Alfred Verdross and Othmar Spann: German Romantic Nationalism, National Socialism and International Law

This article is a part of a section of the European Journal concerned with the international law thought of Alfred Verdross.It deals specifically with the inter-war period leading up to the German occupation of Austria and Verdross's temporary suspension from Vienna University in the years 1938-39.Given his relations with National Socialism, the difficult question arises whether some of his writings of this time 1 represent firmly held views or whether they mark a bowing to difficult circumstances.Controversy surrounds this period of Verdross's life and work.It is readily admitted in circles close to him that he did accommodate to Nazi pressure.However,, such sentiments are usually accompanied by the feeling and hope that a cloud will descend on this period and that the past will be decently forgotten.It is obvious from the October 1994 Austrian elections that nationalist traditions are not so easily made to vanish.So it is thought worthwhile to explore some neglected parts of Verdross's interwar writings and his political activities leading up to 1938.It will be argued that there is a continuity in one aspect of his work from 1918 to 1938 which requires that it be taken seriously as firmly held and clearly thought out opinion.Verdross adhered to a form of all-German nationalism which fits into a particular romantic idealist tradition.He was influenced at least in part by the work of Othmar Spann.In his relations with the Nazis he identified his position as nationalist.There is no doubt but that Verdross thought he could work with National Socialists but the evidence considered here 2 does not indicate that he identified with it.In particular * University of Derby. 1 Especially the 1937 edition of Volkerrecht (Springer) Berlin. 2 The writer has had no access to private papers and, in keeping with the remit of the contribution to the European Journal, no account is taken of post-war (i.e.1945) assessments of Verdross.6