Diagnosen, die Geschichte schreiben

Fern- und retrospektive Diagnosen am Beispiel Wilhelms II. und Adolf Hitlers im medialen und (erinnerungs-)politischen Diskurs

Abstract

This article critically analyzes the practice of retrospective and remote diagnoses of historical figures, using the examples of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler. Starting point is the methodological criticism that such diagnoses are based on fragmentary, subjective, and context-dependent sources and that modern concepts of illness are inadmissibly projected back into the past. Medical diagnoses are time-bound and reflect not only the state of medical knowledge, but also political, cultural, and social patterns of interpretation. The diverse diagnoses of Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler show that these were often used to clarify the question of war guilt, to legitimize political positions, to “demonize” or even to exonerate oneself or „the Germans“. These diagnoses are often based on rumors or ideologically influenced interpretations, which have given rise to contradictory narratives. Ultimately, retrospective and remote diagnoses do not provide any reliable scientific insights. Rather, they simplify complex historical processes and promote monocausal explanations, which relativize responsibility. From a methodological and ethical perspective, they should therefore be rejected as problematic and unscientific.