The Greek Revolution and European philhellenes: The philhellenes of Berlin as a historical example

Title

Alternative Title

Annäherungen an Hellas: Philhellenismus und Deutsch-Griechische Gesellschaften in Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Date

2021

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate German philhellenism in Berlin. It highlights the complex ideological characteristics of the philhellenic movement as well as the decisive role of the Greek Revolution for the coupling of classicism, humanism, romanticism and liberalism in Europe of the post-Napoleonic period and, in particular, in the German area, which sought its political reconstruction. The philhellenic movement, with its various manifestations of sympathy towards the Greeks that existed even before the revolution, is strengthened especially after the declaration of the medical professor Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland. Philhellenic poems, songs, newspaper articles, philhellenic companies and associations, fundraisers and medical aid materials are some of the events for the Greeks. The struggle of the Greeks particularly moved young people with or without military training who came from different social strata, with different educational levels and professions. The letters they wrote to relatives and friends excited and motivated other compatriots to come to Greece. The fascination exerted on all by the heroic death for freedom at the hand of the heathen dynast, the unequal struggles and sacrifices become powerful symbols given meaning by Germany. The two parts that make up this translation are the corresponding chapters of the first section of the book ‘Approaches on Greece: Philhellenism and the German-Greek Societies of Berlin’ by Emeritus Professor Bernd Sosemann.

(Edited and translated blurb from publisher’s website)

Type specialization

Book

Format

Data sets

Language

Greek

Bibliographic Citation

http://www.universitystudiopress.gr/intro.htm

Number Of Pages - Duration

64

Rights

Item sets

New Academic Publications

Item