Culture and Inflation in Weimar Germany (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism) [Hardcover]

Bernd Widdig (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520222903 | ISBN-13: 978-0520222908 | Publication Date: March 5, 2001 | Edition: 1

For many Germans the hyperinflation of 1922 to 1923 was one of the most decisive experiences of the twentieth century. In his original and authoritative study, Bernd Widdig investigates the effects of that inflation on German culture during the Weimar Republic. He argues that inflation, with its dynamics of massification, devaluation, and the rapid circulation of money, is an integral part of modern culture and intensifies and condenses the experience of modernity in a traumatic way.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A landmark study.... Widdig's energetic account uses an interdisciplinary approach to reveal how economic anxieties were powerfully symptomatic of larger social and cultural issues." - Maria Tatar, author of Lustmord: Sexual Murder in Weimar Germany "Bernd Widdig displays sharp intelligence and uncommon wit in this brilliant study of culture and inflation. Following the explosions in politics and culture that the inflation detonated from the end of World War I to the rise of the Nazis, this book is a bold and original mediation on modernity and money and the trauma of oblivion. It is a masterful, illuminating analysis." - Peter Fritzsche, author of Reading Berlin 1900"

From the Inside Flap

"A landmark study. . . . Widdig's energetic account uses an interdisciplinary approach to reveal how economic anxieties were powerfully symptomatic of larger social and cultural issues."--Maria Tatar, author of Lustmord: Sexual Murder in Weimar Germany

"Bernd Widdig displays sharp intelligence and uncommon wit in this brilliant study of culture and inflation. Following the explosions in politics and culture that the inflation detonated from the end of World War I to the rise of the Nazis, this book is a bold and original meditation on modernity and money and the trauma of oblivion. It is a masterful, illuminating analysis."--Peter Fritzsche, author of Reading Berlin 1900

"Widdig's account of the cultural impact of the German hyperinflation adds an important dimension to the history of interwar Germany. He brings a unique perspective to the interaction between popular culture and political and economic decisions in the twentieth century. This fascinating book raises intriguing questions for economic and political historians."--Peter Temin, author of Lessons from the Great Depression

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 290 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (March 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520222903
• ISBN-13: 978-0520222908
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,523,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars different perspective on the subject of hyper-inflation, June 7, 2008

By 

William S. Hall (charleston, SC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Culture and Inflation in Weimar Germany (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism) (Hardcover)

i have read lots of books on the topic of inflation and it's causes but this is the first book i've seen which addresses the impact of inflation on the people themselves. the author peers into the various ways Germans coped with rapidly rising prices, how rapid inflation distorts self worth and the feelings of guilt that mothers and fathers felt as their standard of living collapsed.
if you want to see hyper-inflation from the perspective of average people trying to cope with something utterly beyond their control this book will help a lot.

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for everyone, July 5, 2009

By 

Marvin D. Pipher (Houston, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Culture and Inflation in Weimar Germany (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism) (Hardcover)

My objectives in reading this book were rather simple. I hoped to learn something about the fundamental causes of the hyper-inflation in Germany's Weimar Republic; to gain some insight into its impact on the people who experienced it; and to learn what those people did to survive and protect themselves in such trying circumstances. This book touches briefly upon these topics but goes far beyond my level of interest.

The book reads more like a doctorial thesis aimed at exploring the Weimar inflation in all its manifestations -- including its effect on Germany's culture, industry, arts, society, labor, and women -- rather than as a book intended for general public consumption. Rather than simply telling his tale AS HE SEES IT, in easy to understand language, the author devotes the bulk of his book to reviewing and analyzing the works of other intellectuals, authors, essayists, and film makers based on his study of their novels, books, essays, films, and editorial cartoons. As a consequence, readers such as I, not having seen, read, or even having heard of any of these works, must pick their way through a maze of abstract and unfamiliar information much of which seems only tangentially related to the inflation.

Clearly, this is a well researched and well documented book, but, in my view, it is not intended for the casual reader or for those who have only a superficial knowledge of and interest in 1923's hyper-inflation. Others may disagree. By my estimate, however, the few pages which addressed the topics of interest to me would have filled only a small pamphlet.