Heimatschutz

Heimatschutz is a German word which literally translated means, "homeland protection." The term was coined in 1897 by Ernst Rudorff to designate the goals of nature and landscape protection, conservation of cultural traditions, maintenance of historic buildings etc. In 1904, the Bund Heimatschutz was founded, Paul Schultze-Naumburg being its first head. In 1916, Austrian Max Dvorak's Katechismus der Denkmalpflege appeared. In this book Dvorak builds upon the ideas of fellow Austrian Alois Riegl and extends the idea of "homeland protection" beyond simply protection of geographical borders to encapsulate a society's culture.

The meaning of Heimatschutz in Switzerland is similar. It's best translated as Swiss Heritage, a society dedicated to the advancement of Switzerland’s architectural heritage. Its focus is on the preservation of important landmarks, the development of the structural environment, and the promotion of good architectural design.[1]

The history of Heimatschutz in Austria is somewhat different. At the end of the First World War "Heimatschutz" groups appear in Austria. In 1930 these groups become part of the Austrian government. In 1933 become part of the Vaterländische Front (Front of the Fatherland), an Austrofascist political party. When Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938 the Vaterländische Front was disbanded and the Heimatschutz groups were deported to concentration camps by the SA and later the SS.

Today, the word is used to translate the English expression "homeland security" used by the US federal government after the September 11, 2001 attacks.