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The True Story of Nietzsche's Sister and Her Lost Aryan Colony

Eliot Foster

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Published in Forgotten Fatherland: The True Story Of Nietzsche S Sister And Her Lost Aryan Colony

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Forgotten Fatherland: The True Story of Nietzsche's Sister and Her Lost Aryan Colony

by Ben Macintyre

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9400 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
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Print length	:	361 pages

The story of Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, the sister of the renowned philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, is a fascinating and complex one. Born in 1846 in Röcken, Saxony, Elisabeth was raised in a devout Protestant family. However, as she grew older, she became increasingly disillusioned with Christianity and began to embrace the ideas of her brother, who was an ardent atheist and critic of traditional morality.

In 1880, Elisabeth married Bernhard Förster, a former Lutheran pastor who had also become a Nietzschean. Together, they founded the Nietzsche-Archiv in Weimar, Germany, which was dedicated to preserving and promoting the work of Friedrich Nietzsche. However, Elisabeth's ambitions extended beyond the confines of academia. She dreamed of establishing a utopian community where the ideals of Nietzsche could be put into practice.

In 1886, Elisabeth and Bernhard Förster traveled to Paraguay, a country in South America that was still relatively undeveloped and offered the opportunity to start anew. They purchased a large tract of land in the eastern part of the country and named it Nueva Germania (New Germany). The goal was to create a self-sufficient community based on the principles of Nietzschean philosophy, including the rejection of Christian morality and the embrace of a "master race" theory.

Over the next few years, Elisabeth and Bernhard Förster worked tirelessly to build their colony. They recruited settlers from Germany and other parts of Europe, and they established a school, a clinic, and a library. However, the colony faced many challenges, including disease, financial difficulties, and the hostility of the local Guarani Indians. Despite these setbacks, Elisabeth and Bernhard Förster remained committed to their dream of creating a Nietzschean utopia.

In 1897, Bernhard Förster died of malaria, and Elisabeth was left to lead the colony on her own. She continued to work hard, but the colony never fully recovered from the loss of its founder. In 1900, Elisabeth published a book about her experiences in Paraguay, entitled The Will to Power: The Autobiography of Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. In the book, she defended her brother's philosophy and argued that the failure of Nueva Germania was due to external factors, rather than any flaws in Nietzsche's ideas.

Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche remained in Paraguay until 1935, when she returned to Germany. She died in 1935, and her body was buried in the Nietzsche-Archiv in Weimar. Despite the failure of Nueva Germania, Elisabeth's legacy as a pioneering woman and a dedicated advocate for her brother's philosophy lives on.

Legacy and Controversy

The story of Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and Nueva Germania has been the subject of much debate and controversy over the years. Some scholars have argued that Elisabeth's embrace of Nietzschean philosophy, including the theory of a "master race," contributed to the rise of Nazi ideology in Germany. Others have argued that Elisabeth was not a Nazi sympathizer, and that she was simply trying to create a community based on her brother's ideals.

Regardless of her political views, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche was a remarkable woman who lived a fascinating and complex life. Her story is a reminder of the power of idealism, and the challenges that can come with trying to put those ideals into practice.

The story of Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and her lost Aryan colony is a fascinating one that offers insights into the complex relationship between philosophy, politics, and personal ambition. Elisabeth was a brilliant and determined woman who dedicated her life to promoting the work of her brother. However, her dreams of creating a Nietzschean utopia were ultimately unsuccessful, and her legacy remains a controversial one.

Image Credits:

Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, 1895 by Unknown, [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Nueva Germania, Paraguay, 1892 by Unknown, [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Forgotten Fatherland: The True Story of Nietzsche's Sister and Her Lost Aryan Colony

by Ben Macintyre

4 out of 5