Strength through Joy
Consumerism and Mass Tourism in the Third Reich
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Published:28th May '07
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£75.00(9780521833523)
This book was the first on the giant Nazi leisure and tourism agency, Strength through Joy (KdF).
This book was the first on the Nazi leisure and tourism agency, Strength through Joy (KdF). KdF's low cost cultural events and, especially, mass tourism became the primary means by which the regime mitigated the tension between the investment in rearmament and German consumers' desire for a higher living standard.Based on extensive archival research, this book was the first major one on the Nazi leisure and tourism agency, Strength through Joy (KdF). The Third Reich aimed to unify Germans in preparation for war and the acquisition of 'living space'. Strength through Joy became the Nazi regime's most determined attempt to ease the tension between collective goals and individual desires, as well as between 'guns and butter'. Its factory beautification, organized sports, cultural events, and mass tourism, sought to raise the status of workers and integrate them in the nation, while keeping its costs low so that its clientele could afford its programs. Although the motivations of Strength through Joy's constituencies often diverged from the Nazi ideal of a united, politicized 'racial community', KdF's accommodation to consumer expectations made it the regime's most popular institution. KdF mitigated present sacrifices while presenting visions of a prosperous future once 'living space' was acquired.
"All in all, this is a very useful book, particularly for those who seek an introductory overview. It convincingly extends the subject well beyond its classic boundaries by opening up new perspectives on the relation between consumption and National Socialism." American Historical Review
"Anyone interested in the history of Nazi Germany, in mass-market tourism, and in an account of a twentieth-century attempt to create a balance between work and life should read Baranowski's thorough and provocative study." Business History Review, Hans-Liudger Dienel, Berlin University of Technology
"Shelly Baranowski provides us with a clear and careful assessment of the impact of Fordism on the changing patterns of German consumption." Journal of Modern History Christopher Kopper, Universitat Bielefeld
"Overall, this is a book that historians will welcome as the first major, scholarly assessment of KDF, from a seasoned scholar who crafts her discussion from fresh perspectives currently engaging the profession." Geoffrey J. Giles, University of Florida, German Studies Review
ISBN: 9780521705998
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 16mm
Weight: 400g
274 pages