The Roaring Twenties

and the New Mass Media

Lecture 8

20 March 2012

HIST2133.The Weimar Republic through Documents,1918-1933

Roaring ‘Golden’ Twenties

• Artistically & spiritually extremely productive period especially in Berlin

• Cultural achievements also named as Weimar Culture (Weimarer Kultur)

• Met with strong interest & hotly debated in Germany + internationally

Berlin (1)

• 3rd biggest city worldwide (4.3 million) after London + N.Y.

• World top in newspaper quantity & diversity + in telephoning (1/2 million telephone

connections)

• Very big publishing companies

• Many theatres, concert halls, cabarets

Berlin (2)

• European Cultural Metropolis + Centre of ‘Weimar Culture’ in 1920s

• Melting of new ideas & new forces of whole world into special, characteristic synthesis

• Magnet for new artistic talents, especially Jews with international relations, sensitivity, strong instinct for quality

= Americanisation most visible

= Evoked strong positive + negative emotions (“Babylon”)

‘Golden Twenties’ ?• Zauberberg by Thomas Mann / Berlin Alexanderplatz by Döblin • Fröhlicher Weinberg by Zuckmayer / Dreigroschenoper by Brecht • Political theatre by Piscator / famous theatre director Reinhardt• Bauhaus by Gropius / Sculptures of Barlach• Movies / Political cabaret with witty-satirical songs

= Strong divergence between …

• ☻Sombre political & economic conditions of Republic

• ☼ Unique richness of artistically manifestations & spiritual achievements

House-building

• Almost stopped 1914-23 ► 1 millions flat needed after 1923

• Berlin public housing companies built 64,000 new flats ≠ 37,000 by privates, 1925-9

• Modern architects & town planners designed + built new towns (e.g. White town in Berlin)

• Often brand-marked by traditionalists as ‘Cultural Bolshevism’

Weimar Culture (Weimarer Kultur)

• Culture and politics without much interconnectedness

• Vitality & creativity provided little to reputation of Weimar Republic or stabilisation of democracy

• Free cultural atmosphere not really appreciated by often over-critical artists

• Low identification with democracy by artists

= Not a culture of the Weimar Republic but a culture at the time of the Weimar Republic

Two Weimar Cultures

Artistic avant-garde: Moderne (Modernity) + begin of mass culture with fresh impulses in literature, painting, architecture, theatre, life reform

≠

Traditional arts & forms: Strong cultural-pessimistic & civilisation-critical current with strong backing by most Germans

= Each side questioned the other’s cultural quality

= Deeply divided: In reality two Weimar Cultures

Literature & Theatre, 1920s

► Extreme manifold of styles & subjects, † Great epoch ended 1929/30:

• Slowing of creativity• Economic crisis + cutting of state subsidies +

closure of many theatres, esp. 1931• Competition by sound films• Growing polarisation & struggles between

Modernists and Traditionalists • Traditionalists denouncing Weimar Culture as

‘Cultural Bolshevism’ or ‘Degeneration’

Radio network, 1923-31

• Mass medium in Germany since 1923

• Creation of radio network with 9 radio stations: Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft as roof organisation controlled by postal ministry

• Non-political character guaranteed by government

• Primarily for entertainment & education→ Music & literature (radio play, author’s readings,

recitations)

Radio listeners

• 1924: less than 10,000• 1925: 780,000• 1927: 1.6 million• 1929: 2.8 million• 1931: 3.7 million• 1932: 4 million

= 2nd position in Europe after GB= 1 of 4 German households had radio in 1932

Radio network, 1932-3

• Successive nationalisation of Germany’s radio network under authoritarian ‘presidential regime’ chancellor Papen (1932)

• Complete nationalisation & control under Hitler + propaganda minister Goebbels (1933)

= Radio as prime tool for NS propaganda

Results

• Breakthrough & eruption of new modern trends in 1920s: Mass media, life style, free time activities, holidays, life reform

• Interpreted as cultural decay by traditionalists

= Rise of cultural-pessimistic trends

= Hostility of conservative-nationalists vs. Weimar Republic

Conclusion

• Weimar Culture divided:

• Modernity ≠ fear of modernity

• Radicalism ≠ resignation

• Rational objectivity ≠ irrational subjectivity with mystical-contemplative-chiliastic elements