German archaeologist. Born 1858, died 1931.
As professor of archaeology at Berlin from 1902 to 1927, Kossinna was one of the most influential archaeologists of the early 20th century. In keeping with the pervasive racist intellectual trends of the time, Kossinna consistently emphasised the independence and durability of the Nordic civilisation, at the expense of the cultures of the Near East and Mediterranean.
Kossinna's interpretations of archaeological finds as belonging to particular nations/ethnic groups contributed to the national socialist ideology in Germany until 1945. His works were incorporated into Nazi racial propaganda - a circumstance that cast a long shadow over German archaeology after World War II.