Germany's radical changes

Over the past few decades, Germany has endured a number of difficult changes. Such as changes in their government, society and economy. Most change occurred in the aftermath of World War I, which left Germany politically unstable. After the Treaty of Versailles was passed, Germany was forced to admit fault and pay off all the debts, which lead to a harsh time of hyperinflation.

The Treaty of Versailles is interesting in every aspect. It was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in the palace of King Louis XIV, which is the same hall in which the founding of the German Empire had been declared (204). This treaty, in sense, was established to put all blame on Germany for World War I. With the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was placed under heavy legal sanctions, deprived of military power, economically ruined, and politically humiliated. Germany was forced to give up land to Poland, Belgium and other countries. The Treaty of Versailles caused a breakdown of the German Military as it states that the German Army cannot be over 100,000 men and the navy cannot sail ships larger than 100,000 tonnes. It also banned the construction of an air force and a submarine fleet.

Signing of the Treaty of Versailles at the Hall Of Mirrors

The disappointment over the terms of the treaty, continuing economic difficulties, and the oppressive conditions of the everyday life, all combined to alter the mood of the general public, making it more receptive to the propaganda campaigns of nationalist and monarch groups. Millions of people in the occupied region needed government assistance to survive; and since huge sums in taxes and custom tariffs were lost as well, the government ran up an enormous deficit that could only be made up by printing more money (210), which in turn, led to hyperinflation. As the economy broke down altogether, people had to convert their wages into goods immediately, because only a few short hours later, the money would buy practically nothing.

The period of hyperinflation caused the current currency to become worthless. At one point it took nearly 240 million marks to equal 1 US dollar. With the new currency called the Rentenmark, the economy was able to rebound. The Rentenmark has since been replaced by the East German Mark, the Deutsch Mark and now the Euro. Following the Dawes Plan, which stimulated from the first large loan from wall street, Germany had improved from the galloping inflation crisis. A financial circulation system arose that kept the transatlantic economy flourishing for years. Between 1924 and 1929, German production increased in volume by 50 percent, and many industries were able to regain their former dominance in world markets (218).

Stacks of German marks, which were practically worthless due to hyperinflation

Germany went through social changes as well. Once Hitler came into power, several things changed. The traditional concepts of European politics were foreign to him; they meant nothing to him in any case. The major change in culture was the public opinion on Jews. To reach it, Hitler first had to establish National Socialist rule irreversibly and make the party a dominant presence everywhere in the country. Hitler’s campaign made use of terror and propaganda actions designed to appear as if they (jews) had erupted spontaneously from the population, “from below” (254). Initially, bans were established around Jewish owned businesses. Hatred grew until one night, when there were a series of attacks on Jewish businesses, homes and people. This night, November 9^th, 1938 was dubbed Reichskristallnacht, “Night of Shattered Glass” (255). This is relates to the amount of windows, items and valuables that were broken on this night. In two days, over 250 synagogues were destroyed, over 7,00 Jewish businesses were trashed/looted, dozens of Jewish people were killed, and Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes were broken into while the police just stood by and watched. After the “Night of Shattered Glass”, for those who were not killed or incarcerated, life became even more difficult as they were not accepted anywhere they went. Already barred from entering museums, public playgrounds/areas, now they were expelled from the public schools. Many tried to flee the country, while unfortunately, many others committed suicide.

A wave of burning synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses & homes during Reichskristallnacht, “Night of Shattered Glass” 

Throughout the transitions from the German Empire to the Weimar Republic to Nazi Germany and to the current government, Germany has faced many changes that other nations have not been through. Whether some of these changes were intentional or forced upon them, Germany has learned and prospered from their rich history/experiences, and have become one of the most stable and well-established countries in the world today.

The Birth of a Modern German Nation

Before the physical borders of Germany ever appeared, there was a psychological border that had a presence. The people who lived in German speaking lands began to show patriotism and other connecting beliefs that were aimed at a country that didn’t exist. This idea really flourished during a phase referred to as the Biedermeier, which was a transitional period between neoclassicism and romanticism, where arts, architecture and music began to make vast changes (Schulze, 111). This style grew during a period of economic impoverishment in the early to mid-1800’s. In the field of literature, derivative writers carried the day and small forms dominated. In relation, one prominent figure during this era included Heinrich Heine, whose deceptively simple and melodic verses of captured the hearts of an entire generation.

An example of Biedermeier furniture. It represents the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the Aristocracy.

In Germany (or what was to become Germany) was similar. In regards to music, many musicians and composers grew in popularity and talent during this time, such as Albert Lortzing. Who at this time, was just as popular as the well-known, Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven, who is still considered as one of the best composers of all time, was known during this time for turning to Haus-Musik, pieces for piano or string quartet and songs that could be performed at home, and or private gatherings.

Albert Lortzing. A very famous opera composer during the Biedermeier phase.

Going beyond the developments of the arts, German unification was spreading. Although there were no official boundaries or clear borders to Germany, there was already a definition to the unification: “German Fatherland had as yet no fixed shape. It was a poetic, historical, and utopian notion, an ideal that in its more earthly incarnation usually bore the name ‘Prussia.’” Though there was in increase in reference to “German people” individuals referred to a cultural and linguistic unity more than anything else and did not begin to imply that many separate German states would actually be consolidated into one single nation anytime soon (Schulze, 117).

The years following 1840 saw a rebirth of German nationalism. The Gymnastics movement (Turnbewegung) spread across Germany with an accompanying ideology that linked the goal of physical fitness with the ideas of patriotism and national defense (Schulze 119). A key component of this national movement was the Gesangverein, which is a chorale society. Here, umbrella organizations were formed that sponsored the first fanned nationalistic sentiment. Members not only promoted patriotic theme songs, but they also gave speeches. During this era, the first pan-German academic congress took place, which is where individuals stressed the significant link between scholarship and the idea of nationhood.

  Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. Recognized as the founding father of Turnbewegung.

“In short, the German Nation was born in the minds of the intelligentsia, as a cultural identity without direct ties to politics. It was therefore only logical that its great heroes were not princes and military leaders as in France and England but rather a collection of poets and philosophers…”(Schulze, 91). I believe that the history of the German culture is covered in this single sentence. While Germany is known for its resilient military force, and the wars it has part-taken in, it carries good-hearted roots. In that, these roots made it inevitable for the many kingdoms scattered around what was to become Germany, to unite and mold one well-distinguished country. 

I find this topic interesting because it shows us that Germany existed before “Germany” was created. When visiting, I am curious to see how these roots are still visible in the German culture today, seeing that it has gone through a tremendous amount of cultural, social, and political change. While visiting, I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to talk to locals in regards to their rich, cultural history.

Berlin's Rich History

Before watching this video, I had very little knowledge in regards to Berlin’s history. I believe the video showed a very realistic and humbling portrayal of what Berlin was like during the mid- 20^th century. One portion of the video that I found interesting was about Magnus Hirschfeld. He was a physician and sexologist that was known as one of the first strong advocates for the homosexual and transgender community. He fought hard to establish rights for these individuals. He eventually organized a congress for sexual reform, which later led to the establishment of the World League for Sexual Reform. Doing so, he received a lot of negative backlash. The reason I bring up Hirschfeld is because today, the homosexual and transgendered community is a huge topic of interest. Though many states have adopted the rights for approving gay marriage and there is a higher level of approval for transgendered individuals, there is still a lot of negative connotation surrounding these principles. With that being said, one can say that Hirschfeld is a big reason as to why both of these communities fight everyday for their rights as individuals. As years progress, it will be interesting to see what laws will be passed and what society’s view on these groups of people will look like, whether it’s in Germany, or wherever it may be.

Photo of Magnus Hirschfeld, known as one of the first homosexual/transgendered advocates.

            The other area in the video that I took interest in was the race between east and west Berlin to see who could rebuild faster and represent what their designated area believed in. The video noted that they initially wanted to see who could establish a taller building/headquarters. Though the West struck first with it’s new headquarters right next to the wall, east Berlin responded by establishing four new gigantic apartment complexes, putting the west’s building in the shadows. In 1969, east Berlin took a step and built what they called the “TV Tower”. It stood three-hundred and sixty meters tall, making it the visible icon of east Berlin. By building this, east Berlin wanted to show their knowledge regarding new technology and the future. The reason these actions struck my interest was because it reminded me about the “space race” that happened around the same time, which was between the Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States. Like east and west Berlin, it was a race between two nations to measure who carried more technological superiority between the two.

Photo of the TV Tower today.

Another area in the video that sparked my interest was the importance of architecture in Germany during the 20^th century. At this time, Berlin was the cauldron of creativity. It was noted as the most modern city in the western world. The video went into detail about the famous architect named Albert Speer. Hitler gave him unlimited amounts of funds to help remodel berlin into his up and coming Nazi regime. Speer was noted for his working during the 1936 Olympics, where Hitler told him to make the athletic playing grounds “nazi style”. This just goes to show how much Hitler wanted to spread awareness of the Nazi lifestyle to his surrounding peers. This can be seen as one of his many forms of propaganda that he used. The video notes that today, Germany is still current in regards to modern architecture, and that they don’t deny the past work whatsoever, but rather acknowledge it.

Photo of the famous Nazi Architect, Albert Speer.

The Berlin Schloss also caught my attention. It was known as the royal residence, home of the rulers, heart of berlin, and so forth. It was heavily damaged during WWII. Its remains were left in east berlin, but eventually demolished in 1950 because east Berlin believed with its imperial past, it represented the wrong kind of history. Twenty years after the demolition in 1973, construction began for a replacement. The palace of the republic was built. It was meant to be seat of east German Parliament, but it was also used for the public as well. Such as concerts, parties/gatherings, etc. It was interesting to see the reactions from people in both east and west Berlin. While some thought it was great for Berlin, others saw the new establishment as a tragedy.

 The remains of the Berlin Schloss after WWII.

After watching this long clip on Berlin, I realize the rich history that it carries. While visiting there, I am really looking forward to visiting the Brandenburg gate, after seeing in the video the significance that it has held over time.