Cultural changes

• What freedoms were enshrined in law by the Weimar constitution?

  Freedom of speech
• What was the impact of economic recovery after 1924 on the arts in Germany?

  It created wealth to finance the arts
• What types of institutions did the Weimar government provide grants to?

  Art galleries, theatres, orchestras, museums, and libraries
• What does New Objectivism in art emphasize?

  Art should show life as it really is, including poverty and squalor
• How does Modernism differ from romanticism in art?

  Modernism embraces the future and sees beauty in technology, industry, and cities
• What is an example of a Modernist movement?

  The Bauhaus movement
• Who designed the Einstein Tower and what was its intended appearance?

  Erich Mendelsohn designed it to look like a rocket
• What does Expressionism in art focus on?

  It reflects the thoughts and feelings of the artist
• Who was Otto Dix and what was his contribution to Expressionism?

  Otto Dix was an expressionist painter who criticized the harsh life for veterans
• What was significant about the film Metropolis made in 1926?

  It was a very innovative sci-fi film
• When was Germany's first sound film made?

  1930
• How many German cinemas were showing films with sound by 1932?

  3,800
• What criticism did left-wing groups have regarding cultural innovations in the Weimar Republic?

  They said funding was spent on extravagance instead of helping working people
• How did right-wing groups view changes to the arts during the Weimar Republic?


  They believed changes undermined traditional German culture
• The restrictions of the imperial regime had been thrown off, and the Weimar constitution enshrined freedoms (e.g., freedom of speech) in law
• Economic recovery after 1924 created wealth to finance the arts
• The Weimar government gave grants to art galleries, theatres, orchestras, museums and libraries
• New Objectivism said art should show life as it really is, including poverty and squalor, not a romanticised view
• Modernism said art should embrace the future and see beauty in technology, industry and cities, not romanticise the past. An example is the Bauhaus movement.
• The Bauhaus architect Erich Mendelsohn created the Einstein Tower, which was designed futuristically to look like a rocket.
• Expressionism said art should reflect the thoughts and feelings of the artist rather than show things how they really look. Otto Dix was an expressionist painter who criticised the harsh life for veterans.
• Some German films were very innovative, like the sci fi film Metropolis made in 1926. Germany’s first sound film was made in 1930, and by 1932 there were 3,800 German cinemas showing films with sound.
• Cultural innovations were criticised by the left-wing as they said funding was spent on extravagance instead of helping working people.
• It was criticised by the right-wing as they said changes to the arts undermined traditional German culture.