Weimar Republic Literature (1919-1933)

Weimar Republic Literature (1919-1933)

Key Features

• Period of cultural and literary flourishing in Germany
• Characterized by experimentation, modernism, and social criticism
• Authors responded to the trauma of World War I and the political instability of the time

Major Authors and Works

• Bertolt Brecht: playwright and poet, known for his epic theater and Marxist ideology
  • Famous works: "The Threepenny Opera" (1928), "Mother Courage and Her Children" (1939)
• Ernst Jünger: novelist and essayist, known for his right-wing nationalist views
  • Famous works: "Storm of Steel" (1920), "The Worker" (1932)
• Alfred Döblin: novelist and essayist, known for his experimental style and exploration of urban life
  • Famous works: "Berlin Alexanderplatz" (1929)
• Ernst Toller: playwright and poet, known for his left-wing socialist views and expressionist style
  • Famous works: "Masses and Man" (1921), "Hoppla, We're Alive!" (1927)

Themes and Movements

• New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit): a movement that emphasized realism and objectivity in response to the trauma of WWI
• Expressionism: a movement that emphasized the expression of emotions and inner experiences
• Dadaism: a movement that rejected traditional art forms and emphasized the absurd and nonsensical

Historical Context

• Weimar Republic was established after World War I and lasted until the rise of Nazi Germany in 1933
• Period of political instability, economic crisis, and social upheaval
• Authors responded to the challenges of the time, including the rise of totalitarianism and the threat of war

Weimar Republic Literature (1919-1933)

• Characterized by experimentation, modernism, and social criticism in response to the trauma of World War I and the political instability of the time

Major Authors and Works

• Bertolt Brecht: playwright and poet, known for epic theater and Marxist ideology
• Famous works: "The Threepenny Opera" (1928), "Mother Courage and Her Children" (1939)
• Ernst Jünger: novelist and essayist, known for right-wing nationalist views
• Famous works: "Storm of Steel" (1920), "The Worker" (1932)
• Alfred Döblin: novelist and essayist, known for experimental style and exploration of urban life
• Famous works: "Berlin Alexanderplatz" (1929)
• Ernst Toller: playwright and poet, known for left-wing socialist views and expressionist style
• Famous works: "Masses and Man" (1921), "Hoppla, We're Alive!" (1927)

Themes and Movements

New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit)

• Emphasized realism and objectivity in response to the trauma of WWI
• Rejected emotional and subjective responses to the war

Expressionism

• Emphasized the expression of emotions and inner experiences
• Focused on the individual's subjective experience

Dadaism

• Rejected traditional art forms and emphasized the absurd and nonsensical
• Responded to the chaos and destruction of WWI

Historical Context

• Weimar Republic established after World War I and lasted until the rise of Nazi Germany in 1933
• Period of political instability, economic crisis, and social upheaval
• Authors responded to the challenges of the time, including the rise of totalitarianism and the threat of war

German Literature History

Medieval Period (800-1500)

• Christianization of Germany occurred during the Old High German literature period (8th-11th centuries)
• Notable works of this period include Hildebrandslied, Muspilli, and Otfrid's Evangelienbuch
• Middle High German literature (11th-14th centuries) was characterized by courtly love poetry and epics, such as Parzival and Tristan
• The Nibelungenlied and Kaiserchronik are notable works of this period

Renaissance and Baroque (1500-1700)

• Humanism and Renaissance in Germany were influenced by classical Greek and Roman literature
• Notable writers of this period include Johannes Reuchlin and Ulrich von Hutten
• Baroque literature emphasized style and ornamentation, with notable writers including Andreas Gryphius and Friedrich von Logau

Enlightenment and Sturm und Drang (1700-1780)

• The Enlightenment period was marked by rationalism and criticism of absolutism
• Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Moses Mendelssohn were prominent writers of this period
• The Sturm und Drang movement emphasized emotion, individualism, and nature, with notable writers including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller

Classicism and Romanticism (1780-1830)

• Weimar Classicism was characterized by balance and harmony in literature, with notable writers including Goethe and Schiller
• Romanticism emphasized imagination, emotion, and the supernatural, with notable writers including Ludwig Tieck and E.T.A.Hoffmann

Realism and Naturalism (1830-1914)

• Realism focused on everyday life and social issues, with notable writers including Gustav Freytag and Wilhelm Raabe
• Naturalism took a scientific and deterministic approach to literature, with notable writers including Gerhart Hauptmann and Arno Holz

Modernism and Contemporary (1914-present)

• Expressionism was characterized by experimental forms and avant-garde styles, with notable writers including Franz Kafka and Alfred Döblin
• Contemporary German literature is marked by diverse styles and themes, including postmodernism, with notable writers including Günter Grass and Christa Wolf