George Grosz - Dada

"I hope she 'll be a fool — that 's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool . . . You see, I think everything 's terrible anyhow . . . And I know. I 've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything." (The Great Gatsby, pg. 20) There was a loss of innocence, disillusionment and lack of faith in the American Dream. This became the movement known as Modernism. WWI was the first “total war” in which modern weapons spared no one. The casualties suffered by the participants in World War I dwarfed those of previous wars. The armed forces continued to use old tactics, but had modern weaponry that of which caused a major number of casualties. This war left American’s with a scar on their hearts, and in their minds. WWI changed the game completely, and after the massacres that occurred during the war, and the complete and utter destruction that was left behind, caused uproar in American values and principles. This was the start and basis for the Modernist movement.

“World War I was not inevitable, as many historians say. It could have been avoided, and it was a diplomatically botched negotiation,” once said Richard Holbrooke, an American diplomat. Many people worldwide agree with Mr. Holbrooke, believing WWI to be a waste of human lives. Known for its ridiculous start, fueled by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, and its huge impact on numerous countries earned it the title of the Great War. Though many people considered it pointless and as a war with many negative repercussions, WWI did lead to some positive outcomes, such as its art. Not only were new movements created, but also new styles of existing forms of art resulted from the war. Because of the different ways that art developed both on and off of the battlefield during the Great War, WWI is one of the most influential wars on the development of art in the twentieth century.

The Great War, also known as World War I, is a defining moment in Europe’s history. Its aftermath consists of the demolition of Germany’s economy, the rise of Adolf Hitler, and the loss of an entire generation of young men who were sent into combat. All Quiet on the Western Front chronicles the experiences of Paul Baumer, a 19-year old student who volunteers for the military during World War I along with his classmates Muller and Kropp. They are compelled to enlist by Kantorek, their fiercely patriotic but misguided schoolmaster. Paul’s life in the military is told in short entries that reveal the reality of war: horrifying battles, violence, alienation, emotional indifference. His accounts of war are personal and emotional, and the bleak tone

She focused on the identities that had changed due to the wars, either from directly being involved or form indirectly being involved, for example the identity change from one losing their loved one due to the harshness and effects of the world wars, or having no family or job that would be able to provide for you or your child so you have been forced to take up a life of begging on the streets for food in attempt to not to die of starvation. Kollwitz's art resounds with compassion as she makes appeals on behalf of the working poor, the suffering and the sick.

World War I brought immense inner conflict to many writers - lives - of the Lost Generation, an example of this could be the life and writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Great War and Modern Memory, is collection of literature from World War I, and is about World War I, that he uses to create an all encompassing picture of the war and how it was experienced by those who fought in it. In Paul Fussell’s The Great War and Modern Memory, he argues that, war is irony, and that World War I was hope abridged, and this parallels his presentation of homosexuality in World War I. Throughout the work, Fussell argues that World War I was an agony of irony, and moreover that all wars are ironic. To do this he uses literature of the time and analyzes the circumstances, thoughts and literary craft of the writing. Finally, one of the most ironic parts of this work, was the section “Soldier Boys” and Fussell’s analysis of homosexuality on the

World War I had a more profound effect on society than wars prior. With new deadly weapons, like poison gas, high death tolls, and the first occurrence of total war, shocked the world, tearing people between the modern and the tradition. Traditional society was torn down by the destruction of the war. As with most literary movements, writers reflect the world

During the twenty years after World War One, three major art movements appeared: dadaism, functionalism, and surrealism. Dadaism, a movement which conveyed erratic and random movements that were supposed to contradict human behavior, was a response to the anxiety of those who didn’t know how to react because of all of the strange and despairing behavior in the world. Because of these conveyed ideas, dadaism promoted outrageous and random behavior. Functionalism, a movement which tried to explore the functions and purpose of things and nature, was an attempt to find the purpose of humans in the dark times following the war. Surrealism, a movement which painted wild dreams and complex symbols, tried to spread the idea of hope from the current scary world. Through surrealism, imagination and hope was brought out through paintings that featured crazy illusions and impossible dreams. Overall, these artistic movements tried to answer and embody the general sense of anxiety felt by

Hoch’s photomontage was one of many collages that criticized the cultural staleness, depravity, and decaying values of the German state. Through her depiction of German politicians and technology in a state of chaos and confusion, she was effectively able to convince the German people to reevaluate their faith in the government and current cultural values. She used the fast-advancing technology of the time (especially mass media) in also advancing her own goals of sardonically criticizing the failings of the German state as well as pushing for gender equality.

This is shown by his obvious reflection of 16th-century German artists, the use of themes found in literature, and his admiration of his contemporaries. His profound contribution to the art world can be seen through those who seek to respond to his work such as Louise Bourgeois. His hatred of his father and authority in general helped to create this system to counter suppression of

During post-war his art begins to take on humorous details, which can be seen in the “Puss -in- Boots” character, which he detailed in his diary on April 1946. "I just had an absurd and unpleasant dream in which somehow a Puss-in-Boots played a role that made me mighty ridiculous". He was recognized as an “Expressionist” artist, which can be seen in his use of brushstrokes and bold color choices. The Beginning was one of his most autobiographical paintings out the 10 allegorical triptych paintings he created during 1932-1950.

Hermann Nitsch, along with three other key artists to bring about the movement, was one of the main players in the start of Viennese Actionism. Nitsch bore witness to the ravages, torment, and domination of World War II along with its cold aftermath. Though in his work he wanted to put his finger on certain issues, such as Austrian postwar political developments within his country. It’s important to point out Nitsch was doing this in part pointing to his his city 's deep psychoanalytic and artistic avant-garde roots from the likes of

He is said to enjoy illustrations of war and soldiers from an early age. In 1914, Grosz joined the army but he was soon discharged from his military service only after six months (The Art Story). The artist documented his experiences as a soldier through various drawings and paintings, such as The Faith Healer in 1916. Many German artists also follow this train of thoughts, such as Ludwig Kirchner with his self-portrait painting as a soldier or Otto Dix’ world war drawings. Grosz became dissatisfied with war and the dictatorial scene in Germany at the moment, which led him to join and support the Left wing (The Art Story).

Ernest Hemingway’s novel A Farewell to Arms covers a romance that takes place during World War I. The novel itself came out shortly after the war, and was the first of Hemingway’s books to become a best-seller. Essentially, the novel contrasts the horrors of war with the romance of Henry and Catherine. Throughout the plot, Hemingway, a World War I veteran himself, uses the events of the book to make a statement about his thoughts on war. The core message of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms is that war damages the soldiers who fight in it both physically and emotionally, which is primarily illustrated by the number of deaths caused directly and indirectly by the war, the actions Henry is forced to take over the course of the book, and Henry’s growing cynicism towards war.

To determine the general atmosphere regarding Gunter Demnig’s artwork, we took German newspaper articles from individual cities as representative of the local opinion. As each controversy consists of the pros and cons, the public has also highly varying perception of the memorial, which will be presented in the following.