Mass Culture and the State in Germany, 1900–1926

German efforts to limit the supposedly fearful effects of mass culture did not begin in earnest until after the turn of the century. They were preceded by a lengthy and largely unsuccessful attempt in the 1890s to broaden the obscenity paragraph of the Criminal Code which finally came to a halt in the spring of 1900 amid a storm of protest from artists, writers and other sections of the educated public. Attitudes to popular fiction were thoroughly unclear, and the case of Karl May demonstrated that one man’s trash was another man’s adventure story. Even distinctions between Schund and art were problematical, given the European avant-garde’s current fascination with ‘low’ culture. Attitudes to popular fiction were thoroughly unclear, and the case of Karl May demonstrated that one man’s trash was another man’s adventure story. Even distinctions between Schund and art were problematical, given the European avant-garde’s current fascination with ‘low’ culture.