Gary D. Stark Knihy

The book delves into the pivotal role of publishers and the book industry in shaping the radical right-wing cultural movements in twentieth-century Germany. It highlights how these professionals viewed their work as a duty to guide the nation, contributing to the development of new ideological currents. By synthesizing diverse ideas into a cohesive system, the industry played a crucial role in disseminating these beliefs to a broad audience, ultimately influencing the cultural landscape of the time.

Exploring the tension between state authority and literary expression, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of censorship in Imperial Germany from 1871 to 1918. It delves into the governing elite's efforts to suppress literature that challenged societal norms, highlighting the broader scope of intervention compared to Western nations. The research examines various aspects of censorship, including its intent, institutional framework, and daily operations, while assessing its effectiveness and influence on authors, publishers, and theater directors.

Stark examines the importance of publishers and the book industry in the rise of twentieth-century Germany's radical right-wing cultural movements. He shows that these men thought their their professional "calling" conferred upon them the right and responsibility to provide guidance for the German nation. The book industry created new currents of thought, fused them into a coherent ideological system, and spread this system to a wide audience.Originally published in 1981.A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Imperial Germany’s governing elite frequently sought to censor literature that threatened established political, social, religious, and moral norms in the name of public peace, order, and security. It claimed and exercised a prerogative to intervene in literary life that was broader than that of its Western neighbors, but still not broad enough to prevent the literary community from challenging and subverting many of the social norms the state was most determined to defend. This study is the first systematic analysis in any language of state censorship of literature and theater in imperial Germany (1871–1918). To assess the role that formal state controls played in German literary and political life during this period, it examines the intent, function, contested legal basis, institutions, and everyday operations of literary censorship as well as its effectiveness and its impact on authors, publishers, and theater directors.