February 1933: The Winter of Literature

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In February 1933, the fate of writers in Germany was sealed. Uwe Wittstock chronicles the anticipated yet unimaginable death of the Weimar literary scene. Day by day, he tracks how the vibrant cultural life of the era swiftly gave way to a long winter, tightening the noose around figures like Thomas Mann, Bertolt Brecht, Else Lasker-Schüler, and Alfred Döblin. On January 30, Joseph Roth departs Berlin for Paris, unwilling to wait for the news of the day. Meanwhile, Thomas Mann in Munich remains largely indifferent to politics, focusing instead on his lecture about Richard Wagner. Wittstock weaves a mosaic of the ominous events following Hitler's rise to power, which led to catastrophe for many German writers. He vividly captures the atmosphere of fear and self-deception among authors, marked by passivity in some and determination in others. Who will align with the new rulers, and who must flee for their lives? Drawing on partially unpublished archival material, he creates a dense portrait of a tumultuous time.