German Expressionism

Rose-Carol Washton Long is Professor of Art History at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Among her books is Kandinsky: The Development of an Abstract Style.

• IllustrationsPhoto CreditsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART ONE: Early ManifestationsI First IdentifiersIntroduction1. Carl Vinnen, "Quonsque Tandem," from A Protest of German Artists, 19112. Wilhelm Worringer, "The Historical Development ofModern Art," The Struggle for Art: The Answer to the "Protest of German Artists," 19113. Paul Ferdinand Schmidt, "The Expressionists," Der Sturm, 19124. Richart Reiche, "Foreword," International Exhibition of the Sonderbund,Cologne, 19125. Max Deri, "Cubists and Expressionism," Pan, 1912II The BriickeIntroduction6. E.L. Kirchner: program of the artist group, Briicke, 1906; "Chronicle ofthe Briicke," 1913; letter to Erich Heckel and Max Pechstein, March 31, 1910;letters to Gustav Schiefler, June 27, 1911 and March 16, 19137. Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, postcard to Cuno Amiet, January 8, 1909, and letter toGustav Schiefler, ca. 19138. Erich Heckel letters to Franz Marc, Spring 1912 to Winter 1912/139. Max Pechstein (transcribed by W. Heymann), "What Is Picasso Up To?", Pan, 1912III Neue Kiinstler Vereinigung Miinchen and the Blaue ReiterIntroduction10. Wassily Kandinsky, "Foreword," Neue Kiinstler Vereinigung exhibition catalogue,1909-10, and untitled essay, The Struggle for Art: The Answer to the "Protest ofGerman Artists", 191111. Kubin-Kandinsky letters, May 5, 1910, and August 13, 191112. Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, preface (not printed), ca. October 1911,for the Blaue Reiter almanac; and Franz Marc, subscription prospectus, January 1912,for the Blaue Reiter almanac13. Franz Marc letter to Reinhard Piper, April 20, 1910, and to Wassily Kandinsky,October 5, 191214. Paul Klee, "Exhibition of the Modern League in the Zurich Kunsthaus," Die Alpen, 1912IV Der SturmIntroduction15. Herwarth Walden, "Introduction," First German Autumn Salon, 1913, and letter fromAugust Macke, April 21, 191316. Adolf Behne, "German Expressionists, Lecture for the Opening of the New SturmExhibition," Der Sturm, 191417. [Rudolf Bliimner], from Der Sturm: An Introduction, 1917Notes Part OnePART TWO: The Expansion of ExpressionismI German Criticism through World War IIntroduction 7718. Ludwig Rubiner, "Painters Build Barricades," Die Aktion, 191419. Paul Fechter, from Der Expressionismus, 191420. Theodor Daubler, "Expressionism," Der neue Standpunkt, 191621. Hermann Bahr, from Expressionismus, 191622. G. F. Hartlaub, "Art and the New Gnosis," Das Kunstblatt, 1917II PaintingIntroduction23. Essays by Franz Marc and Max Beckmann in Pan, 191224. Ludwig Meidner, "An Introduction to Painting the Metropolis," Kunst undKiinstler, 191425. Johannes Molzahn, "The Manifesto of Absolute Expressionism," Der Sturm, 1919III Sculpture by Stephanie BarronIntroduction26. Ernst Barlach, excerpts from letters and diary, 1911-1527. Carl Einstein, from Negerplastik, 191528. [Rudolf Bliimner], "Expressionist Sculpture," 1917, and Oswald Herzog,"Abstract Expressionism," Der Sturm, 191929. L. de Marsalle [E. L. Kirchner], "On the Sculpture of E.L. Kirchner,"Der Cicerone, 1925  IV Expressionist Architecture by Rosemarie Haag BletterIntroduction30. Bruno Taut, "A Necessity," Der Sturm, 191431. Paul Scheerbart, from Glass Architecture, 191432. Bruno Taut, from Alpine Architecture, 191933. Erich Mendelsohn, letter to Luise Mendelsohn, August 26, 1917,and extract from Arbeitsrat lecture, "The Problem of a New Architecture," 191934. From the Glass Chain letters: Bruno Taut, November 24, 1919; Paul Goesch,May 1920; Wenzil Hablik, July 22, 1920V Printmaking by Ida Katherine RigbyIntroduction35. Gustav Hartlaub, from The New German Print, 192036. L. de Marsalle [E. L. Kirchner], "On Kirchner's Prints," Genius, 192137. Paul Westheim, "Kokoschka's Prints," Das graphische Jahrbuch, 191938. Rosa Schapire, "Schmidt-Rottluff's Religious Woodcuts,"Die Rote Erde, 191939. Paul F. Schmidt, "Max Beckmann's Hell," Der Cicerone, 1920Notes Part TwoPART THREE: War, Revolution, and ExpressionismThe War Experience by Ida Katherine RigbyIntroduction40. Franz Marc, letters from the front, 1914-1541. Kathe Kollwitz, letter and diary entries, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1920, 192242. Conrad Felixmiiller, "Military Hospital Orderly Felixmiiller," Menschen, 191843. Ludwig Meidner, "Hymn of Brotherly Love," from September-Cry, 1920II Critics, Artists and the Revolution by Ida Katherine RigbyIntroduction44. Ludwig Meidner, "To All Artists, Musicians, Poets," Das Kunstblatt, 191945. Herbert Kuhn, "Expressionism and Socialism," Neue Blatter fUr Kunst undDichtung, 191946. Kurt Eisner, "The Socialist Nation and the Artist," An aileKiinstler!, 191947. Georg Tappert, letter to Franz Pfemfert, November 23, 191848. Editorial, Menschen, 191949. Kathe Kollwitz, diary entries, 1918, 1919, 192050. Hans Friedeberger, "The Artists' Posters of the Revolutionary Days," Das Plakat, 1919III Arbeitsrat fur KunstIntroduction51. [Bruno Taut], Arbeitsrat fiir Kunst program, 1918 and Bruno Taut, from AnArchitecture Program, 191952. Walter Gropius, "Architecture in a Free Republic," 1919; letters, to Dr. WalterRathenau, February 23, 1919, to Ludwig Meidner, February 26, 1919; speech to themembership meeting of the Arbeitsrat, March 22, 191953. Adolf Behne: "Unknown Architects," Sozialistische Monatshefte, 1919;"General Announcement" from the flyer for the periodical Bauen, 191954. Questions from YES! Voices of the Arbeitsrat fUr Kunst, and excerpts from theresponses of Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and Georg Tappert, 1919IV Novembergruppe by Ida Katherine RigbyIntroduction55. Draft of the manifesto of the Novembergruppe, 1918; circular letter,1918; guidelines, 191956. Max Pechstein, "What We Want," An aile Kiinstler!, 191957. Peter Leu, Guide to the Novembergruppe Art Exhibition, 192058. "Open Letter to the Novembergruppe," 1920-21V Dresden Secession Gruppe 1919 by Peter ChametzkyIntroduction59. "Regulations," Dresden Secession, 1919 and statement of purpose, 191960. Hugo Zehder, "The Journal 1919 Neue Bliitter fiir Kunst und Dichtung," and[Hugo Zehder?] and D. P. Shterenberg, "A Call from Russian Artists," 191961. Walter Rheiner, statement of purpose for the journal Menschen, 1918, and'The New World," Sezession Gruppe 191962. Conrad Felixmiiller, "To Art," Die Schone Raritiit, 191863. Otto Dix, letter to Kurt Gunther, ca. 191964. Will Grohmann, "Prints of 'Gruppe 1919' Dresden," Menschen, 1919Notes Part ThreePART FOUR: Reactions to ExpressionismI The Weimar BauhausIntroduction65. Walter Gropius, Bauhaus Program, 1919; speech to Bauhaus students, July 1919;[Anonymous], Bauhaus fund solicitation pamphlet, 192166. [Anonymous], "The State Bauhaus in Weimar," supplement to the ThiiringerTageszeitung, 192067. Johannes Itten, "Analyses of Old Masters," Utopia: Documents of Reality, 192168. Oskar Schlemmer, letter to Otto Meyer, December 7, 1921; manifesto in thepublicity pamphlet for the first Bauhaus exhibition in Weimar, 1923II DadaIntroduction69. Hugo Ball, "Kandinsky," lecture, April 7, 191770. Richard Huelsenbeck, "Dada Manifesto" [1918], Dada Almanach, 192071. Raoul Hausmann, "The German PHILISTINE is Annoyed," Der Dada, December 191972. Wieland Herzfelde, "Introduction," First International Dada Fair, 192073. George Grosz, "My New Pictures," Das Kunstblatt, 192174. Kurt Schwitters, "Merz-Painting," Der Zweemann, 1919III The Critics and the "Demise" of ExpressionismIntroduction75. Wilhelm Hausenstein, "Art of this Moment," Der neue Merkur, 191976. Wilhelm Worringer, from Current Questions on Art, 192177. Iwan Goll, "Expressionism Is Dying," Zenit, 192178. G. F. Hartlaub, preface to catalogue of Neue Sachlichkeit exhibition,Mannheim, 192579. Franz Roh, from Post-Expressionism, Magic Realism: Problems of RecentEuropean Painting, 1925IV Expressionism and the Third Reich by Ida Katherine RigbyIntroduction80. Kii.the Kollwitz, excerpts from diaries and letters, 193381. Paul Schultze-Naumburg, from Art and Race, 192882. A. Rosenberg, "Revolution in the Visual Arts," Volkische Beobachter, 193383. Robert Scholz, from Vital Questions about the Visual Arts, 193784. Emil Nolde, letter to the president of the Prussian Academy of Arts, 193785. Fritz Kaiser, Guide to the Degenerate Art Exhibition, 1937V The Left and the Debate over Expressionism in the ThirtiesIntroduction86. Georg Lukacs, "Expressionism: Its Significance and Decline,"Internationale Literatur, 193487. Klaus Mann, "Gottfried Benn: History of an Aberration," Das Wort, 193788. Herwarth Walden, "Vulgar Expressionism," Das Wort, 193889. Ernst Bloch, "Discussing Expressionism," Das Wort, 1938Notes Part FourIndex