The term "Aryan" in the context of early 20th-century Germany, particularly under the Nazi regime, was used to describe a racial ideal that the Nazis believed represented a "master race." They associated Aryans primarily with Northern Europeans, particularly people of Germanic descent, emphasizing characteristics like fair skin, light hair, and blue eyes.
The Nazis used this concept to promote their ideology of racial superiority and racial purity, asserting that Aryans were superior to other races. This notion was rooted in pseudoscientific theories and was used to justify horrific policies, including anti-Semitic laws, segregation, and the Holocaust, where millions of Jews and other groups deemed "non-Aryan" were persecuted and murdered.
It's important to note that the term "Aryan" has historical origins predating the Nazi era, initially referring to a group of people in ancient India and Iran, related to the Indo-European language family. However, its appropriation by the Nazis distorted its meaning into a concept rooted in racial ideology that had devastating consequences in the 20th century.