War, Tradition and Modernism

War, Tradition War, Tradition and Modernismand Modernism

History of Germany History of Germany

Lecture 7Lecture 7

ScheduleSchedule

1.1. IntroductionIntroduction

2.2. The soldiers return from the The soldiers return from the warwar

3.3. The meaning of the Great WarThe meaning of the Great War

4.4. War and modernismWar and modernism

5.5. New objectivityNew objectivity

6.6. ConclusionConclusion

FreikorpsFreikorps (free corps) (free corps) Paramilitary organizations of demobilised soldiers and Paramilitary organizations of demobilised soldiers and

officers 1918-1920officers 1918-1920 Many soldiers felt disconnected from civilian life and Many soldiers felt disconnected from civilian life and

joined joined FreikorpsFreikorps in search of stability provided by a in search of stability provided by a military structuremilitary structure

Fought in the Baltics against Red Army, in Silesia Fought in the Baltics against Red Army, in Silesia against Polish insurgentsagainst Polish insurgents

Helped to put down communist uprisingsHelped to put down communist uprisings Participated in Kapp putsch 1920Participated in Kapp putsch 1920 Some Some Freikorps Freikorps members committed political members committed political

assassinations (Erzberger, Rathenau – seen as assassinations (Erzberger, Rathenau – seen as ‘November traitors’) ‘November traitors’)

Some joined Nazi partySome joined Nazi party

Organisations of front line Organisations of front line soldierssoldiers

Roter Frontkämpferbund (Red Fighter League, Roter Frontkämpferbund (Red Fighter League, 1924) – communist (1927: 111,000 members)1924) – communist (1927: 111,000 members)

Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold (1923) – Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold (1923) – democratic, social-democratic (1932: ca 3 million democratic, social-democratic (1932: ca 3 million members)members)

Stahlhelm. Bund der Frontsoldaten (steel Stahlhelm. Bund der Frontsoldaten (steel helmet. League of Frontline Soldiers) founded helmet. League of Frontline Soldiers) founded 1918 by Franz Seldte – antidemocratic, 1918 by Franz Seldte – antidemocratic, nationalistic, close to DNVP (1930: 500,000 nationalistic, close to DNVP (1930: 500,000 members)members)

Was will der Stahlhelm?Propaganda poster of the Stahlhelm

Stahlhelm decoration 1925

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Different opinionsDifferent opinions Moderate left and democrats: old elites and Moderate left and democrats: old elites and

authoritarian politicians of the old empire authoritarian politicians of the old empire responsible for war and defeat – more responsible for war and defeat – more democracy necessarydemocracy necessary

Communists: capitalism and ruling class Communists: capitalism and ruling class responsible – socialist revolutionresponsible – socialist revolution

Right wing nationalists: November revolution, Right wing nationalists: November revolution, social-democrats, communists, pacifists, Jews to social-democrats, communists, pacifists, Jews to blame for defeat – authoritarian government blame for defeat – authoritarian government based on support of based on support of Volksgemeinschaft Volksgemeinschaft (national (national community) is necessary to make Germany community) is necessary to make Germany strong againstrong again

Hindenburg’s coffin is carried into the central courtyard of the monument

War War memorialsmemorials

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Modernism

A break from the past and a search fornew expression. A faith in new

technology and aesthetics to solveproblems of society.

ExpressionismExpressionism

ExpressionismExpressionism is the is the tendency of an tendency of an artist to distort artist to distort reality for an reality for an emotional effect; it emotional effect; it is a subjective art is a subjective art form form

Art movement very Art movement very influential in influential in Germany since the Germany since the turn of the century turn of the century (Die Brücke, der (Die Brücke, der Blaue Reiter)Blaue Reiter)

Vassily Kandinsky, Der blaue Reiter

Otto Dix, Flanders (illustration for the novel “The Fire" by Henri Barbusse), 1934-36

Otto Dix, Gesehen am Steilhang von Cléry-sur-Somme (“As seen on the steep slope of Cléry-sur-Somme”) 1924

Otto Dix, Triptychon “The War”, 1929-32

“Armament is necessary” John Heartfield 1932

Käthe Kollwitz, Pietà, 1937

DadaDada

Dada was first and foremost a response to Dada was first and foremost a response to the madness of war.the madness of war.

To the Dadaists, progress (including To the Dadaists, progress (including reason and logic) had led to the disaster of reason and logic) had led to the disaster of world war.world war.

They believed that the only way forward They believed that the only way forward was through political anarchy, the natural was through political anarchy, the natural emotions, the intuitive and the irrational.emotions, the intuitive and the irrational.

The The Futurists Futurists believedbelieved that that mechanization, mechanization, revolution, and war revolution, and war were rational and were rational and logical means to logical means to the solution of the solution of human problems.human problems.

The The DadaDada movement was the movement was the exact oppositeexact opposite in in philosophy from the philosophy from the Futurists.Futurists.

Gino Severini. (Italian, 1883-1966). Visual Synthesis of the Idea: "War". 1914. Oil on canvas,

The origins of the term The origins of the term Dada are not known…it Dada are not known…it can mean a child’s can mean a child’s rocking horse…dada rocking horse…dada means in German in means in German in baby language to go baby language to go out, in French it means out, in French it means “an event or “an event or obsession.”obsession.”

Whatever its origin, it is Whatever its origin, it is the central mocking the central mocking symbol of the attack on symbol of the attack on established movements established movements that characterized early that characterized early 2020thth century art. century art.

Dada was a Dada was a searchsearch for new vision and for new vision and content that went beyond any frivolous desire content that went beyond any frivolous desire to outrage the bourgeoisieto outrage the bourgeoisie

It It affectedaffected art, literature, music and theatre… art, literature, music and theatre… it was the voice of the fantastic and absurd!it was the voice of the fantastic and absurd!

Dada’s Dada’s serious purposeserious purpose: the critical : the critical reexamination of traditions, premises, rules, reexamination of traditions, premises, rules, logical basic concepts, even of the concepts logical basic concepts, even of the concepts of order, coherence and beauty.of order, coherence and beauty.

George Grosz. Germany: a Winter's Tale. 1917/19. Oil on canvas. Whereabouts unknown.

What a b what a b what a beauty

What a b what a b what a beautyWhat a b what a b what a aWhat a beauty beauty beWhat a beauty beauty beWhat a beauty beauty beauty be be beWhat a be what a b what a beautyWhat a b what a b what a aWhat a be be be be beWhat a be be be be beWhat a be be be be be be be a beauty be be beWhat a beauty.

Kurt Schwitters

Lanke trr gll pe pe pe pe pe

Ooka ooka ooka ooka Lanke trr gll

pii pii pii pii pii züüka züüka züüka

züükaIII Lanke trr gll Rrmm RrnnfIII Lanke trr gll

Ziiuu lenn trll? Lümpff tümpff trllIII

Lanke trr gll Rrumpff tilff tooIII

Lanke trr gll Ziiuu lenn trll?

Lümpff tümpff trllIII Lanke trr gll

Kurt Schwitters, Ursonate, 3rd part: Scherzo (extract)

KS by El Lissitsky 1924

Oskar Maria Graf

Russian influence before the revolution

Vassily Kandinsky

Kasimir Malevich, The Black Square

Vladimir Tatlin: Model of the Monument to the Third

International

Soviet Influence

1923 Kasimir MalevichWedding dish 1924

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Die neue Sachlichkeit (New Die neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity)Objectivity)

Outgrowth of and in opposition to expressionismOutgrowth of and in opposition to expressionism Art movement in Germany in the 1920s Art movement in Germany in the 1920s

(architecture, visual arts, music)(architecture, visual arts, music) ““What we are displaying here is distinguished by What we are displaying here is distinguished by

the – in itself purely external – characteristics of the – in itself purely external – characteristics of the objectivity with which the artists express the objectivity with which the artists express themselves” (Gustav Friedrich Hartlaub, 1923)themselves” (Gustav Friedrich Hartlaub, 1923)

Rejection of sentimentality and emotional Rejection of sentimentality and emotional agitation of expressionismagitation of expressionism

Functional, matter-of-fact approach to Functional, matter-of-fact approach to construction – construction – Neues BauenNeues Bauen (New Building) (New Building)

Ornament is a waste of the energy of labour, andtherefore a waste of health…Today it also

means squandered material and squanderedcapital…The modern person, the person with

modern nerves, does not need ornament, on thecontrary, he detests it.

- Adolf Loos Ornament and Crime 1908

Form follows function

The American sculptor Horatio Greenough, popularised by the American architect Louis

Henri Sullivan

Less is more.

- Mies van der RoheArchitects and designers approached design

by methods that reduced all unnecessaryelements.

It is agreed, we refuse to duplicate handmadeworks, historical style forms, and other materials

for production.

- Peter Behrens, 1907Rejection of historical and handmade artefacts – they are

to be replaced by new technologies and materials.

The Bauhausvery influential concept of art in the 20th c.:

• Established standards of excellence and workmanship• Created products for mass production• Chief aesthetic principle was to simplify the design of all objects• The modernist palette tended to emphasize white and grey accented with black or primary colours• Ornamentation had to be integral to the materials of construction• Made use of the latest technologies• Stressed lightness and transparency• Art and technology were fused in an effort to improve overall quality of design

TheFamous Designers

• Walter Gropius– Architect and founder of the architectural

program

• Mies van der Rohe– Architect and furniture designer

• Marcel Breuer– Designer of “machine-age furniture”

Walter Gropius• 1919 - 1928 director of the Bauhaus• His aim was to bring together all creative efforts into one whole, to reunify all the disciplines ofpractical art — painting, sculpture, handicrafts and the crafts. There should be no distinctionbetween monumental and decorative art.• He believed that the student must know the crafts — each student had to work in the workshop to familiarise themselves with materials and construction in order to learn how to design properly.

Marcel Breuer• Designed tubular steel Wassily chair

inspired by bicycle handles• The chair was designed for his artist friend

Wassily Kandinsky

Mies van der Rohe• Designed the German Pavilion for the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona, Spain• Used the open plan inspired by Wright• Ornamentation was only through the textures of natural materials• Combines marble floors, polished steel columns, screen walls of glass and polished marble

The Weissenhof Estate, Stuttgart 1927

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ConclusionConclusion German society split over discussion about meaning of German society split over discussion about meaning of

warwar Traditional forms were very important in memorialisation Traditional forms were very important in memorialisation

of warof war Traditional forms could be understood by massesTraditional forms could be understood by masses Many artists looked for modernist forms to express their Many artists looked for modernist forms to express their

war experiencewar experience Dada as “anti-art” – expression of senselessness of warDada as “anti-art” – expression of senselessness of war Bauhaus and “new objectivity” – modern art in era of Bauhaus and “new objectivity” – modern art in era of

mass production – social drivemass production – social drive

War, Tradition and Modernism

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