This February 1941 Keijō Nippo article documents something that is rarely discussed in the history of colonial-era Korea: the active, state-level transfer of Nazi German ideological materials into the university system in Seoul.
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| Professor Hupper overseeing the donation of Nazi German books at Seoul Imperial University. |
According to the report, more than seventy German books were formally donated to Keijō (Seoul) Imperial University, including Mein Kampf, with explicit emphasis on its value for teaching students how Germany “fought, and how it achieved victory,” and for guiding Imperial Japan's youth along the path of constructing a “New World Order.” The article frames the donation as a deliberate effort to unite Japan and Germany not only politically, but spiritually and ideologically, through education.
The donation was overseen by Eugen Ott, Germany’s ambassador to Imperial Japan at the time, and Professor Hupper at Seoul Imperial University. Within a year, Ott would be dismissed from his post after his close associate Richard Sorge was exposed as a Soviet spy. Professor Hupper would later be featured in a December 12, 1941 article praising Imperial Japan's declaration of war against the United States.
What makes this article significant is not merely the presence of German books, but the explicit endorsement of Mein Kampf as instructional material for educating college students. This is rare evidence that Nazi ideological influence did reach Korean universities during the colonial period, mediated through Japanese imperial institutions and justified as part of the "New World Order" envisioned by the Axis powers.
[Translation]
Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijō Nippo), February 25, 1941
From Germany to Keijō (Seoul) Imperial University
Gift of Books in the Spirit of Friendship
More Than Seventy Volumes Arrive in the First Shipment
As a profound token of friendship from Germany, an allied nation, more than seventy newly published scholarly books have recently been presented to the preparatory division of Keijō (Seoul) Imperial University. The donation was conveyed by German Ambassador Ott to Japan, through Professor Hupper.
From the time of its founding, the university’s preparatory division has made German a core subject, instilling in its students the robustness of the German spirit. Deeply impressed by this, Ambassador Ott reported the matter to his home country. In Germany as well, voices arose among the people to the effect that the sincere scholarly dedication of these young students should not merely bind the two nations through international relations, but should unite them spiritually as well. As a result, the books were sent directly to the preparatory division in the name of the German state.
Going forward, it has been decided that new books will be presented twice each year, with more than ten volumes donated on each occasion. The preparatory division is currently considering how it might appropriately reciprocate this friendship that transcends national boundaries.
The donated books are housed in the preparatory division’s affiliated library and are freely available for students to read. They have become daily companions, a source of personal cultivation, and indispensable materials for the study of the German language. The more than seventy donated volumes may be broadly classified as follows: nineteen on literature, sixteen on art, seventeen on history, and numerous other valuable works on politics, architecture, industry, and related fields. All are excellent resources for understanding conditions in Germany.
Among them, Hitler’s Autobiography stands out in particular. Through the greatness of Hitler himself, it vividly portrays “how Germany fought, and how it achieved victory,” clearly expounding the nation’s powers of leadership and guidance. Under the new system, it points the way for Japanese youth to walk the great path of building a new world order together.
For the past three years, Ambassador Ott has also personally funded annual awards recognizing excellence in German language studies at the preparatory division, presenting commemorative books as prizes through the German Consulate General in Dalian, Manchukuo. The number of recipients has already reached ten as of this year.
Professor Hupper, who served as the intermediary for the present donation, commented as follows [Photo: Donated books]:
“I would be delighted if this occasion encourages even greater enthusiasm for the study of the German language in the future. For understanding Germany, and for understanding Germany’s traditional spirit as well, it has long been hoped that our two nations, which share similar historical circumstances, would become ever more closely bound in the cultural sphere in this way. From now on as well, books will continue to be sent from Germany, permanently, as serious research materials for young students.”
[Transcription]
京城日報 1941年2月25日
独逸から城大へ
友愛の贈書
初回分七十余冊着く
盟邦ドイツから深き友愛の証しとして学術による新刊書籍七十余冊が、この程オットー駐日ドイツ大使より、フッパー講師の手を通じて城大予科に贈られて来た。これは開校当時からドイツ語を正科としてドイツ精神の逞しさを学生に吹き込んでいた城大予科に感激したオットー大使がこれを本国に報告。ドイツでもまたこれら若人の真摯な研究心は両国の親善を単に国際的に結びつけるものではなく、精神的にも合一すべきである―との国民の声が大きくなって、ドイツ国の名において直接城大予科に贈られて来たものであるが、今後毎年二回、その都度十余冊の新刊書籍を贈呈されて来ることになっており、城大予科ではこの民族を超越した友誼に対して何らか報いる方法はないものかと考慮中である。
贈書は予科附属図書館に保管されて学生達の自由閲覧を許され、日々の好き伴侶ともなり、修養の糧ともなって、独逸語研究には、なくてはならないものとなっている。寄贈の書籍七十余冊を大別すれば、文学に関するもの十九冊、美術十六冊、歴史十七冊、その他政治、建築、工業等に関する貴重な文献多数であるが、何れも独逸の国情を知る好個の資料ばかりであり、中でも”ヒトラー自伝”はヒトラーそのものの偉大さを通じて”ドイツは如何に戦い、如何に勝利を得たか―”を克明に描いて、独逸国民の統率ぶりを明らかに説き、新体制下、日本青年に同じ世界新秩序建設の大道を歩むべきを先達している。
オットー大使は三年前から毎年城大予科の独逸語優秀性に自費を割いて満州国大連独逸総領事を通じ賞品として記念の書籍を贈っていたものであるが、この受賞者は今年で既に十人を算えている。贈呈の仲立ちを引受けたフッパー講師は語る【写真＝贈られた書籍】
"これを機会に将来独逸語の研究が熾んになれば結構です。独逸を知る上に、また独逸の伝統的精神を知る上にも、同じ歴史国情を持つ両国が、こうして更に文化的な方面から、年達に結びついて行くことは、ながい間希望せられていたものなのですからー。これからも永久に青年学徒の真剣な研究資料として独逸から贈られて来ることになっています"
Source: National Library of Korea, Digital Newspaper Archive
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