Episode 002: A Place in the Sun

## Introduction

Germany has shown that it can stand with the best, and possibly as the best nation in "fields as diverse as science, art, education, and, of course, military power". By the end of the 18th century figures such as Nietzsche and Richard Strauss are at the peak of their influence

## Episode Summary

Germany was a new nation, it was also high achieving. Although Britain was the first nation to industrialize, it now had other nations biting at it's heels.

For the first 10 years of its history 12 Nobel prizes in the field of Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine) went to Germans

Physics:

* Wilhelm Roentgen - 1901: For discovery of X-Rays
* Philipp Eduard Anton von Lenard - 1905: For work on cathode rays (electrons)
* Karl Ferdinand Braun (with Guglelmo Marconi) - 1909: Contributions to wireless telegraphy (radio)

Chemistry:

* Hermann Emil Fischer: 1902
* Adolf von Baeyer - 1905
* Eduard Bucher - 1907
* Wilhelm Ostwald - 1909
* Otto Wallach - 1910

Medicine:

* Emil Adolf von Behring: 1901
* Robert Koch: 1905
* Paul Ehrlich (with Mechnikov): 1908
* Albrecht Kossel: 1910

3 of the first 10 prizes in Literature also went to Germans. Though none for peace.

The 19th century was a period marked by two movements, which can only be considered together. Nationalism and Romanticism. Nationalism in the context of Germany can be taken in a bad light. Considering the work in Science, Literature, and culture pursued by people who considered themselves German, the nation has produced some undeniably great things. The Kaiser quipped that with this prestige Germany "has conquered for [itself] a place in the sun". Perhaps in reference to the British Empire, on which the sun never set.

Nationalism was all about creating a "natural" form of government, consisting of a group of people with common language, culture, and religion. Just as Romanticism was all about breaking away from the rigid and imposed formalism of the Enlightenment. Romantic Artists helped drew from folklore to build national myths in their art.

During this time the Nation was the operative unit on the world stage, and it was believed just as species will compete on some plot of land for resources, nations compete with each other on the world stage. If one were to extrapolation the trend from 1800 to 1900 into the future one would likely expect a world of a handful of empires, each with vast colonial holdings.

In this world came the thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche. Who although was often misunderstood, was misunderstood in his time, and the was he was misinterpreted is important to the history of the 20th century. He believed the ultimate fate of humanity was to cast aside conventional morality, which was only holding back the potential of the strong-willed "ubermensch" or "Superman". Although Nietzsche himself was not a German nationalist, he was popular with German nationalists.

In the eyes of the Germans the short-term competition was Britain, with their vast colonial holdings and large navy which could cut off German trade and communications with what little colonial holdings they possessed. The long-term competition was with Russia, whose vast land area and large population could overwhelm Germany, especially if the gap in infrastructure and technology narrowed. And Russia was building more and more railway every day.

Germany was well positioned for greatness in the 20th century. Poised to wrest the mantel of economic super-power from Britain. In contention for a cultural center that could go toe-to-toe with Paris. All it needed was skilled leadership and tactful diplomacy. Unfortunately it had Kaiser Wilhelm II. Wilhelm's mother was British and hated everything German. There were complications in Wilhelm's birth, which led to a deformed left arm, which the Kaiser would not have any use of for his entire life. Because of this deformity he would have a rough upbringing, and because of his mother he would have a love-hate relationship with Britain, and as a result an obsession with building up Germany's navy.

Kaiser Wilhelm may be best known for his astoundingly poor diplomacy. In a 1908 interview with the Telegraph he seemed to insinuate that he felt as though he were being driven to go to war with England. At a time when he was trying to diffuse tensions. For this blunder he has been awarded the "Kaiser Wilhelm II Award for Making an Ass out of Yourself". Couldn't have gone to a better guy.

The Kaiser also had an opportunity to meet Germany's preeminent composer, Richard Strauss, though Strauss's music was not to his taste. Strauss was something of an avant-garde artist, and boldly adapted Oscar Wilde's play Salome as an opera. Oscar Wilde had been jailed for homosexuality and died in 1900.

Homosexuality was not new in 1900, it has always existed, but is was criminal in much of the world. In the previous episode Kaiser Franz Josef's brother Ludwig Viktor was as close to openly homosexual as one could be in the era. In 1902 Friedrich Krupp, head of a German weapon's company was caught up in a gay sex scandal

## One More Thing

Modern musical stylings were not to everyone's taste. One critic said that listening to Richard Strauss's Music was like "having June bugs stuck down his pants". This critic was Franz Strauss, father of of Richard.

## Mentioned in the Episode

### Philosophers and Scientists

* Friedrich Nietzsche
* Charles Darwin

### Artists

* Richard Strauss
* Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
* Ludwig von Beethoven
* Richard Wagner
* Rossini
* Guiseppe Verdi
* Jean Sibelius
* Edvard Grieg
* Bedrich Smetana
* Antonin Dvorak
* Franz Joseph Haydn
* William Le Queux
* H. H. Munro (aka Saki)
* H. G. Wells
* Carl Maria von Weber
* Oscar Wilde

### Works of Art

* The Ring Cycle
* William Tell
* Die Deutschlandlied, "the song of Germany"
* God Save Emperor Franz
* Heil dir im Siegerkranz
* God Save the Queen
* My Country, 'Tis of Thee
* Wacht am Rhien
* Casablanca (1940)
* The Invasion of 1910 (1906)
* Red Dawn (1984)
* When William Came
* War of the Worlds (1897)
* Der Freischuytz
* Salome