Beyond the Bauhaus: Cultural Modernity in Breslau, 1918-33

Although the Breslau arts scene was one of the most vibrant in all ofWeimar-era Germany, it has largely disappeared from memory. Studiesof the influence of Weimar culture on modernism have focused almostexclusively on Berlin and the Dessau Bauhaus, yet the advances thatoccurred in Breslau affected nearly every intellectual field, forming thebasis for aesthetic modernism internationally and having an enduringimpact on visual art and architecture. Breslau boasted a thriving modernarts scene and one of the premier German arts academies of the dayuntil the Nazis began their assault on so-called degenerate art. Thisbook charts the cultural production of Breslau-based artists, architects,art collectors, urban designers, and arts educators who operated in themargins of Weimar-era cultural debates. Rather than accepting the radicalposition of the German avant-garde or the reactionary position of Germanconservatives, many Breslauers sought a middle ground.

This richly illustrated volume is the first book in English to addressthis history, constituting an invaluable addition to the literature on theWeimar period. Its readership includes scholars of German history, art,architecture, urban design, planning, collecting, and exhibition history;of the avant-garde, and of the development of arts academies and artspedagogy.