Are the 1930s events waiting to over take Europe?
I am currently re-reading Golo Mann's Reminiscences and Reflections, A Youth in
Germany. In the political events leading up to the take-over, the economic
discussion was precisely a debate over austerity measures v. the social welfare
state, and cutbacks on civil service positions, since the Republic was running
on empty. They had war reparations payments and US and outside bank loan
payments. They voted to cut back on reparations and asked Hoover to suspend the
reparations and try to convince UK and France to go along.
According to GM, Hoover formally suspended the US reparation payments. As of
1986 when Mann was writing the Hoover suspension was still in effect.
The Year of the Turnip, was a common expression for a particular year (`29-`32)
because that was about all that was left to eat. Factory workers and youth were
the hardest hit. The elite student crowd where GM hung where not getting any
jobs in academia---even the unpaid positions. GM applied for a high school
level teaching position and didn't get it.
It's a good book to read. Golo Mann was an historian, and the book reflects
that training, as well as his personal style of writing is beautiful. He gives
you a sense of the times from the falling intellectual elite.
My impression. The situation in the past was much worse, but had the same
general dynamics. The insane right was venting their spleen on the government
and liberal parties. The difference was the beginning of political
assassinations, thugs starting violent brawls at political rallies, and a much
higher level of physical and psychological violence. Your politics could get
you demoted or fired. Your lectures could be disrupted and broken up by
righwing student groups which got some limited treats to organize and threaten
academics and other students, etc.
CG
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