Perception of Iran
Ch 8. Iran and Aryan Myth
David Motadel
Just before the world went to war for the second time, there was a concerted effort by the ruling power to unite people along the lines of race and history. Hitler and his henchmen were going all out to describe a pure superior Aryan race. They were quick to vilify Jews as the vermin of society with the help of propaganda films. Pretty soon, the nation was hoodwinked to pursue what became a national agenda, anti-Semitism and eventually Holocaust.
I was a little annoyed at the sight of a down-and-out politician who, without batting an eyelid ferociously claimed to the world that he is an unapologetic racist and is proud of it, to the thunderous applause of his supporters. What are they thinking or are they thinking at all? Do they not know history?
It is intriguing how the Aryan race and its origin had been manipulated by leaders to carry out their personal agendas.
The first known mention of the Aryan race is from the stone inscription by King Darius of Persia (522-486 BCE). He proclaimed to the great king of kings of Persia and of the Aryan race. In the Zoroastrian and Vedic context, an Aryan is a noble person. It is generally believed that the Aryans are the forefathers of modern Europeans, based on the Indo-European linguistic connections. There were similarities in grammatical constructions between Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Gothic, Celtic and old Persian languages.
Around the 1830s, at a time when people became interested in race studies and nationalism was a new construct, historians start talking about a perfect race of Nordic origin (the true Aryans) who started their conquest and brought ancient civilisation to the East.
To build a national spirit of an ailing economy in post-WW1 German, Hitler brought people together with the concept of a Germanic master race. He toyed the idea of Aryan versus Non-Aryan, Aryan vs Semitic and Jewish vs No Jewish demarcation of society. The Nuremberg Law of 1935 outlawed marriage and extra-marital unions between Germans and Jews.
The Qajar Dynasty which ruled Persia also joined the bandwagon to promote the Aryan agenda. It changed the country's name to Iran which meant 'Land of Aryans'. They and the Ottoman Empire were not classified as Semitic but Aryans as they were to be the allies to the Axis.
Amongst the German circles, the Iranians, the Egyptians and the Turks were never considered to be equal to them. This Aryan discourse died a natural death after the fall of the Third Reich and remains a myth.
http://www.davidmotadel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/MotadelAryans.pdf
Motadel, David (2014) Iran and the Aryan myth. In: Ansari, Ali, (ed.) Perceptions of Iran: history, myths and nationalism from medieval Persia to the Islamic Republic. International Library of Iranian studies (37). I.B.Tauris, London, UK, pp. 119-145. ISBN 9781848858305
Ch 8. Iran and Aryan Myth
David Motadel
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| Enemies of my enemies are friends! Credit: historyisfascinating.com |
I was a little annoyed at the sight of a down-and-out politician who, without batting an eyelid ferociously claimed to the world that he is an unapologetic racist and is proud of it, to the thunderous applause of his supporters. What are they thinking or are they thinking at all? Do they not know history?
It is intriguing how the Aryan race and its origin had been manipulated by leaders to carry out their personal agendas.
The first known mention of the Aryan race is from the stone inscription by King Darius of Persia (522-486 BCE). He proclaimed to the great king of kings of Persia and of the Aryan race. In the Zoroastrian and Vedic context, an Aryan is a noble person. It is generally believed that the Aryans are the forefathers of modern Europeans, based on the Indo-European linguistic connections. There were similarities in grammatical constructions between Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Gothic, Celtic and old Persian languages.
Around the 1830s, at a time when people became interested in race studies and nationalism was a new construct, historians start talking about a perfect race of Nordic origin (the true Aryans) who started their conquest and brought ancient civilisation to the East.
 |
| Adolf Hitler talking to Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin el Husseini Keystone / Getty Images |
The Qajar Dynasty which ruled Persia also joined the bandwagon to promote the Aryan agenda. It changed the country's name to Iran which meant 'Land of Aryans'. They and the Ottoman Empire were not classified as Semitic but Aryans as they were to be the allies to the Axis.
Amongst the German circles, the Iranians, the Egyptians and the Turks were never considered to be equal to them. This Aryan discourse died a natural death after the fall of the Third Reich and remains a myth.
http://www.davidmotadel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/MotadelAryans.pdf
Motadel, David (2014) Iran and the Aryan myth. In: Ansari, Ali, (ed.) Perceptions of Iran: history, myths and nationalism from medieval Persia to the Islamic Republic. International Library of Iranian studies (37). I.B.Tauris, London, UK, pp. 119-145. ISBN 9781848858305
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