"Zivil ist allemal schädlich"? Clothing in German-language culture of the 1920s

Abstract

This paper examines the representation of clothing, and specifically of uniforms, in German-language texts of the period 1918–1933. The following questions are central: What were the prevailing attitudes to fashion and clothing in German-speaking Central Europe after the War? To what extent should these attitudes be related to rather than contrasted with those dominant until 1914? And how were these attitudes represented and reflected in contemporary culture? These questions are addressed in the context of the complex identity and gender politics of the interwar period. A central focus will be the significance of clothing, and particularly of uniform, to contemporary constructions of gender in general, and of masculinity in particular. Texts examined include novels by Joseph Roth, Erich Maria Remarque and Hans Fallada, and F. W. Murnau''s film Der letzte Mann.