Studien über die Deutschen

It would be a beautiful task, writes Norbert Elias, to write the biography of a state society. Just as the experiences of an earlier time continue to resonate in the present development of an individual, so too do they in the development of a nation. The studies on the Germans gather the majority of his contributions to such a biography of Germany, each focused on the Wilhelminian society, the Weimar Republic, the Hitler state, and the Federal Republic. Characteristic of the author of "On the Process of Civilization" is also here the synthesis of state formation processes and the development of social personality structures of individuals. The focus on the peculiarities of German developments is sharpened by comparisons with developments in other countries. Throughout, Elias strives to view the observed circumstances in the context of both long-term processes and the power relations of various groups within society. Domestic issues are analyzed in conjunction with international events. Time and again, the flow of thought oscillates between the levels of empirical detailed investigation and theoretical reflection. Each individual contribution thus serves as a testament to the high level of synthesis in Elias's thinking. If one searches for a common underlying theme in all these contributions, it may be found in the question of the specifically German traditions that have made the outbreak of barbarism in the nation possible, as exemplified by Goethe, Schiller, and Kant, and that could make it possible again.