Nadjeschda Stoffers from the University of Graz, in collaboration with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research on the Consequences of War, is investigating how pupils experienced everyday life at the Napola in Traiskirchen. To this end, the historian is looking for people who attended this or any other Napola in the territory of the former ‘Ostmark’, or whose families possess relevant documents.
Wanted: Memories and records
Among other things, Stoffers is focusing on the perspectives of former pupils: “How did they experience the entrance exam and daily life at the boarding school? What role did concepts such as camaraderie play for the children and young people? What form did Nazi education and indoctrination take in these total institutions?”, says the historian. Therefore, she is looking for people who would like to share their memories of their school days. In addition, personal collections such as letters, diaries, photographs, school essays or artefacts are particularly valuable for research into this Nazi elite school.
Strict daily life in Nazi training centres
Napolas were regarded as “selection schools” and were established in the German Reich as early as April 1933. Only those children who met the regime’s racist criteria and passed an entrance examination lasting several days were admitted. Daily school life was strictly regulated: roll call, sport, lessons, pre-military drills, study periods and work assignments determined the daily routine.
The course of study was designed to last eight years – in the ‘Ostmark’, however, this type of school lasted only six years, from 1939 until the end of the war in 1945. In the German Reich and the occupied territories, there were more than 40 locations; in the ‘Ostmark’ these were in Vienna (Theresianum and Breitensee), Lower Austria (Göttweig and Traiskirchen), Styria (Seckau and Vorau), Carinthia (St Paul in the Lavant Valley/‘Spanheim’) and Upper Austria (Lambach), as well as in St Veit an der Save and Mokritz (Šentvid and Mokrice) in what is now Slovenia. The first Napola for girls in the entire empire opened in Vienna on Boerhaavegasse, but was soon relocated to Lower Austria (Hubertendorf and Türnitz).
Anyone who attended a Napola, or whose family still has letters, diaries, photographs, school exercise books or other mementoes from this period and would like to share them, is asked to contact Nadjeschda Stoffers. Any information can help us to better understand everyday life at these Nazi elite schools.
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Contact:
Nadjeschda Stoffers, MA
Institute of History at the University of Graz and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research on the Consequences of War
Liebiggasse 9, 8010 Graz
Telephone: +43 664 533 85 03
Email: nadjeschda.stoffers(at)uni-graz.at
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