In the wake of the First World War, many Germans saw the future of their nation as contingent on a vision of municipal progress. In this well-researched study, historian Anthony McElligott uses an analysis of local politics in the industrial city of Altona to predict the fate of the Weimar Republic.
Focusing on urbanism as a transformative force, this book explores the social and cultural history of Germany from 1900 to 1945, a time when the majority of the population lived in urban areas. It utilizes a diverse array of written, visual, and oral sources, including previously unavailable archive materials, film scenes, literature, and art, to provide a comprehensive survey of the German urban experience during this pivotal period.
This introduction to the history of Weimar Germany challenges readers to rethink preconceived ideas of the republic and throws new light on important areas such as constitutional and social reform, Jewish life, gender and cultural developments.