The German Nomenclature on Megalithic Graves – A contribution of how to deal with ideological contaminated terminology

Abstract

The first generations of prehistorians did their fundamental research under the circumstances of their time, the latter influencing their interests and results, as it was the case with the following generations (and is the case even today). Even during the National-Socialism basic research has been conducted in prehistoric archeology, the results of which still belong to university training in basic courses despite of their political background. This provides the current prehistoric archaeology with questions about the existent curriculum. Taken from today's perspective, may or must we neglect ideological basic research and therefore push their creators off their pedestal? But who would benefit? Are historic achievements per se untouchable solely because of their historicity and the most remarkable life's work of their developers? After a brief general consideration, it will be shown how problematic it may still be evaluating the basic research of the first generations of prehistorians, the German terminology of megalithic graves developed over three generations by Oscar Montelius, Ernst Sprockhoff as well as Ewald Schuldt, from the Kaiserreich to the divided Germany taken as an example.