New Objectivity (Literature)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The New Objectivity is a direction of the literature of the Weimar Republic . In the works attributed to her, the tendency that emerged between the world wars towards a sober depiction of society, eroticism, technology and the global economic crisis ( see also : Great Depression ) as a reaction to literary expressionism can be seen . The representatives of the New Objectivity in literature are connected to late naturalism , but differentiated from it by a disillusioned political-social awareness and by giving up the pseudo-scientific claim to objectivity.

It is unclear who was the first to use the term New Objectivity . Otto Dix (1922) and Gustav Friedrich Hartlaub (1923) are named as namesake . Both relate the term to an art movement with characteristics that were comparable to those of the New Objectivity in literature. The art exhibition Neue Sachlichkeit in Mannheim in 1925 could be seen as the beginning of the dominance of Neue Sachlichkeit as an epoch style. In 1926 the name was transferred from the Dutch art magazine De Stijl to literature.

The rise and fall of the New Objectivity style in Germany are closely linked to the history of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933). The decline of New Objectivity began with the Great Depression in 1929. When the National Socialists came to power in 1933, a new heyday of pathetic-ideological literature began. The democracy-friendly content of the writings of the authors of the Neue Sachlichkeit led to the burning of their books, and in some cases to the arrest of the authors who did not manage to escape into exile in time.

The concern of the New Objectivity

A goal of the writers of the time was the objective and exact representation of reality. One wanted to give the people models in order to survive in the new mass and media society. People reacted to the pathos of Expressionism and wrote disaffected texts. Neue Sachlichkeit wanted to reflect people's everyday worries in their writings. Large sections of the population should participate in cultural life through this new literature. Reality was described so precisely and without exaggeration in order to wake people up through these abuses and thus change society. The population should be inspired by the "mass culture" for democracy.

Features of the New Objectivity

The observation and depiction of external reality, such as the construction of life on the basis of facts, determined the “new objective” literature of the 1920s and 1930s and, through the use of montage, builds a bridge to film . The tendency is to return to the reliable appearance - the expressionist idea of ​​the visionary poet as “spiritual leader” no longer seems adequate in a world disaffected by the war and increasingly dominated by the spirit of technical progress . “It is no longer a question of 'composing'. The most important thing is what is observed. ”Wrote Joseph Roth in 1927 in the preface to his novel The Flight Without End . A discussion already flares up here about the appropriateness and nature of this objectivity, which fluctuates between accusations of an affirmative attitude and affirmation of its critical potential. While some emphasize the effect of the directly observed "crassness" of reality, others criticize that without the connecting and classifying authority of thinking, no knowledge of reality at all can be achieved.

The authors were mostly democratic or wanted a socialist soviet republic . Often they also had a left-wing liberal stance.

Contents and topics: The poets oriented themselves to reality. In their texts they dealt with the society of that time and its problems, e.g. B. the poverty of many people. The prerequisite for this was a critical look at the present at the time. The surroundings were presented soberly and realistically. The authors were closely connected with the time and describe it in their texts. The social, political and economic reality of the Weimar Republic (e.g. Hans Fallada: Little Man - What Now? ), The aftermath of the First World War and inflation were popular motifs.

The topics that moved society were reflected in literature. The characters have to live with the enormous social and technical changes and advances. These often create social, economic and personal problems that actors have to deal with or perish. The writers also repeatedly criticized society. Historical events were also taken up and transferred to other modern people (e.g. Joseph Roth: Job. Novel of a simple man , reference to Job from the Old Testament); but current events were also processed.

Language: The action was usually only observed in a cool and distant manner. You wrote a minimum of language, but it had a maximum of meaning. The writers wanted to reach as many people as possible with their texts, so simple and sober everyday language was used. This was understandable for every reader, so broad and differently educated sections of the population were reached. The authors of the New Objectivity wrote the texts in the style of a documentary-precise report and strived for objectivity. The assembly technology was also popular. Different texts are combined, e.g. B. newspaper articles or songs are built into the text. In the New Objectivity, the meaning is more important than the form.

Figures: The authors created factual figures. The feelings of the people are there, but they are hardly shown. Engineers, workers, secretaries, employees or the unemployed are often the main characters, i.e. simple people from modern mass society. These people are reduced to their social and professional position.

Literary genres

The New Objectivity encompassed all genres of literature. The most common ones are listed here with an example each:

Utility poetry

The term was coined by Bertolt Brecht in 1927 . Most of the time, this was the name given to poems that were written for a specific purpose in order to have an effect on people. Often they are about problems of the time so that the reader becomes aware of grievances. As is customary in the New Objectivity, everything was formulated in simple and easily understandable language so that many people understood the content. The effect should be immediate. The useful poetry should have a use or value for the reader. Especially in the 1920s, utility poetry was a popular form of expression. Important representatives are Erich Kästner , Kurt Tucholsky and Bertolt Brecht.

Kurt Tucholsky's “Employees” from 1926 is an example of utility poetry. Tucholsky addresses problems faced by employees in the Weimar Republic and their social reality. The employees have to work long hours and are afraid of being laid off. The reader should be made aware of these conditions. The employees are helpless in the face of the mocking boss. Also the fact that there is no union, that they never “united”, is a problem. The language is easy to understand and therefore memorable. The “If you don't like it -: please!” Is like a call to action to change this situation.

Time novel

A time novel tries to give the reader comprehensive information about the time in which he is acting. He particularly addresses the often difficult living conditions under which society and individuals have to live. That is why time is often criticized.

A well-known example of a time novel is " Nothing New in the West ", an anti-war novel by Erich Maria Remarque , published in 1929. The novel is about Paul Bäumer, who, in a patriotic frenzy, volunteered for military service in the First World War. In the trenches and among the dead, all his illusions and patriotic feelings fall silent. Gradually Paul, and with him the readers, recognize the futility of war. In the end Paul Bäumer dies. The war is described very precisely; as usual, the novel is easy to understand. Its aim was to convince people that the war is horrific and that it senselessly destroys many people's lives.

Another example of a Zeitroman der Neue Sachlichkeit is Erich Kästner's “ Fabian - The Story of a Moralist ” from 1931. Jakob Fabian, the protagonist, an unemployed Germanist , roams Berlin in the 1930s and studies life in the chaos as an observer of the decline of the Weimar Republic. Kästner's novel is a metropolitan satire that denounces social problems through exaggeration and holds up a distorting mirror to the epoch. The author orients himself to reality and takes a critical look at society and its problems. The social, political and economic reality of the Weimar Republic is a popular motif for this. The protagonist of the novel shows typical features of a New Objectivity figure. He is a simple man from modern mass society and shows hardly any feelings when dealing with current events that ultimately make him fail. With the minimum of language and the maximum of meaning, Kästner's “Fabian” is a typical contemporary novel of the New Objectivity.

Reportage literature

These are texts that are written in a journalistic style. It is reported directly from the situation, but also at a distance. All facts are described factually. That brings the reader very close to the action. Of course, this literature is written in simple language so that everyone can understand the content. It is also characterized by a high degree of objectivity. The reportage literature has a high claim to truth and is written in such a way that it becomes an exciting story.

“Der Rasende Reporter” by Egon Erwin Kisch is such a collection of reports. Often the lyrics are set in unusual locations across Europe. Some information is given in concise language. It is a simple account of the facts, underlaid with a partly dry sense of humor. Kisch goes into the action environment precisely and carefully. As a justification for his writing in the New Objectivity style, the author cites: “Nothing is more amazing than the simple truth, nothing is more exotic than our environment, nothing is more imaginative than Objectivity. And there is nothing more sensational in the world than the time in which one lives. "

Epic theater

The epic theater is in contrast to the Aristotelian theater from ancient times in Greece. The attempt was made to let the viewer empathize and to improve him. Bertolt Brecht shaped the epic theater. He wanted to get the audience excited about political ideas. It should be told in such a way that people are "activated". You should deal with what you see and decide on an opinion. Brecht wanted the act to be shown by the actors and at the same time to be evaluated. In order not to delve too deeply into the plot, the piece is repeatedly interrupted by songs, commentaries and text projections. In order to generate thought among theatergoers, he wanted them not to get too caught up in the play. That is why Brecht kept adding interruptions. This gives the viewer a distance from the play and the actors in order to better understand everything. He wanted people to be educated about political ideas through epic theater. The audience should answer the questions raised in the play themselves.

"The Threepenny Opera" by Bertolt Brecht is counted as part of the Epic Theater. The Threepenny Opera is set in the London borough of Soho in the 19th century. At that time, this place was populated by shady characters, as well as prostitutes and beggars. All in all a wicked, immoral world. The plot tells of the competition between a mafia boss and a criminal. The mafia man blackmailed beggars and the criminal has good contacts with the London police chief. It is about "business", a civil activity that takes place in a criminal environment. There is a blurring between law and crime. There is a synthesis of good and bad that cannot be clearly separated. Brecht wanted to equate social structures ( vulgo : capitalism ) with crime. He wanted the audience to deal with it and form their own opinion about the now questionable bourgeois machinations.

Critical folk theater

The Volkstheater already existed in the 19th century. At that time, what the people wanted to see was played. Often the native dialect was spoken. However, the popular theater of the 20th century is different. It is about workers, employees, craftsmen and petty bourgeoisie. Often social criticism is exercised or political ideas are incorporated. The pieces deal with the political and economic problems of the time.

“ Stories from the Vienna Woods ” by Ödön von Horváth , premiered in Berlin in 1931, are included in the Critical Popular Theater. The story takes place in Austria in the Wachau , in the Josefstadt (Vienna) and in the Vienna Woods . It's about Marianne, the daughter of a toy retailer who is almost bankrupt. She is engaged to the butcher Oskar. However, she gets to know Alfred, who lives from betting and questionable business. Marianne is still inexperienced and so Alfred can seduce her. Shortly afterwards she moves in with Alfred and has a child. Alfred soon finds Marianne a nuisance. Oskar still likes Marianne, but the child stands in the way of marriage because he does not want to take the child in. Her father rejects her. In her need, Marianne has to give her child to Alfred's grandmother and pose almost naked for “ Living Pictures ”. She has no money and is stealing. That's why she ends up in jail. Then she returns to her father, who has since forgiven her. Oskar is now also ready to live with the child. But the grandmother has since let the child die in order to free her grandson Alfred from this burden. After this tragic incident, Marianne goes away with Oskar. Unlike other plays, the play is not spoken in dialect. Oskar loves Marianne, but when it comes down to it, he doesn't stand firm. Such social problems are dealt with in the play. Women have to work and give away their children to survive.

Significance for literary history

Many writers had the impression that in the Weimar Republic, due to rapid technical, political and social changes, traditional topics had become irrelevant, and they grappled with new trends and fashions. Literature had to be marketed effectively as a commodity, as it has been primarily viewed by many since then. These changes had a lasting effect on the literature business .

The New Objectivity created the basis of today's cultural scene in Germany. In the interwar period, German literature was also modernized by incorporating new literary genres such as reportage.

Works

Novels

stories

Dramas

Poems

In the works of Franz Kafka , Franz Jungs and Arnold Zweig , too , tendencies in the new objective direction emerge clearly.

literature

  • Sabina Becker, Christoph Weiß (ed.): New objectivity in the novel. New interpretations of the novel of the Weimar Republic. Metzler, Stuttgart et al. 1995, ISBN 3-476-01276-X .
  • Sabina Becker: New Objectivity. 2 volumes (Volume 1: The Aesthetics of New Objective Literature (1920–1933). Volume 2: Sources and Documents. ). Böhlau, Cologne et al. 2000, ISBN 3-412-15699-X (also: Saarbrücken, Univ., Habil.-Schr., 1997).
  • Sabina Becker: The literary modernity of the twenties. Theory and Aesthetics of the New Objectivity. In: International Archive for the Social History of German Literature . Vol. 27, Issue 1, 2002, ISSN  0340-4528 , pp. 73-95.
  • Britta Jürgs (ed.): Unfortunately, I've completely forgotten how to fly. Portraits of artists and writers of the New Objectivity. Aviva, Grambin 2000, ISBN 3-932338-09-X .
  • Anton Kaes (Ed.): Weimar Republic, 1918–1933 (= manifestos and documents on German literature ). Metzler, Stuttgart 1983, ISBN 3-476-00414-7 .
  • Volker Ladenthin: Erich Kästner's remarks on realism in prose. A contribution to Erich Kästner's poetological thinking and to the theory of New Objectivity. In: active word. Vol. 38, 1988, ISSN  0723-6778 , pp. 62-77.
  • Helmut Lethen : New Objectivity. 1924-1932. Studies on the literature of "White Socialism". 2nd, revised edition. Metzler, Stuttgart 1975, ISBN 3-476-00320-5 .
  • Martin Lindner: Life in Crisis. New Objectivity and the intellectual mentality of classical modernism. With an exemplary analysis of the novels by Arnolt Bronnen, Ernst Glaeser, Ernst von Salomon and Ernst Erich Noth, Metzler, Stuttgart et al. 1994, ISBN 3-476-00996-3 (also: Munich, Univ., Diss., 1995).
  • Stefan Neuhaus : Ernst Toller and the New Objectivity. Attempt on the applicability of a problematic concept of epoch. In: Stefan Neuhaus (ed.): Ernst Toller and the Weimar Republic. An author in the field of tension between literature and politics (= writings of the Ernst Toller Society. 1). Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1999, ISBN 3-8260-1598-3 , pp. 135–154.
  • Klaus Petersen: “New Objectivity”: Concept of style, epoch designation or group phenomenon? In: German quarterly for literary studies and intellectual history. Vol. 56, No. 3, 1982, ISSN  0012-0936 , pp. 463-477.
  • Liane Schüller: On the seriousness of distraction. Writing women at the end of the Weimar Republic: Marieluise Fleißer, Irmgard Keun and Gabriele Tergit. Aisthesis-Verlag, Bielefeld 2005, ISBN 3-89528-506-4 (also: Duisburg-Essen, Univ., Diss., 2004).
  • Dominik Schweiger: New Objectivity. In: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon . Online edition, Vienna 2002 ff., ISBN 3-7001-3077-5 ; Print edition: Volume 3, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2004, ISBN 3-7001-3045-7 .
  • Matthias Uecker: Reality and Literature. Strategies of Documentary Writing in the Weimar Republic. Peter Lang, Oxford et al. 2007, ISBN 978-3-03911-057-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ New Objectivity . www.wissen.de
  2. ↑ Pure Design - Germany and neighboring countries in the first half of the 20th century . Designwissen.net project at the University of Vechta
  3. ↑ Galerie Ketterer: The New Objectivity and the Objective Style
  4. ↑ Text on www.textlog.de
  5. ↑ Egon Erwin Kisch: Foreword to Der rasende Reporter . Erich Reiss, Berlin 1925