Fear in the German-Speaking World, 1600-2000

Description

This book addresses the nature and role of fear in the German world from the early modern period through to the 20th century. Offering the first collection that centres fear in the historical analysis of central Europe since 1600, these essays demonstrate the importance of emotional experience to the study of the past. Fear has been at the centre of many of the most important historical events in this region; witch hunts, religious conflicts, invasions and ultra-nationalism in the form of the Nazi regime. This book explores ways in which fear was understood, developed and negotiated throughout these historical contexts, and how people of the German world coped with it. From the fear of vampires to the loss of national sovereignty, pestilence, gypsies and criminals, Fear in the German Speaking World 1600-2000 draws connections between cases over a period of 400 years and considers fear alongside the history of emotions more generally. In doing so, the chapters reveal a complex, evolving construction of fear that is universally human, but also dependent upon its cultural and historical context.

Thomas Kehoe is a Research Fellow at the University of New England, Australia. A historian with a focus on Germany and the United States, he has published in journals such as Genocide Research, War in History and Journal of Interdisciplinary History. Michael Pickering is a Lecturer in History at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, Australia.

The authors knowledgeably explain the strengths and weaknesses of the ongoing research. Their courage to make independent judgments and their ability to draw up unfamiliar perspectives are convincing. * H-Soz-Kult * [F]or many readers reflecting on the contemporary moment, this volume will seem a timely meditation on the underlying causes of our political discontent. * Austrian History Yearbook * Hugely ambitious, wide-ranging, and compelling account of the changing cultural meanings of fears and, most importantly, their impact on history. * Joanna Bourke, Professor of History, Birkbeck, University of London, UK * This persuasive and carefully-constructed volume makes a strong affirmative case for the importance of fear, and of emotions more generally, in the study of German-speaking Central Europe. Broad in scope and chronology, these essays will appeal to readers interested German and European history. * Adam Seipp, Professor of History and Associate Department Head, Texas A&M University, US *