THE SWEDISH STATE.I N STITUTE FOR 

 RACE.BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION 



AN ACCOUNT OF ITS ORIGINATION . 



BY 



Doctor HJALMAR ANDERSON 



BERGVIK 



1 



o 



N THE 13th OF MAY 1921, THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT RES. 

 olved (almost unanimously) to grant a sum for the establishment of a 

 Race^biological Institute. And, as the foundation is thus laid for the 

 first State Institution in the world of this kind, a short survey of the origination 

 of the Institute is not out of place. 



Eugenic ideas and efforts are no novelty in our time. Both in Swedish leg« 

 islation, and that of other countries, are found, from ancient times, inconsiderable 

 tendencies in the direction of eugenics. We find that sociologists and statesmen 

 of different periods and nationality, have had raceshygienic ideas, at least sporad« 

 ically, and we meet with them also in philosophical and medical works (e. g. in 

 Plato's Politeia). 



The rise of the doctrines of development during the latter half of the 19th 

 century, naturally nurtured the idea to influence the biological development of our 

 race. More than anything else, the revival of Mendel's Laws, about the end of 

 the 19th century, increased the interest for race^biological and eugenic questions. 

 It was first through this revival, that race=biology began to stand on firm ground. 



During the last decennaries, the »Temperance Movement* in our own, as 

 well as in other countries, has without doubt, also tended to spread eugenic ideas, 

 through its strong emphasis of our responsibility towards coming generations. 

 Finally, in recent times, the late great War, with all its horrors, and pitiable con* 

 sequences, has caused many to put their hope in race^=biology and eugenics, as 

 the possible saviours of suffering Europe. 



Doctor Herman Lundborg wjs-the first, w ^ho, in our country, advanced these 

 ideas, and their great significance, forcibly and energetically, and he, through his 

 pioneering scientific labours, and energetic enlightenment, has succeeded in gaining 

 respect for race^biology in this country. In 1904 he gave a lecture to the Upp* 

 sala Physicians' Society on this matter, and amongst his remarks were the following: 



»A people who, in good time learn to appreciate the importance of heredity* 

 hygiene, and fulfil its demands, can look into the future with equanimity. A race 

 which continuously degenerates, cannot in the end survive the struggle for exis* 

 tence, however well-armed they appear to be in a military sense. 



We should remember that powder and shot do not protect us from tuber* 

 culosis, alcoholism, nerve* and brain disorders, and other enemies of the commu* 

 nity at large. It would be much better if civilized countries, instead of directing 



