Name: Weimar Germany
ISBN: 9780691016955

Eric D. Weitz

Looks at the political, economic, and cultural history of the Weimar Republic.

Promise and Tragedy

Weimar Germany

Scordatura

A very thorough overview of Weimar Germany: the political and economical circumstances that led to the formation of the Republic and to its eventual (this book clearly argues: inevitable) downfall. There are also chapters on the arts (film, architecture, philosophy), the radical changes that took place in German society (in the area of sexuality, women’s and worker’s rights etc) and how all these forces interacted.

Due to the thematic approach, there are a few instances where arguments are repeated unnecessarily, though only the reader who goes from cover to cover will find that annoying – people who focus on only selected chapters will undoubtedly find this very useful.
The only real criticism I have is the lack of a full bibliography: instead, there’s a bibliographical essay which probably highlighted the most crucial texts, but it seems awfully brief for a book with an approach this broad. A missed opportunity, especially as the recent (2018) reprint could have been used to correct this oversight.

A more minor nit-pick is the very frequent use of quotations from quotations (from secondary sources), without the author citing the original primary source. A remarkable approach for a book that is often cited as a key text as an introduction to Weimar Germany.

Nick Palmer

Thoroughly up-to-date, skillfully written, and strikingly illustrated, Weimar Germany brings to life an era of unmatched creativity in the twentieth century—one whose influence and inspiration still resonate today. Eric Weitz has written the authoritative history that this fascinating and complex period deserves, and he illuminates the uniquely progressive achievements and even greater promise of the Weimar Republic. Weitz reveals how Germans rose from the turbulence and defeat of World War I and revolution to forge democratic institutions and make Berlin a world capital of avant-garde art. He explores the period’s groundbreaking cultural creativity, from architecture and theater, to the new field of "sexology"—and presents richly detailed portraits of some of the Weimar’s greatest figures. Weimar Germany also shows that beneath this glossy veneer lay political turmoil that ultimately led to the demise of the republic and the rise of the radical Right. Yet for decades after, the Weimar period continued to powerfully influence contemporary art, urban design, and intellectual life—from Tokyo to Ankara, and Brasilia to New York. Featuring a new preface, this comprehensive and compelling book demonstrates why Weimar is an example of all that is liberating and all that can go wrong in a democracy.

Weimar Germany Promise and Tragedy

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