Funding of scientific projects in perpetrator research

The Baumgart Foundation for Contemporary History provides nationwide grants for scientific projects in the field of research on Nazi perpetrators. Eligible applicants include private individuals, educational institutions, non-profit and public organizations that engage in-depth with the participants in the system of National Socialist concentration camps, the Waffen-SS and police, as well as their social environment. Applications can be submitted continuously. The aim is to gain new knowledge about the prehistory before 1933 and the aftermath from 1945 to the present, thereby strengthening the culture of remembrance and democratic awareness. The presented results – theses, manuscripts, or publications in German – should convince through their innovative content, the inclusion of descendants of historical figures, and their reflection on the consequences for democracy.

In particular, researchers at universities and research institutions as well as non-profit and public organizations are encouraged to develop projects on the interrelations of disinformation, discrimination, nationalism, and violence. Of special interest are studies on the role of women as perpetrators, civil society participation in the concentration camp system, and the everyday life of SS families. Descendants of historical actors should be actively involved and family historical traditions scientifically evaluated. Funding requirements include a thematic project on Nazi perpetrator research, a scientific background, and the planned publication of results in German. Inquiries and applications can be submitted at any time; details can be found in the Foundation’s funding guidelines.