Mankind
Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Fall-Winter 2006)
pp. 3-39
Ethnic Anthropology of the Former
East Germany (before 1945): Geographical Differentiations
and Feature Correlations
Andreas
Vonderach
Institut für Humangenetik und Anthropologie,
Ulm
Using
metric, morphognostic and dermatoglyphic data of 14-year
old children of families displaced after WW II, recorded
during a large survey in Westphalia by Schwidetzky
and Walter (1967), the anthropological structure of
former East Germany (before 1945) is reconstructed.
A principal component analysis for 14 features yields
the following 5 principal components which together
explain 50% of the total variance: 1st a breadth component
with high values in the South-East, 2nd an East-Europid
component (oblique eye openings and prominent cheekbones)
with high values in the Northeast (East and West Prussia),
3rd a pigmentation component with high values in the
South, 4th a brain-case component (i.e. cephalic index
and the morphognostic shape of the back of the head)
and 5th a face profile with deep position of the eyeballs
and prominent chin. The 4th and 5th PC show a similar
geographical frequency distribution as the 1st PC
with a North-West to South-East gradient. The discussion
considers the conformities and contradictions to the
traditional types. The 2nd PC substantially corresponds
to the feature pattern of the East-Europid type described
by Egon von Eickstedt and originates in the Slavic
and Baltic population substrate from the time before
the German settlement in the Middle Ages. The remaining
four principal components show relations to the typological
Nordic-Alpine contrast. The representation of feature
complexes, such as pigmentation and facial profile,
in separate principal components rests on the methodical
aspects of the principal component analysis (orthogonality)
and common genetic or anatomic bases. The comparison
between the correlation matrixes of the East German
school children and the native Westphalians shows
noticeable differences. The correlation between oblique
eye openings and prominent cheekbones, which is 0.44
among the East Germans (i.e. the highest value), is
only 0.07 among the Westphalians - which is not significantly
different from zero. Instead, the Westphalians show
several correlations between the facial index and
physiognomic features some of which are opposed to
those of the East German children and correspond to
the traditional feature pattern of the Falic type.
With respect to ethnic differentiations, especially
the physiognomic features of the face yield a great
deal of information. This suggests not to discard
types and not to regard them as homogenous and discrete
entities but as clusters within the multivariate continuum.
In this manner, the dominant present single-sided
population concept which excludes feature correlations
can be corrected, supplemented by a quite natural
element of human groups.
