Ernst Toller : from Einheitsfront to Volksfront : the development of Toller's political ideology (1919-1939)
This thesis examines the development of the political outlook of the German author and revolutionary politician, Ernst Toller. It begins by looking at Toller's early years and explains how his experience as a front-line soldier during the First World war transformed his views, causing him to reject the conservative-nationalist ethos he had grown up with and to become, in his own description, a revolutionary pacifist. It then looks at his involvement in the revolutionary events which took place in Bavaria at the end of the First World War, the so-called RĂ€terepublik, examines how they affected his understanding of social and political reality and traces their artistic reflection in the plays he wrote in the following period. A recurrent theme in Toller's political thinking throughout the years of the Weimar Republic was the idea of an Einheitsfront, a defence block of workers' organisations, which he advocated as the only means of halting the rise of National Socialism. Unfortunately, Toller's appeals to the main workers' parties to form such a block went unheard, yet they are significant all the same in that they reveal the acute political insight of a man whom many of his contemporaries dismissed as a hopeless
Fotheringham, John McGowan
Toller, Ernst 1893-1939 Criticism and interpretation ; Politics and literature Germany History 20th century
Ernst Toller : from Einheitsfront to Volksfront : the development of Toller's political ideology (1919-1939). This thesis examines the development of the political outlook of the German author and revolutionary politician, Ernst Toller. It begins by looking at Toller's early years and explains how his experience as a front-line soldier during the First World war transformed his views, causing him to reject the conservative-nationalist ethos he had grown up with and to become, in his own description, a revolutionary pacifist. It then looks at his involvement in the revolutionary events which took place in Bavaria at the end of the First World War, the so-called RĂ€terepublik, examines how they affected his understanding of social and political reality and traces their artistic reflection in the plays he wrote in the following period. A recurrent theme in Toller's political thinking throughout the years of the Weimar Republic was the idea of an Einheitsfront, a defence block of workers' organisations, which he advocated as the only means of halting the rise of National Socialism. Unfortunately, Toller's appeals to the main workers' parties to form such a block went unheard, yet they are significant all the same in that they reveal the acute political insight of a man whom many of his contemporaries dismissed as a hopeless
development political_ideology examines_development political outlook german author revolutionary politician begin_look explain experience front line soldier first_world_war transform view cause reject conservative nationalist ethos grown become description revolutionary look involvement revolutionary event take_place end first_world_war so_called examines affect social_political reality trace artistic reflection play write follow period recurrent theme political thinking throughout year republic idea defence block worker organisation advocate mean halt rise national socialism unfortunately appeal main worker party form block yet significant reveal acute political insight man many_contemporary dismiss