Historical fiction

In the Weimar Republic, historical fiction was a term used mostly disparagingly for popular representations of history, especially biographies. Well-known representatives of this genre were Emil Ludwig , Herbert Eulenberg , Werner Hegemann and Paul Wiegler . Many of the specialist historians at the time dismissed historical fiction, which was predominantly republican, partly socialist, as unscientific.

In a broader sense, historical novels are sometimes referred to as historical fiction.

literature

Historical fiction. A critical review of the literature . In: Historische Zeitschrift Vol. 193 (1928), volume 3. Also published separately: Oldenbourg, Munich 1928.
Christoph Gradmann: Historical fiction. Popular historical biographies in the Weimar Republic . Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt / Main 1993, ISBN 3-593-34881-0 .
Eberhard Kolb : "The historians are seriously angry". The dispute over the "historical fiction" in Weimar Germany , In: Liberalitas. Festschrift for Erich Angermann on his 65th birthday . Steiner, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-515-05656-4 , pp. 67-86.

Remarks

↑ Der Große Brockhaus , Vol. 8, Leipzig 1931, p. 536: “Summary terms for historical representations that do not claim to be strictly scientific. Character seek its effect especially in the application of artistic means and witty formulations, often with a strong personal or political-ideological tendency; it is mainly about biographies. In Germany, after the World War, there was a sharp contrast between H. B., who achieved great success, and histor. Specialized science developed. "

[1] Der Große Brockhaus , Vol. 8, Leipzig 1931, p. 536: “Summary terms for historical representations that do not claim to be strictly scientific. Character seek its effect especially in the application of artistic means and witty formulations, often with a strong personal or political-ideological tendency; it is mainly about biographies. In Germany, after the World War, there was a sharp contrast between H. B., who achieved great success, and histor. Specialized science developed. "