Essay On Barlach Universal Mentality

This also opens up the debate between Paret and Rosenburg about the universal mentality that Barlach sought to capture in his work. A common application to Barlach’s work is the usage of robes. For Paret’s interpretation, he considers this attire to be “timeless garb” relating to humanity in general.21 Even though Paret reveals the lack of tradition in the Magdeburg Ehrenmal because of the few decorative details located on one of the soldiers, all other figures hold a sense of truth to Paret’s “timeless” claims.22 It generates a sense of unity within the universal connotations formulated from observing this art-piece. Opposingly, Rosenburg consider’s these figures to be “degenerate” forms.23 He, like many critics working under the Third Reich, latched onto the work of Heidegger, a German theorist concerned with concept of “being” versus “nothingness”.24 It was Heidegger’s philosophy of “abandonment of being” and
Barlach sough a peaceful means to portray the pointlessness of generating hate for the “other” and thus, war. His work consistently reflected his universal mentality and inner-most thoughts on humanity. The story of Barlach rings true for so many artists who have fought and continue to reach upwards, above and beyond the cries for war. The Magdeburg Ehrenmal stands testament to the feelings that soldiers and civilians bore, much like Barlach did himself. The “anti-heroic” nature that Barlach had supposedly initiated in his art-piece reflected ordinary people, neither right nor wrong. They are simply existing in the madness being generated. They are faceless and nameless, illustrating the pointlessness of war and death. The Magdeburg Ehrenmal provokes a most morose feeling within their viewer with the grave warning of what one might face within his or her own spirit when faced with