He has published extensively on germany during the weimar republic, nazi germany, the holocaust, and on. On january 26, 2004, the topic of the cesberlin dialogues was the new world order. At the ifk jeffrey herf will reconsider the thesis of reactionary modernism that he first articulated in a book by that title in 1984 in two ways. Oct 27, 2018 jeffrey herf is distinguished university professor of history at the university of maryland. Reactionary modernism in the third reich by jeffrey herf. He documents evidence of a cultural tradition he calls reactionary modernism found in the writings of german engineers and of the.
Comment by jeffrey herf, reply to essay by john guse in history and technology, vol. Nazi propaganda during world war ii and the holocaust harvard, 2006. Jeffrey herf in a unique application of critical theory to the study of the role of ideology in politics, jeffrey herf explores the paradox inherent in the german fascists rejection of the rationalism of the. Herf is an internationally renowned scholar and distinguished university professor of modern european, in particular modern german, history at the university of maryland, college park. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich new york, 1984, 15 and 232. Professor, department of history, university of maryland, college park. Some ideological origins of the primacy of politics in the third reich created date. Jeffrey herf professor, department of history francis scott key hall university of maryland, college park. Antimodernism, reactionary modernism and national socialism. Arguing that racial antisemitism, however vicious, was an insufficient basis for genocide, herf demonstrates that a major shift occurred in nazi propaganda during the war. Reactionary modernism by jeffrey herf, 97805238332, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. He has published extensively on germany during the weimar republic, nazi germany, the holocaust, and on west and east germany during the cold war. Jeffrey herf studies the intersection of ideas and politics in modern european history, specializing in twentieth century germany. Nazi propaganda during world war ii and the holocaust.
Download pdf reactionary modernism free online new. In a unique application of critical theory to the study of the role of ideology in politics, jeffrey herf explores the paradox inherent in the german fascists rejection of the rationalism of the enlightenment while fully embracing modern technology. Nazi germany propaganda aimed at arabs and muslims during. Jeffrey herf, american journal of sociology 91, no. Jeffrey s podoshen, associate professor and chair, business, organizations and society, franklin and marshall college, lancaster, usa. Thus, historian jeffrey herf has documented the nazis thorough acceptance of modern design and industrialism, which has led him to coin the term reactionary modernism to describe those thinkers and ideologues under the weimer. He documents evidence of a cultural tradition he calls reactionary modernism found in the writings of. Technology, culture, and politics in weimar and the third reich by herf. Reactionary modernism in the third reich by jeffrey herf i have documented the claim that the reactionary modernist tradition was an important component of modern german nationalism, that it was pervasive within the conservative revolution in weimar and in the cultural politics of german engineering from the 1870s to the collapse of the weimar. Herf is considered an authority on the american inventor, buckminster fuller. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich.
Review herf, reactionary modernism too much berard. Herf graduated from the university of wisconsin in 1969. Historian jeffrey herf coined the phrase reactionary modernism to describe the combination of disdain for. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich, drawing on critical theory, in particular ideology critique, herf coined the term reactionary modernism to describe the mixture of robust modernity and an affirmative stance toward progress combined with dreams of the past a highly. Such a conviction led henry turner to coin the paradoxical term anti modern modernism.
The book examines the nazi regimes radical antisemitic propaganda as a bundle of. Technology, culture, and politics in weimar and the third reich 1984 sometimes a book succeeds so well in getting its ideas across that in subsequent decades it doesnt hold the fascination it might once have had. Jeffrey herf is professor of modern european and german history at the university of maryland in college park. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and in the third reich. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich new york. He begins with a critique of what remains the most common approach to the explanation of nazism, namely, an antimodern revolt against reason, progress, and the political values of the french revolution, a pathological consequence of germanys peculiar social and political development in the 19th century. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich, to describe the mixture of great enthusiasm for modern technology with a rejection of the enlightenment and the values and institutions of liberal democracy which was. Technology, culture, and politics in weimar and the third reich 97805238332. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich, to describe the mixture of great enthusiasm for modern technology with a rejection of the enlightenment and the values and institutions of liberal democracy which was characteristic of the german conservative revolutionary. Jan, 2002 reactionary modernism by jeffrey herf, 97805238332, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Before joining the faculty at the university of maryland, he taught at harvard university, and ohio university in athens, ohio. Herf, this contradictory combination of reactionary political ideas and a modern reliance on instrumental reason and modern means made nazism possible. Jeffrey herf 1 university of maryland, college park. It was the second in a series of four meetings organized in berlin under the heading redefining justice. N2 the article looks critically at attempts to explain the rise of national socialism in germany by trying to identify a peculiarly german tradition of antimodernism or reactionary modernism by, among others, jeffrey herf. Herf offered a clarification of these questions that may also help clarify unsuspected faultlines and hidden memes in our own. Unanimous department vote in favor of promotion of full professor, february 2001. Some ideological origins of the primacy of politics in the third. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reichdrawing on critical theoryin particular ideology critiqueherf coined the term reactionary modernism to describe the mixture of robust modernity and an affirmative stance toward progress combined with dreams of the.
Reactionary modernism by herf cambridge university press. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third. Widely published, herf has most recently received the national jewish book award for his work the jewish enemy. Harvard now university of maryland historian jeffrey herf addressed these questions in his 1984 book, reactionary modernism. As cova, maclaran and bradshaw 20 mention, the second decade of the new millennium. He graduated in history from the university of wisconsinmadison in 1969 and received his phd in sociology from brandeis university in 1980. The session was intended to examine successful and failed arenas of cooperation between the us and. Reactionary modernism in the third reich by jeffrey herf posted on 02. Thus, historian jeffrey herf has documented the nazis thorough acceptance of modern design and industrialism, which has led him to coin the term reactionary modernism to describe those thinkers and ideologues under the weimer republic and the third reich who rejected liberal democracy and the legacy of the enlightenment, yet simultaneously. Download pdf reactionary modernism free online new books. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich new york and. Nazi germany propaganda aimed at arabs and muslims.
He begins with a critique of what remains the most common approach to the explanation of nazism, namely, an anti modern revolt against reason, progress, and the political values of the french revolution, a pathological consequence of germanys peculiar social and political development in the 19th. Oct 27, 2016 such a conviction led henry turner to coin the paradoxical term antimodern modernism. Reactionary modernism is a term first coined by jeffrey herf in his 1984 book, reactionary modernism. Jeffrey herf explores the paradox inherent in the german fascists rejection of. Subscribe to receive information about forthcoming books, seasonal catalogs, and more, in newsletters tailored to your interests. Cambridge university press, 1984 george mosse, the crisis of germany ideology.
Plus, free twoday shipping for six months when you sign up for amazon prime for students. Technology, culture, and politics in weimar and the third reich. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reichdrawing on critical theoryin particular ideology critiqueherf coined the term reactionary modernism to describe the mixture of robust modernity and an affirmative stance toward progress combined with dreams of the past a highly technological. First, he will examine the state of scholarship regarding technology and cultural anti modernism in the weimar republic and nazi germany since the publication of reactionary modernism. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich cambridge, london. Technology, culture and politics in weimar and the third reich 1984, in which he coined the term reactionary modernism, focused on the thinking of ideologues of weimars conservative revolution and of currents in the nazi party and nazi regime. Download reactionary modernism ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub. This paper explores the tensions between the brand of perverted and philistine romanticism that the third reich exploited and the technologydriven modernism necessary as a driving force behind the mass movement, tensions that jeffrey herf characterizes as forces of reactionary modernism.
Historian jeffrey herf coined the phrase reactionary modernism to describe the combination of disdain for rationalism, yearning for the past, fascination with technology, and futureoriented vision that you saw in nazi ideology. Jeffrey herf born 1947 is a professor of modern european, in particular, modern german history at the university of maryland. Herf 2 2 during world war ii and the holocaust, the nazi regime engaged in an intensive effort to appeal to arabs and muslims in the middle east and north africa. Jeffrey herf explores the paradox inherent in the german fascists rejection of the rationalism of the enlightenment while fully embracing modern technology. Herf 3 3 political, intellectual and cultural history of nazism during world war ii and comprises a chapter in the.
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