-
This article examines the work of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld and his Institute for Sexual Science as the most radical embodiment of Weimar Germany’s experiment with social modernity. It argues that Hirschfeld’s campaign for the rights of sexual minorities represented a fundamental challenge to traditional conceptions of citizenship, seeking to expand its definition beyond the political to encompass what this article terms “sexual citizenship.” Through analysis of Hirschfeld’s scientific theories, his political activism, and the institutional history of his Institute, this article demonstrates how the Weimar period created an unprecedented, though ultimately fragile, space for reimagining gender and sexuality. The Institute…
-
This article examines the figure of the Neue Frau (New Woman) as the most potent and contested symbol of Weimar Germany’s turbulent encounter with modernity. It argues that this archetype—defined by her economic independence, androgynous fashion, and sexual agency—represented not merely a German version of the American flapper, but a profound social phenomenon that triggered a fundamental crisis in traditional gender relations. Through an integrated analysis of employment statistics, fashion journalism, cinematic representation, and political discourse, this article demonstrates how the Neue Frau emerged at the intersection of economic necessity, technological change, and postwar social liberalization. It further explores the…