Why Jews Played Such A Prominent Role In The 20's

350 Words2 Pages
Explain why Jews played such a prominent role in the cultural life of Germany in the 1920’s. Jews played a prominent role in the cultural life of Germany during the Weimar Republic. Their talents were wide ranging and they excelled during this era in architecture, music, art, the classics, theatre and cinema. Although making up only 1% of the total German population, the Jewish sector placed education as a high priority and their wealth enabled them to enjoy the cultural side of life. Erich Mendelsohn (1887 – 1953) was a famous architect. He was propelled forward in his career through connections with his wife. This led to him designing the iconic Einstein Tower in 1921, an astronomical laboratory. In the field of classical music Jewish artists were internationally famous. For example Hanns Eisler (composer), Bruno Walter (conductor), Fritz Kreisler (violinist). In Berlin at the time there was a huge interest in Jazz so musicians quickly became popular throughout the dancehalls and clubs. Max Liebermann (1847 – 1935) was probably the best known Jewish artist, famous for his paintings, prints and etchings. He was able to use his own personal inherited wealth to allow him to leave a career in law and then to build an impressive collection of Impressionist art. Kurt Weill (1900 – 1950) was symbiotic with German theatre culture. His famous “Threepenny Opera” which included the song “Mack the Knife” where respectable citizens were seen as villains and criminals and prostitutes were hero worshipped, is still popular today. Berlin was an important centre for world cinema. The most famous film of the time was called “The Blue Angel” whose Director was of course Jewish – Josef von Sternberg. It is clear therefore that cultural life in Germany was driven forward by Jews. Jews felt safe in Germany during the Weimar era
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