Abstract

Martin Heidegger was thoroughly convinced that Germany was in need of a radical and strong change in its political trajectory when he became Rector of the University of Freiburg in 1933. His support of National Socialism and anti-Semitic justifications during that point in time is well documented -particularly in his seminar 1933/34 On the Essence and Concept of Nature, History, and State. However, when one puts aside the open adherence to Hitlerian leadership and the polemic question of anti-Semitism, the seminar also provides ideas and reflections on politics and territory that might be interesting to follow up on and develop.Here, I would like to briefly focus on two aspects: firstly, I will look at Heidegger’s efforts to outline an ontology of political space based upon concepts such as the leader, living space, spiritual space, and homeland; secondly, I will look to his understanding of Germanness in terms of people, belonging, groundedness and resoluteness.