Emergency Money
Notgeld in the Image Economy of the German Inflation, 1914–1923
By Tom Wilkinson | Publisher: MIT Press
About the book
A landmark art historical study of German Notgeld, the emergency money produced during World War I, and the hyperinflation that followed.
Emergency Money is the first art historical study of Germany’s emergency money, Notgeld. Issued during World War I and the tumultuous interwar period, these wildly artful banknotes featured landscapes, folk figures, scenes of violence and humor, and even inflation itself in the form of figures staring into empty purses or animals defecating coins. Until now, art historians have paid Notgeld scant attention, but Wilkinson looks closely at these amusing, often disturbing, artifacts and their grim associations to cast new light on the Weimar Republic’s visual culture, as well as the larger relationship between art and money.
As Wilkinson shows, Germany’s early twentieth-century economic crisis was also a crisis of culture. Retelling the period’s gripping story through thematic investigations into prevalent Notgeld motifs, Wilkinson illuminates how the vexed relationship between aesthetic value and exchange value was an inextricable part of everyday life.
A landmark contribution to our understanding of twentieth-century Germany, Emergency Money brings together art, economics, critical theory, and media theory to create a book for our own inflationary moment, as the world’s new materialisms confront the specter of this older, more fundamental materialism.
Editions of Emergency Money
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780262546805
Read an Excerpt
A landmark art historical study of German Notgeld, the emergency money produced during World War I, and the hyperinflation that followed.
Emergency Money is the first art historical study of Germany’s emergency money, Notgeld. Issued during World War I and the tumultuous interwar period, these wildly artful banknotes featured landscapes, folk figures, scenes of violence and humor, and even inflation itself in the form of figures staring into empty purses or animals defecating coins. Until now, art historians have paid Notgeld scant attention, but Wilkinson looks closely at these amusing, often disturbing, artifacts and their grim associations to cast new light on the Weimar Republic’s visual culture, as well as the larger relationship between art and money.
As Wilkinson shows, Germany’s early twentieth-century economic crisis was also a crisis of culture. Retelling the period’s gripping story through thematic investigations into prevalent Notgeld motifs, Wilkinson illuminates how the vexed relationship between aesthetic value and exchange value was an inextricable part of everyday life.
A landmark contribution to our understanding of twentieth-century Germany, Emergency Money brings together art, economics, critical theory, and media theory to create a book for our own inflationary moment, as the world’s new materialisms confront the specter of this older, more fundamental materialism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Emergency Money about?
A landmark art historical study of German Notgeld, the emergency money produced during World War I, and the hyperinflation that followed.
Emergency Money is the first art historical study of Germany’s emergency money, Notgeld. Issued during World War I and the tumultuous interwar period, these wildly artful banknotes featured landscapes, folk figures, scenes of violence and humor, and even inflation itself in the form of figures staring into empty purses or animals defecating coins. Until now, art historians have paid Notgeld scant attention, but Wilkinson looks closely at these amusing, often disturbing, artifacts and their grim associations to cast new light on the Weimar Republic’s visual culture, as well as the larger relationship between art and money.
As Wilkinson shows, Germany’s early twentieth-century economic crisis was also a crisis of culture. Retelling the period’s gripping story through thematic investigations into prevalent Notgeld motifs, Wilkinson illuminates how the vexed relationship between aesthetic value and exchange value was an inextricable part of everyday life.
A landmark contribution to our understanding of twentieth-century Germany, Emergency Money brings together art, economics, critical theory, and media theory to create a book for our own inflationary moment, as the world’s new materialisms confront the specter of this older, more fundamental materialism.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Emergency Money?
The Arts > The visual, decorative or fine arts: treatments and subjects > History of art
Where can I read a sample of Emergency Money?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780262546805
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Emergency Money?
Tom Wilkinson
Who is the Publisher of the book Emergency Money?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Emergency Money is available as paperback(ISBN 9780262546805)
Where can I buy Emergency Money online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy Emergency Money?