Thomas Weber Livres

Shortlisted for the 2018 Elizabeth Longford Prize

An award-winning historian charts Hitler's radical transformation after World War I from a directionless loner into a powerful National Socialist leader In Becoming Hitler, award-winning historian Thomas Weber examines Adolf Hitler's time in Munich between 1918 and 1926, the years when Hitler shed his awkward, feckless persona and transformed himself into a savvy opportunistic political operator who saw himself as Germany's messiah. The story of Hitler's transformation is one of a fateful match between man and city. After opportunistically fluctuating between the ideas of the left and the right, Hitler emerged as an astonishingly flexible leader of Munich's right-wing movement. The tragedy for Germany and the world was that Hitler found himself in Munich; had he not been in Bavaria in the wake of the war and the revolution, his transformation into a National Socialist may never have occurred. In Becoming Hitler, Weber brilliantly charts this tragic metamorphosis, dramatically expanding our knowledge of how Hitler became a lethal demagogue.

The story of Hitler's formative experiences as a soldier on the Western Front - now told in full for the first time, presenting a radical revision of Hitler's own account of this time in Mein Kampf.

The book presents a collection of biographical reflections that explore the lives of individuals who both shaped and were shaped by Gandhi's philosophy. It delves into the interconnected relationships and the profound impact of Gandhi's teachings on diverse figures, illustrating a tapestry of influence that spans various contexts and ideologies. Through these narratives, readers gain insight into the lasting legacy of Gandhi and the ripple effects of his ideals on personal and societal transformation.

The author explores the profound impact of his philosophy and teachings on various Australian movements, including peace, environmental advocacy, religious initiatives, and humanitarian aid. By detailing these influences, he highlights the interconnectedness of his ideas with significant social and political changes in Australia, showcasing a legacy that extends beyond individual teachings to inspire collective action and transformation in society.

Christian Filk macht in seinem Aufsatz über den wenig bekannten Schweizer Schriftsteller und Kulturphilosophen Max Picard deutlich, dass die aktuelle Medienforschung auch das (historische) Wissen der Kulturwissenschaften bzw. der Medienphilosophie berücksichtigen sollte, statt sich nur auf sozial- und kommunikationswissenschaftliche Ansätze stützen. Max Picard ist heute umstritten. Sein Ton konservativ-christlich, seine Ansichten vergangenheitsverhaftet, seine Position kulturpessimistisch. Filk richtet seinen Blick auf diesen Autor hinsichtlich der „aktuelle[n] historische[n] Rekonstruktionsbemühungen medien(kultur)wissenschaftlicher Diskurse“. Sein Beitrag befasst sich mit dem Motiv der medialisierten Flucht im Werk Picards. Federführend waren dabei Themen wie die Medienkritik oder Zeitphilosophie, und Fragen nach der Verwissenschaftlichung, Technisierung und Urbanisierung der Lebenswelt oder – damit eng verbunden – der Spaltung und Auflösung der Innerlichkeit des modernen Subjekts. Der Aufsatz lenkt den Blick auf eine bisher von der Medienwissenschaft übersehene bzw. vernachlässigte Quelle der Mediengeschichte und regt einen Diskurs an.

At once a book about Oxford and Heidelberg University and about the character of European society on the eve of the World War I, Our Friend "The Enemy" challenges the idea that pre-1914 Europe was bound to collapse.