A covenant with the devil
—Dr. John Georg Faust
Who exactly was Faust? This issue has not been clarified so far. Whether or not some kind of connection should be established with him has also been debated. Some argue that Faust was a melancholy suspicious and contemplative man who was indecisive in everything he did; but others praised him as a man who dared to think and do things, who became strong in his contact with supernatural forces. For some, Faust is a decadent fellow ruled by a group of demons who ends up tragically on his way to destruction; for others, he embodies man's self-salvation from the shackles of religion. At this point, the key is how to evaluate Faust's contract with the devil: did this contract ultimately kill Faust, or did the devil help him pave the way for his creation of his own paradise? Thus, Faust was once seen as a completely desperate and helpless modern man, and later simply as a man of exploration and conquest of the world.
Illustration in the book: Faust and Mephistopheles leaving auerbach Keller's Tavern in Leipzig in barrels, woodcut, 1875, based on an oil painting by Alexander von Litzen-Meyer
The figure of Faust is a classic example of what Blumenberg called "making myths." That is to say, myths and stories are not shaped from the beginning, and later generations only need to explain and understand them, on the contrary, myths are the result of people constantly rewriting the core of the original story for a long time. Goethe began writing the first part of Faust in 1775 and the second part of tragedy in August 1831, and he devoted his life to the creation of Faust. This contribution is extraordinary and is by no means limited to myth-making and processing in general. Without his efforts, the story of Faust would not have become a german national myth.
Historian Heinrich von Treitschke's book A History of Germany in the 19th Century (1879) has a wide impact. In the book, he explains the "great magic" of Faust's story in Germans, a "magic that no foreigner can fully understand to this day": Goethe's Faust (as if) is "a symbolic picture of the history of the motherland". Whoever goes too deep cannot see the long road that the Germans have traveled since the Dark Ages. In the Dark Ages, they lived intimately in a friendly community with the gods of the forest and the wilderness, and now they pursue the joy of life, from our ancient city ... Head to the wilderness. Faust expresses the rich life of the Germans, including the grotesque and frightening demons of our folk superstitions, the gentle and sincere love for women, the humor of the university students, the fighting pleasures of soldiers, and the brilliant German ideas. Almost everything that makes up our lives... To the average reader, this seems like water, and to people who like to think, it seems inexplicable. Franz Dingelstedt, director of the Vienna Burgtheater, called Goethe's Faust "the second Bible of our nation" and said it was "the most sacred work in the literature of our nation." In 1876, the art historian Herman Grimm held the "Goethe Lecture" in Berlin, and he clearly stated: "Because of Faust and Göschs, we Germans are among the best in the poetic art of all ages and all peoples." Thus, Faust was not only portrayed as a "typical German scientist and intellectual", but also from him an "image of a national hero".
From this one can draw the same argument as the literary scholar Gert Mattenklott. He argues that the story of Faust, which rises to national mythology, embodies the "philosophy of the german special path", and Faust represents "an elite figure who must constantly prove his identity culturally". One may have sensed the myth's message that there is indeed a special German road to modernity, no matter how arduous or disastrous it may be, and most importantly, that the German intellectual plebeian class has in fact occupied the position of the elite, exerting influence on politics and society.
And this is precisely the core of the Faustian mythology that was formed in the 19th century. It expresses the view that it is not socio-economic and power politics that affects the course of history, but the mental state of man himself, as well as their position and personality. Some political commentators and writers wanted to understand, through the Faustian language, the will peculiar to Germany, which had historical influence, and believed that people must participate in it to change the world. Faustian mythology had such a profound effect on german self-perception, but in the early modern period people did not recognize this.
Book Introduction
What is the connection between German mythology and the dynamics and tragedies of German political development?
Helfrid Minkler used mythology to look at the Germans and their history.
He examined the spiritual power of ancient legends such as the Nibelons, and examined places that determined the fate of history, such as Weimar, Nuremberg, and the Rhine.
Not only do historical figures such as the anti-Roman hero Hermann, Friedrich the Great and the Pope appear in the book, but even the Deutsche Mark as a myth of modern Germany appears in his research vision.
Through the analysis of the different political functions of the same myth in different historical periods, Minkler explored the connection between the myth and the dynamics and tragedies of German political development.
In German history, myths have always been closely related to politics, such as the legend of the return of Friedrich the Great of the "Red Beard", the national epic "Song of the Nibelons", the story of Faust's engagement with the devil, the anecdotes of King Friedrich II of Prussia... The myths derived from them were used at various times to explain different realities. After World War II, divided Germany developed a very different attitude towards the interpretation of political myths.
Using a grand historical analysis method, this book discusses the political myth of Modern Germany, with particular emphasis on its transmutation, how it shapes the national personality of Germans, how Germans have the unique power to motivate action, and how German political tragedies are linked to myths. This book is not only about the history and mentality of the Germans, but also an illuminating work on modern politics, with unique insights, fluent translations, and strong readability.
Wonderful book excerpts
Excerpts from the introduction
Compared with its European neighbors or the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany is a country devoid of myths, at least of the myths of political founding and the myths of value orientation. The French stormed the Bastille and launched a great revolution, representing the political orientation of an entire era; the United States broke out the War of Independence, practiced its own political values in the war, wrote a chapter in the history of the colonial people who were not afraid of strong enemies, stubbornly fought for independence, and inspired their descendants to constantly overcome difficulties and win challenges; the British had a lasting memory of the glorious imperial era, which brought "order and civilization" to the world, and the English elite also gained self-confidence The Polish preserved the historical memory of the nation's decay, the revitalization of rivers and mountains, and heroic resistance until final victory, which greatly strengthened their sense of national identity. Examples include the cult of national triumph, the story of proud sacrifice, and the demand for political and technological leadership, all of which show that political myths have had a profound historical impact. But there is nothing to compare with in Germany, except for the two political and military defeats of the first half of the 20th century, as well as the memory of Nazi terror, which first silenced Germans in shame, and then historians decisively evaluated these histories. Germany's historical memory can also promote the formation of national characteristics, but they are generally negative and do not play an uplifting role. Germany's situation on this issue is unique, for no other country has to bear similar memories, much less such a heavy moral cross, not Japan, Russia as the successor of the Soviet Union, and italy. Although the Germans did so, they could not gain pride because of the content of the memory. The political self-knowledge gained through deep introspection cannot be proudly shared with others.
Illustrations: The Funeral of Alaric, woodcut, 1875, based on a painting by Albert Bauer published in the Garden Pavilion in 1873
Of course, one can also see this defect as an advantage: in Germany one can finally get rid of the misunderstandings and confusions brought about by myths, neither from the temptation of myths nor the burden of being forced to repeat history, and can simply engage in political affairs with the trade-off of interests and rational reasoning. But it's not that simple. Revealing this is the purpose of this book. "From myth to reason", there is no straight road in the middle, let alone in politics. Moreover, a closer look reveals that Max Weber's disenchantment diagnosis is too sad to be seen as a clarion call to a more rational and better world.
In fact, the Post-World War II Federal Republic of Germany was not completely devoid of myths, except that they no longer involved politics, but were about the affluence of the individual and its specific symbols. On the one hand, the GDR sought to rewrite the history of Germany with the myth of the founding of the country, to replace war and battle with the people's uprising and the revolutionary program; on the other hand, the Federal Republic of Germany gave up the creation of the official myth of the founding of the country and was content to be a particularly symbolic state. The latter's initial temporary nature makes it easy for people to have this mentality. Thus, the need for mythological narratives and symbolic expressions shifted from the political and national levels to the market and consumption levels. Volkswagen became a symbol of belonging to the people of the Federal Republic of Germany, and Mercedes was a symbol of prosperity and a proof of success. Exaggeratedly, Mercedes's star mark even replaced the Iron Cross of the War Years. The Beatles and Golf cars dominated the market and profoundly influenced the character of generations, while Mercedes cars showed that the achievements of the Germans also regained the respect and recognition of the world. Janis Joplin sings in the song, "Oh, Lord, don't you want to buy me a Mercedes-Benz." "When both battleships and armored units are a thing of the past, nothing more vividly represents the Germans' desire for world fame than the cars of Stuttgart. Unfortunately, Jürgen Schrempp, who later took over the company's board of directors, did not understand this, and he hastily abandoned the name Mercedes-Benz and its symbolism in favor of Daimler Chrysler. It was an extremely serious mistake that took billions of dollars to make up for the correction. If he had known a thing or two about mythology and its influence, he would not have made this Conzern headquarters so bankrupt. Myths are the accumulation of symbolic spiritual capital, which can benefit greatly if you take care of them carefully. But this symbolic spiritual wealth will soon disappear.
Illustration in the book: Goethe and Schiller, statue, in front of the Weimar Theater, sculpture by Ernst Richer, 1933