The Roaring Twenties and the New Mass Media Lecture 8 20 March 2012 HIST2133. The Weimar Republic through Documents,

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 ► 1 millions flat needed after 1923 Berlin public housing companies built 64,000 new flats ≠ 37,000 by privates, 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 Competition by sound films Growing polarisation & struggles between Modernists and Traditionalists Traditionalists denouncing Weimar Culture as ‘Cultural Bolshevism’ or ‘Degeneration’

Radio network, 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, : 780, : 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, 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