John G. West, dir. (14 min)

THE BIOLOGY OF THE SECOND REICH tells the disturbing story of the impact of Social Darwinism on German militarism in the years leading up to World War I, including an exploration of the role played by German scientists and documentation of the German genocide in southwestern Africa (modern Namibia). The film shows how scientific ideology fused with government power can have devastating consequences for human liberty and human dignity. The short documentary features California State University historian Richard Weikart, author of the provocative book “From Darwin to Hitler: Evolutionary Ethics, Eugenics, and Racism in Germany,” and it was written and directed by John G. West, Vice President of Discovery Institute and author of “Darwin Day in America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science.” The film was named “Best Documentary Short” at the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood, Winter 2015.