Schleif, Hans

Date born:  1902

Place Born:  Wiesbaden

Date died:  1945

Place died:  Berlin

Specialist in ancient Greek architecture. A protégé of Wilhelm Dorpfeld, he participated in the excavations at Olympia. Joined the German Schutzstaffel (SS) in 1935, entering the Ahnenerbe (Ancestral Heritage section of the SS) as an archaeologist of prehistoric and ancient world. Assumed direction of the massive excavation project in Olympia in December, 1937 until suspension of all German archaeological digs in 1942. Despite his affiliations, was not able to assume the coveted position of Professor of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin, and instead became ausserplanmäßige Professor at the University of Berlin in 1939. Killed himself, his second wife and young twin sons on April 27, 1945.

Home Country:  Germany

Sources:  Archäologenbildnisse: Porträts und Kurzbiographien von Klassichen Archäologen deutscher Sprache. Reinhard Lullies, ed. Mainz am Rhein: Verlag Philipp von Zabern, 1988: 285-286; Helmut Heiber, Universität unter Hakenkreuz, Teil II, vol. 2, Munich: K.G. Saur, 1994, 34-35.

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