Looking backward: German technical writers in the 1930s

摘要

This paper briefly explores an historical period in the development of technical writing and documentation in the years immediately preceding World War II. German writers were meticulous in recording efforts to eradicate politically undesirable groups and used the most modern technology of the times for record-keeping. Students in engineering and writing classes can benefit from examining these documents by learning how apparent ethically neutral material does indeed have social and ethical implications.