Vertigo - The Rise and Fall of Weimar Germany. Chapter 11: The Mood Plummets, Taste Adapts – Cultural Conflicts in a Time of Depression

第十一章深入探讨了1930年代初德国复杂的文化图景，那是一个被魏玛共和国经济危机所笼罩的时期。与普遍认为的死气沉沉的单一片面叙事相反，本章重点介绍了当时的矛盾体验。虽然危机带来了巨大的困苦，但它也伴随着重大的成就和文化变革。 尽管经济衰退，德国人仍能找到快乐的时刻，参与休闲活动并追求个人抱负。格拉夫·齐柏林飞艇的北极探险和维尔纳·海森堡的诺贝尔物理学奖等重大成就，激发了民族自豪感。教育、交通和建筑领域的创新进一步增强了进步感。 然而，一种普遍的悲观情绪开始蔓延，这源于经济焦虑和日益增长的文化分裂感。德国人越来越发现自己彼此对立，他们的神经被普遍的困境所磨损。本章分析了这种蓬勃发展的文化悲观主义，将其根源追溯到对现代性的幻灭以及对一种被感知的过去真实性的渴望。 一个中心主题是对现代消费文化及其对德国社会的所谓美国化的批判。像电影评论家赫伯特·伊赫林和教育家路易莎·索尔米茨这样的人物，对美国电影、潮流和价值观的影响表示担忧，认为它们是对德国文化认同的威胁。溜溜球热潮虽然只是一种短暂的消遣，但也成为了这种文化焦虑的象征，代表着逃避现实和现代生活的肤浅。 该文本探讨了对魏玛共和国的左翼和右翼批评的汇合。虽然意识形态对立，但两者都对现代社会的肤浅和商业主义表示鄙夷。即使是像乔治·格罗兹这样以讽刺描绘魏玛社会而闻名的人物，也表达了对传统德国价值观和艺术表达的渴望。 本章考察了城市和乡村生活之间日益扩大的鸿沟，突出了农民面临的经济困境以及他们与共和国的疏远。受到对更简单、更真实生活方式的渴望的推动，田园浪漫主义获得了发展势头。像瓦尔德马·达雷和奥古斯特·维尼希这样的人物，宣扬浪漫化乡村生活和妖魔化城市文化的意识形态，这为纳粹党提供了宣传，以吸引农村人口。 本章还涉及了社会态度的变化，特别是关于舞蹈和时尚。查尔斯顿舞，作为1920年代解放的象征，让位于更传统的舞蹈，如华尔兹，反映了一种向保守主义的转变。同样，波波头也不再流行，因为女性开始拥抱更女性化和端庄的风格。即使是主流媒体也开始从言论自由转向关于更传统价值观的令人振奋的施拉格音乐。 最后，本章讲述了《柏林亚历山大广场》的作者阿尔弗雷德·德布林的经历，他发现自己越来越疏远曾经赞美的城市群众。德布林的著作反映了一种对德国社会发展方向日益增长的不安感，以及对与自然更真实联系的渴望。到1933年，德布林移民离开了这个国家。

Chapter 11 delves into the complex cultural landscape of Germany during the early 1930s, a period marked by the economic crisis of the Weimar Republic. Contrary to a monolithic narrative of grim uniformity, the chapter highlights the contradictory experiences of the time. While the crisis brought immense hardship, it also coincided with significant achievements and cultural shifts. Despite the economic downturn, Germans found moments of joy, engaging in leisure activities and pursuing personal ambitions. Major advancements, such as the Graf Zeppelin's Arctic expedition and Werner Heisenberg's Nobel Prize in Physics, instilled a sense of national pride. Innovations in education, transportation, and architecture further contributed to a feeling of progress. However, a pervasive pessimism began to take hold, fueled by economic anxieties and a growing sense of cultural fragmentation. Germans increasingly found themselves at odds with one another, their nerves frayed by the prevailing conditions. The chapter analyzes this burgeoning cultural pessimism, tracing its roots to a disillusionment with modernity and a yearning for a perceived past authenticity. A central theme is the critique of modern consumer culture and its perceived Americanization of German society. Figures like film critic Herbert Ihering and educator Louisa Zolmitz voiced concerns about the influence of American films, trends, and values, viewing them as a threat to German cultural identity. The yo-yo craze, though a brief distraction, became a symbol of this cultural anxiety, representing escapism and the superficiality of modern life. The text explores the convergence of left- and right-wing critiques of the Weimar Republic. While ideologically opposed, both shared a disdain for the perceived shallowness and commercialism of modern society. Even figures like George Grosz, known for his satirical portrayals of Weimar society, expressed a yearning for traditional German values and artistic expression. The chapter examines the growing divide between urban and rural life, highlighting the economic hardships faced by farmers and their alienation from the Republic. Agrarian romanticism, fueled by a longing for a simpler, more authentic way of life, gained traction. Figures like Waldemar Darré and August Winnig promoted ideologies that romanticized rural life and demonized urban culture, which provided the Nazi party with propaganda to appeal to the rural population. The chapter also touches on changing social attitudes, particularly concerning dance and fashion. The Charleston, a symbol of the liberated 1920s, gave way to more traditional dances like the waltz, reflecting a shift towards conservatism. Similarly, the bob hairstyle declined in popularity as women embraced more feminine and modest styles. Even mainstream media had begun to shift from freedom of expression to uplifting Schlager about more traditional values. Finally, the chapter recounts the experiences of Alfred Döblin, author of "Berlin Alexanderplatz," who found himself increasingly alienated from the urban masses he had once celebrated. Döblin's writings reflect a growing sense of unease about the direction of German society and a longing for a more authentic connection with nature. By 1933, Döblin emigrated out of the country.