German Genius

A “compelling” history of German cultural and intellectual development from 1750 to the twentieth century (Financial Times).

From the end of the Baroque era and the death of Bach to the rise of Hitler, Germany was transformed from a poor relation among Western nations into a dominant intellectual and cultural force. By 1933, Germans had won more Nobel Prizes than the British and Americans combined. Yet this remarkable genius was cut down in its prime by Adolf Hitler and his disastrous Third Reich—a brutal legacy that has overshadowed the nation’s achievements ever since.

In this absorbing cultural and intellectual history, Peter Watson goes back through time to explore the origins of the German genius, explaining how and why it flourished, how it shaped our lives, and, most important, how it continues to influence our world. Watson’s virtuoso sweep through modern German thought and culture will challenge and confound both the stereotypes the world has of Germany and those that Germany has of itself.

Praise for The German Genius

“[A] love letter to the all-stars of the Teutonic intellect.” —The New Yorker

“[An] engrossing, vast chronicle of ideas, humanists, scientists, and artists: Bach, Goethe, Hegel, Gauss, and many more. . . . English now dominates the arts and sciences, but Watson writes an absorbing account of a time not so long ago when German ruled.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Watson has . . . a gift for accessibly presenting the vast and varied material. . . . The author demonstrates the breadth, volume, and influence of German output in philosophy, science, industry, art, literature, and all forms of scholarly activity. . . . Comprehensive, erudite.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)