The Weimar Republic, which has been generally been remembered by historians as a political failure (and by many as the precursor to Nazi Germany), was plagued by hyperinflation, strikes, violence and political instability. How, then, did German culture manage to thrive under such conditions? This question has been nagging at me since we talked about Weimar society on Friday. One of my sources for the research paper (Civil Society and the Collapse of the Weimar Republic by Sheri Berman) provides different theories regarding this particular problem, and I was able to read over a few of the chapters to gain a better understanding of the disparities between Weimar politics and culture.
As we discussed in class, an experimental, creative culture based in science and rationality arose during the period between the two world wars; movements in art and architecture (Bauhaus, Expressionism, etc.) broke artistic ground, and associational life (clubs, volunteer organizations) flourished, so much that German contemporaries joked that “whenever three or more Germans gathered, they were likely to draw up by-laws and form an association” (Berman, 407). This was during a time when hyperinflation was leaving many with their savings depleted and weak governmental institutions were giving way to political extremism – while it seems that other societies enjoyed fairly stable economies and political systems when associational life was on the rise in the 19th and 20th centuries (Britain comes to mind), Weimar culture was able to flourish in a time of political and economic turmoil. According to Berman, some theorists argue that the political situation was in fact the reason for Weimar culture’s success; fragmentation in government led to a steep decline in mass politics, which had previously provided an outlet for Germans to unite and get have some sort of agency in their government. With this outlet no longer available, Germans instead turned to clubs and associations, a shift which only served to further Germany’s political deterioration. I find this theory convincing, but I need to read on before I form any conclusions of my own.
I agree with you that the Weimer Republic cannot be considered an utter failure. you cite excellent example of how, culturally, germany thrived. however i do feel like they did fail in some ways. culture will not feed you children or find you the means to support yourself. And while culture is extremely important (please do not misunderstand me)i feel that weimar should have been more concerned with the economic welfare of their people
ReplyDeleteI would associate many of the cultural achievements of Weimar with the new sense of the possible that came from emphasis on science and technology (rationalism and scientific management) but also with a broader European sense of malaise or unease after the First World War in which new forms of cultural experimentation served to help people find wys to break free from the old ways and restrictions. I also think that the effects of a mass consumer culture also played a role in creating the unique aspects of Weimar culture as artists and thinkers responded to or rejected these new cultural trends.
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