New study reveals possible Nazi knitting by plant expert Tüxen

New study reveals possible Nazi knitting by plant expert Tüxen

Professor Reinhold Tüxen, namesake of the Tüxen Prize in Rinteln and founder of plant sociology, is currently the focus of an investigation into possible connections to National Socialism. A commission under the Lower Saxony Heimatbund has the task of illuminating Tüxen's possible participation in the mapping of Auschwitz. The report is expected in March and could have a significant impact on the future of the Tüxen Prize, which has been awarded for outstanding services in the vegetation since 1987 and is endowed with 5000 euros.

Thomas Krueger, managing director of the home association, emphasized that it was currently unclear to what extent Tüxen supported the Nazi regime. Tüxen has lived in Todenmann for the last decades of his life and maintained international scientific contacts. He was already mentioned in 2016 by historian Nils Franke, who addressed the ideological connections from nature conservation activists to National Socialism. Tüxen's controversial position is underpinned by its demand to exterminate the small jumping herb in 1942 and his participation in the greening of the Reich Party Day in Nuremberg.

historical entanglements and current discussions

In addition, Tüxen was involved in the camouflage of the west wall and his institute proposed accompanying green for the Reich highways. His employees evaluated aerial photographs for the Wehrmacht. In 2018, Lukas Nicolaisen expressed that the Tüxen Prize could no longer be named after him due to these entanglements. The then chairman of the Tüxen-Gesellschaft, Richard Pott, pointed out that Tüxen himself published his connections.

The request to re-review Tüxen's past came from the Schaumburg landscape and the study that was planned received financial support from the Bingo Foundation. Krueger found that there had been no comprehensive archive studies on Tüxen's past. It is noteworthy that other carriers of the Tüxen Prize also worked for the Wehrmacht during National Socialism, while numerous conservationists demonstrably showed closeness to National Socialism.

dr. Bernd Gehlken defended Tüxen in 2021 and argued that Tüxen was treated unfairly as a prominent figure. In addition, During his life, Tüxen received two honorary doctors for his efforts to free French prisoners of war during the war, as in a document from the University of Göttingen is noted.

-transmitted by West-East media