-War Career
After the war, Altheim initially lost his professorship but was soon reinstated. From 1948 to 1950, he served as a professor of ancient history in Halle, and from 1950 to 1964, he was the chair of ancient history at the Free University of Berlin. He was also a member of the board of trustees for the journal "Nouvelle École," a publication of the "Groupement de recherche et d'études pour la civilisation européenne."
