Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1984 Dissident Artists' Associations of Germany 1892-1912 Mary Jo Eberspacher Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in History at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Eberspacher, Mary Jo, "Dissident Artists' Associations of Germany 1892-1912" (1984). Masters Theses. 2826. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2826 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THESIS REPRODUCTION CERTIFICATE TO: Graduate Degree Candidates who have written formal theses. SUBJECT: Permission to reproduce theses. 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Date Author I respectfully request Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University not allow my thesis be reproduced because -�� Date Author m DISSIDENT ARTISTS' ASSOCIATIONSOFGERMANY 1892-1912 (TITLE) BY Mary Jo Eberspacher THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Arts-Hjstory5950 IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS 1984 YEAR I HEREBY RECOMMEND THIS THESIS BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE CITED ABOVE AO\(JSER V/4'joI , /1g1i ATE C<ff1MlTIEE MEMBER 71'a'1 14 /c;31 JDA E C�MMITTEE MEMBER ·24tt ; I rtr; DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON DISSIDENT ARTISTS ' ASSOCIATIONS OF GERMANY 1892-1912 Mary Jo Eberspacher ABSTRACT With the end of the Fr anco-Prussian War on January 18, 1871, the German Empir e und er the lead er­ ship of the Hohenzollern king, William of Prussia , was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles . Now Emperor Wilhelm I, Otto von Bismarck, his chanc ellor , and their staff as federal ex ec utives of the Emp ire possessed important legislative and ec onomic powers. However, the individual states retained rights in some ar eas such as : education , health services, police protection and some powers of taxation, and in some instanc es, there was a distrust of the newly organized federal in stitutions. Con sequently, this states ' rights conc ept seem ed to have pr evented the formation of a highly centralized state and en couraged regional ind epend enc e. Th erefore, when Wilhelm II became em peror of the German Reich in 1888, he inherited a regim e that app ear ed militaristic , authoritarian, and conservative. This pr emise is the central focus of my thesis. In spite of the authoritarian structure imposed on many asp ects of German society by Wilhelm II, there were dissidents like the artists who developed artists ' groups in the Empire that challeng ed the influ enc e of the Kais er, his concept of art, and the state-support ed ar t institutions that propagated his views . In addition, I examine the reactions of the artists and the ir associations to the prescribed ar tistic ta stes imposed by the Emperor and his fo llower s. Chap ter one of the paper provides a sketch of the social stra tum of the Empire and of Wilhelm II . It focuses on the Kaiser 's view of his responsibility to German ar t and his influence in the field of art. Finally, the chapter discusses the role of the state ar t institutions that the Kaiser suppor ted . The purpose of chapters tw o and three is to consider the development of tho se artists ' associations which challenged the status quo in German art institutions. These include: .M unich Secession, Berlin Secession, Phalanx, New Ar tists' Associa tion Munich, Blaue Reiter, and Die Brucke. In addition , I discuss those cities, Munich and Dresden, which pro�ided an atmosphere for artistic dissen t, as we ll as, the uniqueness of diverse ar t assoc iations and the ir special schools. Second , an attemp t is made to explain the reasons for dissolution of and the impact each group had on the developmen t of the succeeding artists ' associa tions. In the conclusion I comm en t on Expressionism as a challenge to the Emperor and the state-supported art institutions. However , the discussion is limited to an explana tion of the artis tic spirit tha t inspired the avan t-garde of Expressionism ra ther than following the developmen t of the movement and its many facets. DISSIDENT ARTISTS ' ASSO CIATIONS OF GE RMANY 1892-1912 Mary Jo Eberspacher TABLE OF CONTENT S PREFACE . I I. WILHELMINIAN GERMANY : SOCIETY, THE KAISER, AND ART • 1 II. THE BEGINNING OF DISSENT . .12 III. DISSENT GROWS IN MUNICH AND DRESDEN ........30 CONCLUSION . • . • • . 47 PREFACE With the end of the Fr anco-Prussian War on January 18, 1871, the German Empire under the leadership of the Hohenzollern king, William of Prussia , was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The Emp ire was a union of twenty-five German states of various sizes and forms of government including : kingdoms , a grand duchy, cities, and the administrative territory of Alsace and Lorraine . The un ification of these states guaranteed Germany a degree of prestige unmatched l on the continent. Emperor Wilhe lm I, his chancellor , Otto von Bismarck, and their staff as federal executives of the Empire possessed important powers that included control of foreign policy, the authority to appoint administrators, and the right to interpret the constitution . Acting through the Reichstag and Bundesrat , the Emperor he ld le gislative and economic authority. However , the individual states retained rights in the areas of education , health services, police protection and some powers of taxation . In some instances there was a distrust of the newly organized federal institutions. For example , the 1 Gordon A. Craig, Germany 1866-1945 (New Yo rk , 1978) , p. 39. kingdoms of Bavaria and Wurttemburg had a great regard for their regional privileges and traditions. Consequently, these kingdoms and other states of the Empire were able to retain certain powers such as the op eration of their own railroads and postal systems. This states' rights concept seemed to have prevented the formation of a highly centralized state and encouraged regional independence . However , Bismarck was able to strengthen the central government and.reduce the Reichstag's ability to check and limit the power of 1 the executive . Hence, the German Empire was governed with a belief that there was a need for authority from above and obedience fEom be low. This premise is the central focus of my thesis. In spite of the authoritarian structure imposed on many aspects of German society by Wilhelm II , there were dissidents like the artists who developed artists ' groups in the Empire which challenged the influence of the Kaiser, his concept of art , and the state-supported art institution s that pr opagated his views. In addition, r will examine the reactions of the artists and their association s to the prescribed artistic tastes imposed by the Emperor and his fol lowe rs. Chapter one of the paper will pr ovide a sketch of the social stratum of the Emp ire and of Wilhelm II . l ibid. , pp . 38-43. II It will focus on the Kaiser's view of his responsibility to German art and his influence in the field of art . Finally, the chapter will discuss the role of the state art institutions that the Kaiser supported . The purpose of chapters two and three is to consider the development of those artists' associations which challenged the status quo in German art institutions . The discussion will focus on those cities which provided an atmosphere for artistic dissent , as well as, the uniqueness of diverse art associations and their special schools. Second , an attempt will be made to explain the reasons for dissolution of and the impact each group had on the development of the succeeding artists' associations . In the conclusion I will comment on Expressionism as a challenge to the Emperor and the state-supported art in stitutions. However, the discussion will be limited to an explanation of the artistic spirit that inspired the avant-garde of Expressionism rather than following the development of the movement and its many facets . III I. WILHELMINIAN GERMANY : SOCIETY, THE KAISER AND ART . When Wilhelm II became emperor of the German Reich in 1888, he in herited a regime that was militaristic, authoritarian, and conservative which he maintained and strengthened. In addition , Wilhelminian society was stratified by means of the ar istocracy , military, bourgeoisie with its various levels, and the working class. The aristocracy, consisting of less than one percent of the population in 1871, was a position of birth where good breeding mattered more than ability. By the time that Wilhelm II became emperor in 1888, the power of the aristocracy had dwindled to the point that many of its members had developed ties with the rising financ ial , legal, or technical entrepreneurs in hopes of maintaining their soci�l positions.1 The in fluence and high regard for the military was another aspect of the Wil helmin ian society. The historian, Nicolaus Sombart, points this out in his essay , "The Kaiser in his Epoch," 1 Henry M.