The Weimar Republic was a turbulent and fateful time in German history. Characterized by economic and political instability, polarization, and radicalism, the period witnessed the efforts of many German writers to play a leading political role, whether directly, in the chaotic years of 1918-1919, or indirectly, through their works. The novelists chosen range from such now-canonical authors as Alfred Döblin, Hermann Hesse, and Heinrich Mann to bestselling writers of the time such as Erich Maria Remarque, B. Traven, Vicki Baum, and Hans Fallada. They also span the political spectrum, from the right-wing Ernst Jünger to pacifists such as Remarque. The journalistic engagement of Joseph Roth, otherwise well known as a novelist, and of the recently rediscovered writer Gabriele Tergit is also represented.
Contributors: Paul Bishop, Roland Dollinger, Helen Chambers, Karin V. Gunnemann, David Midgley, Brian Murdoch, Fiona Sutton, Heather Valencia, Jenny Williams, Roger Woods.
Karl Leydecker is Reader in German at the University of Kent.
Reviews
The anthology and its contributions are well-conceived .... Together with its extensive index ... the essay collection can serve as an informative study of the intricate intersections of literature and politics in the Weimar Republic. GERMAN STUDIES REVIEWTaken together, the essays introduce readers not only to 12 notable Weimar novelists but also to the era's predominant styles (from expressionism to new objectivity). CHOICE
[L]ucid, highly informative and thoroughly documented.... [T]his collection will prove an invaluable resource for undergraduates, graduate students and their teachers. JOURNAL OF EUROPEAN STUDIES
