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Article: Satires of war: two plays by Munich's Karl Valentin, 1916-1917.
- Article from:
- The Germanic Review
- Article date:
- September 22, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Munich antagonizes those who would write her history. Locally, the enthusiasts tell countless stories and anecdotes illustrating the city's Gemutlichkeit--her charm, her beer, the life of indestructible good humor and perpetual ease. But the historical aspect of this account entails only the traditions and customs by which Munich, or Bavaria generally, has kept this spirit alive. Several years ago, scholars began exposing the myth. The society of modern Munich, they have shown, has been as torn by conflicts as that of any modern city, and if her popular culture seems gemutlich, it has also supplied outlets for social grievances and discontents.(1) Recent work indicates ...