Technology and Culture

To what extent were (and are) engineers susceptible to totalitarian ideologies, especially fascism? This question, and the broader one of the political involvement and viewpoints of engineers, has been discussed by, for example, Hortleder on Germany (Das Gesellschaftsbild des Ingenieurs, 1974), Lintsen on the Netherlands (Ingenieur van Beroep, 1985), Layton on the United States (The Revolt of the Engineers, 1986), and more recently, Kohlrausch and Trischler in a European context (Building Europe on Expertise, 2014). Although technocratic aspirations are an obvious motive for totalitarian sympathies, Kohlrausch and Trischler especially show that motives were more various and that there were important differences between countries. Schippers's study adds to our insight into these complexities with a study of a small band of Dutch engineers who took sides with [End Page 397] the fascists, while the mainstream organization strongly rejected fascism. The book focuses on the Technical Guild—a Dutch fascist organization of technicians in the period 1940–44.

The Technical Guild was a small organization. Its objectives were stated in general terms: "community involvement," promotion of "community spirit," etc. It wanted to work as a "side organization of the National Socialist Movement (Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging, NSB) in the Netherlands" and to introduce the National Socialist ideals into the technical world. The members had to be of "Dutch (Dietse) or related blood" (p. 75). Jews and other non-Dutch people were excluded. When it was founded in 1940, 400 members registered. It probably peaked at about 2,000 members, a colorful collection of architects, auto mechanics, overseers, craftsmen, and technical officers. It is estimated that several dozen members were university-trained engineers, i.e., a small percentage of Dutch engineers.

In four short biographies of leading figures of the Guild, Schippers looks for clues to their choice to support fascism. All had an (upper-)middle-class background, a good (some at a university) technical education, and a normal (some excellent) career. All had experienced setbacks, but thorough aversion to the existing political system cannot be established. For example, Anton Mussert, son of a head of school, university educated, and chief engineer of the Provincial Public Works Department of Utrecht, was a respectable liberal for a long time. He turned increasingly toward the radical right and ended up as leader of the fascist NSB. The fact that some of his major engineering projects fell through may explain some of his resentment, but Schippers believes that his main trouble was an overestimation of his person and mission as a savior of the fatherland.

What about the rank and file of the Technical Guild? Sixty percent were not members of Mussert's NSB. Opportunism played a role here: the chance to further one's career or get an exemption from handing in one's bicycles (!) and radio (!) to the German occupiers. Some members saw membership as a recognition of their achievements, apart from political affiliation.

The Technical Guild made frantic efforts to get the most important engineering association in the Netherlands, the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIvI), into its sphere of influence. However, the board of the KIvI strongly rejected any approach and refused to be associated with the "New Order." When the Germans placed the institute under German administration, the board advised its 3,500 members to leave; only 150 remained.

How much resistance against the occupiers existed among Dutch engineers? According to Schippers, "Most engineers didn't like National Socialism or collaboration with the German occupiers." However, they continued to do their work and research, did not oppose the German occupation, and in this way contributed to the maintenance of the occupation system (p. 139). According to Schippers, this attitude could be explained by engineers' [End Page 398] technical-pragmatic view of life, a focus on their work, and a limited interest in the broader social...