La Costituzione di Weimar e la sua applicazione attraverso i romanzi di Jacob Wassermann

This thesis is dedicated to the topic “The Constitution of Weimar and its application through the novels of Jacob Wassermann”. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the years of the Weimar Republic and one of the most important authors of that time, Jakob Wassermann. Various aspects and questions are examined in order to provide a comprehensive insight into the topic. In today's society, the history of the Weimar Republic plays an increasingly important role. This is partly due to the events happened immediately after the fall of the Republic. Hitler became Chancellor and the Second World War began. The structure of the thesis is as follows: Chapter one introduces the Republic of Weimar and explains the historical part. Chapter two of the thesis deals on one hand with the writer Jakob Wassermann and his autobiographical work Mein Weg als Deutscher und Jude, on the other hand with some important aspects of his life. Therefore, this chapter also deals with Jewish identity. Here will be examined the ways in which Jakob Wassermann tried to solve the problem of his origins and his reference to the Weimar Republic. Chapter three focuses on the novels of Jakob Wassermann and the analysis crucial aspects regarding that precise historical period. The novels in question are Caspar Hauser, Die Trägheit des Herzens, Laudin und die Seinen and Der Fall Maurizius. Finally, the conclusion summarises the most important findings and provides an outlook on this topic. The aim of this thesis is to better understand the antisemitisms and how it affected people, before it even started, with the author Jakob Wassermann and to an in-depth analysis of this fascinating period, focussing in particular on political developments, social changes and cultural trends. The aim is not only to provide a comprehensive account of the events, but also to analyse their causes, effects, and historical significance. By analysing the Weimar Republic, this thesis hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the complex interrelationships and dynamics of this era and thus make a contribution to the understanding of German history in the 20th century. The Weimar Republic marked one of the most significant and turbulent periods in German history. As the first parliamentary democracy on German soil, the Weimar Republic faced numerous political, economic and social challenges, which it ultimately tried to overcome. This era was characterised by political unrest, economic instability, social tensions as well as cultural prosperity and innovation. The religious hatred of Jews as an integral part of history, which was pronounced to varying degrees depending on the culture and age but never disappeared. With the rise of political anti-Semitism in Germany, more and more Jews asked themselves the question of their identity as Germans and as Jews. The endeavours of German Jews to demonstrate their loyalty to the fatherland country by participating in the First World War and the hopes they placed in this state, proved to be a tragic misunderstanding. Jakob Wassermann was one of the most famous Jewish authors of modern times and was one of the most widely read novelists of the imperial era and the Weimar Republic. The novel Der Fall Maurizius encouraged him in 1921 to write his autobiographical work Mein Weg als Deutscher und Jude, in which he thematises German and sharply criticises German anti-Semitism.