The writer and political activist Erich Mühsam (1878-1934) was one of the most colorful figures of the German revolutionary counter-culture early in this century. He developed a political philosophy which combined anarchist individualism with socialist resistance against the bourgeoisie. Mühsam is most widely known as one of the leaders of the Munich revolution of 1918-1919. Less well known is his extensive corpus of literary works, in which he attempted to articulate his political theory. This critical study - the first of its kind in English - discusses the development of Mühsam's politics, from marginal bohemian protest to committed revolutionary activism. In the context of that biography, it then examines Mühsam's five extant dramas as arenas of conflict between his radical politics and his persistently conservative aesthetics.
"David Shepherd's empathetic study of Erich Mühsam's dramas throws new light on the literary work of an important representative of the German subculture during the early part of this century and before its extinction by the Nazis. It must be read by all scholars concerned with the Expressionist, anarchist, bohemian, and pacifist tradition in German culture." (Helmut F. Pfanner, Vanderbilt University) "øThis book! should serve as an excellent introduction to a man Shepherd correctly considers one of Germany's unjustly forgotten authors of the early 20th century." (C.L. Dolmetsch, Choice)
"...øShepherds! elegant und klug geschriebene Studie...wirkt in allen Teilen informativ-aufmunternd und politisch anregend." (Jürgen C. Thöming, Germanistik)
"...øShepherds! elegant und klug geschriebene Studie...wirkt in allen Teilen informativ-aufmunternd und politisch anregend." (Jürgen C. Thöming, Germanistik)