Cultures at War Austria-Hungary 1914-1918 (Austrian Studies 21)

Although the Habsburg authorities did not organize a concerted war effort on the home front, contemporary commentators nevertheless made frequent reference to cultural mobilization among the civilian population of Austria-Hungary. The essays in this volume investigate ways in which the arts in particular were affected by or indeed participated in the conflict of 1914-1918. Reactions of avant-garde writers and artists to the war are considered alongside developments in more popular art forms such as the postcard, feuilleton and operetta. The volume also contributes to the debate on cultural retrenchment versus revolution during this period by examining changes within cultural institutions, especially but not exclusively in Vienna.