Vernacularism, Lesser Poland’s Heimat, and Auxiliary Sciences in the Study of Architecture for the Third Reich

The article provides methodological suggestions forthe study of architecture for the Third Reich in the General Government. However, it also offers an interpretation of the phenomenon. These suggestionsbrings together four different terms that are key forunderstanding the author’s investigations. Theseterms are: vernacularism, Lesser Poland’s Heimat, auxiliary sciences, and architecture for the Third Reichin relation to examples from Krakow and Lesser Poland. The article tackles the following issues: whatdoes it mean that the Heimatstil and Heimatschutzstil, which happen to recur in the studies on the architecture of the Third Reich, are types of vernacular archi-tecture? Did Lesser Poland’s Heimat ever exist? If so, were there attempts at creating and using indigenousregional architecture (the Heimatstil) in Nazi appropri-ation policy on the territory of conquered Lesser Poland?