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Marx, Wagner, Nietzsche: Welt im Umbruch
Marx, Wagner, Nietzsche – diese drei Denker haben das 19. wie das 20. Jahrhundert tief beeinflusst. Als Zeitgenossen, die sich wechselseitig mit Verehrung, Ablehnung oder Ignoranz gegenüberstanden, prägten sie eine Zeit von enormer wissenschaftlicher Vielfalt und gesellschaftlicher Dynamik. Ihre Antagonismen und Widersprüche führen ins Herz der deutschen Entwicklung. Herfried Münkler folgt diesen drei faszinierenden Gestalten und ruft damit eine ganze Epoche wach. Er schildert die verblüffenden Parallelen im Leben von Marx und Wagner: die Beteiligung an der 1848er-Revolution, Flucht, Vertreibung und Exil, vielerlei Wirren und dann doch das Schaffen eines überragenden Werkes, die Bildung einer großen Anhängerschaft und die schwierige Verantwortung für das, was diese Anhängerschaft aus den Entwürfen gemacht hat. Nietzsche, der etwas Jüngere, ist dann ein philosophisches Ereignis, wie Marx prägt er Generationen. Alle drei sprengen die Konventionen der bürgerlichen Welt, erschaffen Neues – das aber dann zu einer anderen, unerwarteten Wirklichkeit wird: Das so vielversprechende, reiche deutsche 19. Jahrhundert geht über ins Zeitalter der Extreme, der politischen Katastrophen. – Ein aufregendes Buch über drei große Denker, die Signatur der modernen Welt und, nicht zuletzt, die Mentalität der Deutschen.
720 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2021
64 people are currently reading
594 people want to read
About the author
Herfried Münkler
73 books57 followersHerfried Münkler is a German political scientist. He is a Professor of Political Theory at Humboldt University in Berlin. Münkler is a regular commentator on global affairs in the German-language media and author of numerous books on the history of political ideas (German: Ideengeschichte), on state-building and on the theory of war, such as "Machiavelli" (1982), "Gewalt und Ordnung" (1992), "The New Wars" (orig. 2002) and "Empires: The Logic of World Domination from Ancient Rome to the United States" (orig. 2005). In 2009 Münkler was awarded the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in the category "Non-fiction" for Die Deutschen und ihre Mythen (engl. "the Germans and their myths").
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 6, 2023
German political scientist Herfried Münkler has truly delivered a work of genius with Marx, Wagner Nietzsche. His aim is to build up a parallel biography of three unconnected intellectuals: (1) Marx and Wagner were of the same generation and had no relation whatsoever, Nietzsche came later and developed his own thoughts in reaction to his personal relationship with Wagner as well as his political-cultural views. (2) Marx was a philosopher-turned-sociologist as well as a political activist, while Wagner was an artist and offhand essayist and Nietzsche was a philologist who ended up as a psychological-physiological diagnostician. (3) As far as ideas are concerned the three men were as diverse as can be: Marx being the firm believer in progress through technological advances, Wagner being the antisemite, cultural pessimist and disappointed social revolutionary, and Nietzsche being the wizard pointing humanity to a new, higher road towards a place with a new morality and a new man, the Übermensch.
So, in short Münkler couldn't have set himself a harder task of tying these three unrelated and diverse thinkers together in a coherent and accessible way. He manages to fulfil this Herculean task with the help of the nineteenth century, more specific two key events: the 1848 failed revolution in Paris and the subsequent reactionary wave that spread across the European continent and the 1871 creation of Germany at the hands of the Prussians Bismarck and Wilhelm I. These two events illustrate the tense, diffuse and volatile situation in Europe at the time: wars, revolutions, repression, social questions, etc. were daily subjects for millions of people. These were times when new ideas or new theories were emerging at a fast rate; these were also times when any thinking person would have to relate himself/herself to the unfolding events.
Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche did so in their own ways and looking at their ideas and their development sheds much light on the turbulent decades of the nineteenth century as well as lay bare the three men in all their aspects. Münklers approach is thus very promising from the start and can be viewed as very fruitful from the last page of the book: his thematic approach is superb in weaving together the private correspondence, published works and (contemporary and subsequent) theoretical and practical interpretations of Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche.
Chapters focus on subjects like classical tragedy; sickness, death and suffering; the 1871 German question; the role and status of religion; social analyses and critiques; antisemitism; the question of revolutions.
It is sheer impossible to summarize what Münkler says about all these subjects. Suffice it to say that Marx was and remained privately conservative who publically supported social revolutions, while Wagner actively participated in the 1848 revolution in Dresden and paid dearly for it with his exile in Paris - in his later years he would turn more and more towards creating art and publishing essays in which he would promote art as the substitution of state and religion. Marx saw the 1871 events as a minor political setback on the deterministic path of social developments, while Wagner remained ambiguous towards the creation of a German state and its nationalism. Nietzsche, being the youngest of the three, never had anything to do with the 1848 revolution while he viewed the 1871 events as illustrations of German decadence.
Another major theme in this book: Marx and Wagners generation heavily drew on the French Revolution and its social ideals in the formation of their own ideas and ambitions. When these latter were thwarted due to the failed 1848 revolution, both had to respond to these events by changing their own attitudes. For Marx this meant a more theoretical-scientific and a less political acitvist approach to social change; for Wagner this meant a mental retreat into art and abandoning his social revolutionary ideals. After 1848 the French Revolution lost its power as a source of inspiration and action and former revolutionaries had to adapt to reactionary societies - which seemed to have won the social struggle (for now). In this development we see the importance of France and Germany - and their dialectical struggle - in shaping the modern history of Europe.
The above outlines show the diversity of character, attitudes, worldview and analyses of the three men. In dealing with all these themes, Münkler is able to offer us a huge amount of perspectives on the lifes of these three thinkers and in doing so is able to make these men come alive again. All three wrote in revolutionary times, and perhaps because of this, their ideas were revolutionary as well - all three would play key roles as intellectual sources for key events in the twentieth century. All three would be subsequently 'monumentalized' and the godfathers of controversial '-isms'. In this sense, Münkler does a superb job in objectively describing these three controversial figures by letting them speak for themselves through many, many quotes as well as honestly describe all uncertainties and all sides of academic debates on certain points.
Read this book if you're interested in the nineteenth century and/or if you're eager to learn more about one or all of these important thinkers. It is an excellent work both in terms of content and form (Münkler is a gifted writer!).
So, in short Münkler couldn't have set himself a harder task of tying these three unrelated and diverse thinkers together in a coherent and accessible way. He manages to fulfil this Herculean task with the help of the nineteenth century, more specific two key events: the 1848 failed revolution in Paris and the subsequent reactionary wave that spread across the European continent and the 1871 creation of Germany at the hands of the Prussians Bismarck and Wilhelm I. These two events illustrate the tense, diffuse and volatile situation in Europe at the time: wars, revolutions, repression, social questions, etc. were daily subjects for millions of people. These were times when new ideas or new theories were emerging at a fast rate; these were also times when any thinking person would have to relate himself/herself to the unfolding events.
Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche did so in their own ways and looking at their ideas and their development sheds much light on the turbulent decades of the nineteenth century as well as lay bare the three men in all their aspects. Münklers approach is thus very promising from the start and can be viewed as very fruitful from the last page of the book: his thematic approach is superb in weaving together the private correspondence, published works and (contemporary and subsequent) theoretical and practical interpretations of Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche.
Chapters focus on subjects like classical tragedy; sickness, death and suffering; the 1871 German question; the role and status of religion; social analyses and critiques; antisemitism; the question of revolutions.
It is sheer impossible to summarize what Münkler says about all these subjects. Suffice it to say that Marx was and remained privately conservative who publically supported social revolutions, while Wagner actively participated in the 1848 revolution in Dresden and paid dearly for it with his exile in Paris - in his later years he would turn more and more towards creating art and publishing essays in which he would promote art as the substitution of state and religion. Marx saw the 1871 events as a minor political setback on the deterministic path of social developments, while Wagner remained ambiguous towards the creation of a German state and its nationalism. Nietzsche, being the youngest of the three, never had anything to do with the 1848 revolution while he viewed the 1871 events as illustrations of German decadence.
Another major theme in this book: Marx and Wagners generation heavily drew on the French Revolution and its social ideals in the formation of their own ideas and ambitions. When these latter were thwarted due to the failed 1848 revolution, both had to respond to these events by changing their own attitudes. For Marx this meant a more theoretical-scientific and a less political acitvist approach to social change; for Wagner this meant a mental retreat into art and abandoning his social revolutionary ideals. After 1848 the French Revolution lost its power as a source of inspiration and action and former revolutionaries had to adapt to reactionary societies - which seemed to have won the social struggle (for now). In this development we see the importance of France and Germany - and their dialectical struggle - in shaping the modern history of Europe.
The above outlines show the diversity of character, attitudes, worldview and analyses of the three men. In dealing with all these themes, Münkler is able to offer us a huge amount of perspectives on the lifes of these three thinkers and in doing so is able to make these men come alive again. All three wrote in revolutionary times, and perhaps because of this, their ideas were revolutionary as well - all three would play key roles as intellectual sources for key events in the twentieth century. All three would be subsequently 'monumentalized' and the godfathers of controversial '-isms'. In this sense, Münkler does a superb job in objectively describing these three controversial figures by letting them speak for themselves through many, many quotes as well as honestly describe all uncertainties and all sides of academic debates on certain points.
Read this book if you're interested in the nineteenth century and/or if you're eager to learn more about one or all of these important thinkers. It is an excellent work both in terms of content and form (Münkler is a gifted writer!).
February 21, 2022
What an excellent book about three minds, Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche, who shaped the history of ideas in the 19th century. The author has skilfully avoided the pitfall of writing a biography of three great minds in one book - superficiality.
What I have learned from this work is that all three of them were a lot more multilayered than they are generally portrayed as being. Marx's ideas, for example, were set in concrete by Engels and the regimes that relied on his teachings, but he was actually a doubter in the positive sense of the word, constantly adapting his ideas to the changing spirit of the times. Nietzsche's attitude towards Wagner, for example, also changed (in a negative sense).
And Wagner? Despite the fact that he is now described as conservative, he was at a certain moment (the revolution year 1848) a lot more revolutionary than Marx, who stayed at a distance and led a rather bourgeois life for a "revolutionary".
Often in a biography, a chronological approach is chosen. That the author refrained from doing so here is a plus. Instead, in each chapter he focuses on a theme (their attitude towards revolution or Jews, for example) and then examines how the three reacted to it in similar, but often different ways.
Highly recommended!
What I have learned from this work is that all three of them were a lot more multilayered than they are generally portrayed as being. Marx's ideas, for example, were set in concrete by Engels and the regimes that relied on his teachings, but he was actually a doubter in the positive sense of the word, constantly adapting his ideas to the changing spirit of the times. Nietzsche's attitude towards Wagner, for example, also changed (in a negative sense).
And Wagner? Despite the fact that he is now described as conservative, he was at a certain moment (the revolution year 1848) a lot more revolutionary than Marx, who stayed at a distance and led a rather bourgeois life for a "revolutionary".
Often in a biography, a chronological approach is chosen. That the author refrained from doing so here is a plus. Instead, in each chapter he focuses on a theme (their attitude towards revolution or Jews, for example) and then examines how the three reacted to it in similar, but often different ways.
Highly recommended!
September 28, 2021
Einfach nur brilliant
November 30, 2025
irgendwie einfach so okay...
August 29, 2025
Der Name „Marx, Wagner, Nietzscher: Welt im Umbruch“ erinnert zuerst an irgendein Spätwerk des Historismus im 20. Jahrhundert. Dabei hat der Politikwissenschaftler Herfried Münkler in atemberaubender Weise die Philosophie, Kunst und Theorie dieser drei Größen des 19. Jahrhunderts miteinander verwoben. Eine großartige Symbiose zwischen Biographie, Geschichtsschreibung und jeweilige Analyse der Werke und deren Verbindungen zueinander. Es empfiehlt sich, speziell für Wagner ein wenig Vorwissen über die jeweiligen Stücke im Gepäck zu haben, da sich die jeweilig exzerpierten Passagen doch nur schwierig über mehrere Seiten miteinander verbinden lassen. Ansonsten ist es aber für allgemein intetessierte Personen verschiedener Fakultäten geeignet und äußerst erhellend!
January 3, 2025
Endlich.
Bereicherung (ohne Ende) und empfehlenswert für alle die sich auch nur für eine der drei Titelpersonen interessieren. Allerdings definitiv keine leichte Lektüre. Mit großen Pausen und nicht chronologisch gelesen habe ich ~ein Jahr gebraucht. Es hat sich gelohnt.
In der Zukunft hoffe ich, nochmal etwas von Münkler lesen zu dürfen (bzw. es zu schaffen!)
Bereicherung (ohne Ende) und empfehlenswert für alle die sich auch nur für eine der drei Titelpersonen interessieren. Allerdings definitiv keine leichte Lektüre. Mit großen Pausen und nicht chronologisch gelesen habe ich ~ein Jahr gebraucht. Es hat sich gelohnt.
In der Zukunft hoffe ich, nochmal etwas von Münkler lesen zu dürfen (bzw. es zu schaffen!)
June 18, 2023
Herfried Münkler's book, as title suggests, is a parallel biography of three German thinkers from 2nd half of XIX century. Though one might not think of Richard Wagner as thinker, author provides enough evidence for the composer to be considered as one.
The book comprises of nine chapters, where each one focuses on a specific topic (e.g. Social analysis, German Empire, Religion) and discusses works and perspectives of Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche in relation to those topics.
In my opinion book is not a good choice for people who do not know basic biographies of the three thinkers and also do not have good overview of German history of 2nd part of XIX century (me). The author does not provide much background here and discusses the topics with expectation that the reader knows these facts.
Another thing which was a problem for me, were citations, especilly verses from Wagner's works. These verses are part of book usuall paragraphs, where new lines were marked with "/" symbol. I would prefer them to be separated and cited as full verses.
Author goes deep in selected works of Wagner ("Persifal", "Ring of the Nibelung") and Marx ("Kapital"), but Nietzsche is a bit ignored in this regard. The reason for this might be that, according to the epilogue, initial idea for the book was only to include Marx and Wagner. Addition of Nietzche was suggested by the publisher.
This book is most probably a very good comparative analysis of the three big German thinkers, however my low rating comes mainly from the fact that is has the strong requirement of prior knowledge of German history of the period and at least basic knowledge of biographies.
The book comprises of nine chapters, where each one focuses on a specific topic (e.g. Social analysis, German Empire, Religion) and discusses works and perspectives of Marx, Wagner and Nietzsche in relation to those topics.
In my opinion book is not a good choice for people who do not know basic biographies of the three thinkers and also do not have good overview of German history of 2nd part of XIX century (me). The author does not provide much background here and discusses the topics with expectation that the reader knows these facts.
Another thing which was a problem for me, were citations, especilly verses from Wagner's works. These verses are part of book usuall paragraphs, where new lines were marked with "/" symbol. I would prefer them to be separated and cited as full verses.
Author goes deep in selected works of Wagner ("Persifal", "Ring of the Nibelung") and Marx ("Kapital"), but Nietzsche is a bit ignored in this regard. The reason for this might be that, according to the epilogue, initial idea for the book was only to include Marx and Wagner. Addition of Nietzche was suggested by the publisher.
This book is most probably a very good comparative analysis of the three big German thinkers, however my low rating comes mainly from the fact that is has the strong requirement of prior knowledge of German history of the period and at least basic knowledge of biographies.
October 6, 2025
Ich fing das Buch mit einem eigentlich nur rudimentärem Wissen über Nietzsche, und so gut wie keinen Kenntnissen über Marx und Wagner an. Nach dem Lesen habe ich das Gefühl, sowohl die Persönlichkeit dieser drei als auch ich ihre grundphilosophischen Einstellungen recht gut zu kennen. Marx, der rationale Materialist, der den (wissenschaftlichen) Fortschritt als die menschliche Existenz verbessernd und somit rein positiv sieht; Wagner, der sich von seinen Werken eine Wiederbelebung der Kultur, wenn nicht gar eine Ersetzung der in ihrer Relevanz abklingenden Religion verspricht; und Nietzsche, der die psychologischen Konsequenzen der Umbrüche seiner Zeit diagnostiziert.
Die Gegenüberstellungen sind flächendeckend und recht gut gelungen. Lediglich die Revolution von 1848/49, die ja zumindest für Wagner und Marx ein solcher Bruch mit früheren Annahmen und Revolutionshoffnungen darstellte, hätte man eigentlich weiter ausführen können, da hier nie wirklich auf die genauen Umstände der Revolution, ihre Ursachen und ihr Scheitern eingegangen wird. Ich weiß immer noch nicht ganz, worum genau es dabei eigentlich ging. Ansonsten werden die historischen Ereignisse, die im Leben der drei relevant waren, sehr gründlich durchleuchtet.
Der umfangreiche Wortschatz des Autors hat zumindest meine Lektüre positiv bereichert, auch wenn ich meinen Lesefluss ab und zu durch das Nachschlagen einiger Worte unterbrochen sah. Als Freizeitlektüre ist dieses Buch also eher in Kombination mit Stift und vielen Unterstrichen zu genießen.
Die Gegenüberstellungen sind flächendeckend und recht gut gelungen. Lediglich die Revolution von 1848/49, die ja zumindest für Wagner und Marx ein solcher Bruch mit früheren Annahmen und Revolutionshoffnungen darstellte, hätte man eigentlich weiter ausführen können, da hier nie wirklich auf die genauen Umstände der Revolution, ihre Ursachen und ihr Scheitern eingegangen wird. Ich weiß immer noch nicht ganz, worum genau es dabei eigentlich ging. Ansonsten werden die historischen Ereignisse, die im Leben der drei relevant waren, sehr gründlich durchleuchtet.
Der umfangreiche Wortschatz des Autors hat zumindest meine Lektüre positiv bereichert, auch wenn ich meinen Lesefluss ab und zu durch das Nachschlagen einiger Worte unterbrochen sah. Als Freizeitlektüre ist dieses Buch also eher in Kombination mit Stift und vielen Unterstrichen zu genießen.
November 9, 2025
A profound and insightful book about the geopolitical upheavals of our time. Münkler precisely analyzes how the old world order is breaking down and new centers of power are emerging. Challenging but extremely readable—a work that encourages reflection on Europe's role in a changing world. Due to the globalization of humanity and the upheaval of the 21st century, the novel has become very topical/timeless.
Ein tiefgründiges und kluges Buch über die geopolitischen Umwälzungen unserer Zeit. Münkler analysiert präzise, wie die alte Weltordnung zerbricht und neue Machtzentren entstehen. Anspruchsvoll, aber äußerst lesenswert – ein Werk, das zum Nachdenken über Europas Rolle in einer sich verändernden Welt anregt. Auf Grund der Globalisierung der Menschheit und den Umbruch der Epoche im 21. Jahrhundert ist der Roman sehr aktuell / Zeitlos geworden.
Ein tiefgründiges und kluges Buch über die geopolitischen Umwälzungen unserer Zeit. Münkler analysiert präzise, wie die alte Weltordnung zerbricht und neue Machtzentren entstehen. Anspruchsvoll, aber äußerst lesenswert – ein Werk, das zum Nachdenken über Europas Rolle in einer sich verändernden Welt anregt. Auf Grund der Globalisierung der Menschheit und den Umbruch der Epoche im 21. Jahrhundert ist der Roman sehr aktuell / Zeitlos geworden.
August 13, 2025
Nice read. Some parts could be more brief. It was good that the Goethe Institute helped with the fulfilment of the Greek edition. Hope to see it in English too.
October 28, 2025
Man wird nicht dümmer aber warum schreiben deutsche Historiker oft so umständlich und preussisch, protestantisch pseudo-genau. inhaltlich 4 bis 5 Sterne, lesetechnisch 2.
January 19, 2025
Ich habe es bis Seite 130 geschafft und es war keine Freizeitlektüre für mich, sondern ein Buch um mich historisch weiterzubilden
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews