Weimar Germany

Promise and Tragedy, Weimar Centennial Edition

By: Eric D. Weitz

Narrated by: Robert G. Slade

This audiobook narrated by Robert G. Slade paints a riveting portrait of the Weimar era.

Weimar Germany brings to life an era of unmatched creativity in the 20th century - one whose influence and inspiration still resonate today. Eric Weitz has written the authoritative history that this fascinating and complex period deserves, and he illuminates the uniquely progressive achievements and even greater promise of the Weimar Republic. Weitz reveals how Germans rose from the turbulence and defeat of World War I and revolution to forge democratic institutions and make Berlin a world capital of avant-garde art. He explores the period’s groundbreaking cultural creativity, from architecture and theater, to the new field of "sexology" - and presents richly detailed portraits of some of the Weimar’s greatest figures.

Weimar Germany also shows that beneath this glossy veneer lay political turmoil that ultimately led to the demise of the republic and the rise of the radical right. Yet for decades after, the Weimar period continued to powerfully influence contemporary art, urban design, and intellectual life - from Tokyo to Ankara and Brasilia to New York. Featuring a new preface, this comprehensive and compelling book demonstrates why Weimar is an example of all that is liberating and all that can go wrong in a democracy.

©2018 Eric D. Weitz (P)2020 Princeton University Press

Critic reviews

"[Weitz] bring[s] to bear his uncommon erudition and a prose style that is at once rigorous, wonderfully animated, and distinguished by breathtaking clarity." (Noah Isenberg, Bookforum)

"Weitz effortlessly blends politics and economics, philosophy and literature, art and architecture in a gripping portrait of a culture whose pathology was exceeded only by its creativity.... This is history at its best." (Josef Joffe, publisher and editor of Die Zeit and fellow of the Hoover Institution, Stanford University)

"Excellent.... [A] superb introduction...probably the best available." (Eric Hobsbawm, London Review of Books)

Excellent and immersive

I particularly enjoyed all the details of daily life, economics, art and culture after having read other more historical books about the period. This book offers a rich deep dive together with historical context into details to understand this great period in democracy and the lessons it has to help understand our world today.

Very good

This is a great history of an often overshadowed period in German history. I would recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about the Weimar Republic. Also, the narrator was exceptional, I would definitely put him up there with Grover Gardner for best narrators.

An Amazing, Ultimate Guide to Weimar Germany 10/10

Weitz has written a truly unparoled guide to Weimar Germany. He extrapolates key lessons and ideas applicable to a wide range of society and politics that are expertly argued. One of my biggest takeaways is that the insight provided by Weitz is greatly applicable and could serve as a warning to the reader about the chaotic and divided nature of the United States today.

Narrow perspective on the history of Weimar

Narrative gets lost in the description of particular architects or artists.
Interesting insight into the Zeitgeist of the Weimar Rep but weak in tying it together with the political machinations in the background.

Performance is borderline pathetic - A reader that is utterly incapable of pronouncing anything German is a disgrace - as a German speaker i couldn't understand anything this guy was saying - very distracting and doesnt do the material justice.

Fire the Narrator

The content of the audiobook met my expectations helped me achieve my learning goals, but the narrator kept speaking quotes with horrible imitation of the speech of the person who wrote the quote. If you don't want your listeners to experience irritation every time you speak a quote, say the quote and indicate somehow that is a quote if you can't hire someone who can imitate accents well.