1. Carl Sternheims Die Hose: Humor and Satire in its Historical Context

2. USA or Germany: Which nation has existed longer? USA: 1776 Germany 1871 What was happening in “Germany” before 1871?

3. The German Empire (Wilheminian Germany) 1871- 1918 Wilhelm I Wilhelm II

4. Carl Sternheim’s Die Hose (1910) The first of a cycle of comedies entitled “Aus dem bürgerlichen Heldenleben” (From the Heroic Life of the Bourgeois)

5. Social Developments in Wilheminian Germany Shift from agrarian to industrial society Growing city Populations Technological change, emerging mass culture, higher literacy rates

6. The shift from an “estates-based society” to a class system The aristocracy, the bourgeoisie(middle class), the proletariat(working class). The “feudalization” of the bourgeoisie: mimicry of the aristocracy in the interest of social climbing/success. Paternalistic authority, militarism, honor codes The Subject (written 1914)

7. Satirical Cartoon from 1897 der Pöbel: the rabble Die Menge: the masses das Volk: the people

8. Philosophy and The Arts Friedrich Nietzsche: Perspektivismus Fin de siécle Berlin and Vienna: artistic innovation and experimentation Max Reinhardt’s directing at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin: 1905-1930 Socially conscious/critical art Franz Marc, “Der Tiger” 1912

9. Social Movements The Workers’ movement and the Rise of the Social Democratic Party Increasing Strikes and conflict between business managers and labor force

10. Women’s Rights Helene Stöcker’s Essay “die moderne Frau” (1893) The restrictions of “Kinder, Küche, Kirche” The growing suffrage movement in the early 20th century

11. Women’s clothing New, less restrictive clothing in 1903

12. Jews in Germany in the Wilheminian Era Jews: roughly 1% of the German population in 1900 Many Jews were relatively integrated into German society. Anti-Semitism was a European phenomenon not necessarily specific to Germany at the time. Carl Sternheim was Jewish

13. Farce and Satire Definitions What aspects of Wilheminian society does the play critique or ridicule? To what extent is the critique applicable to US society in 2009? “die Hose” Frankfurt, 1986