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Every year, around 120 publications appear under wbg’s different publishing imprints. wbg Theiss is the home for popular non-fiction, while books specialising in the ancient world appear under the wbg Philipp von Zabern imprint. The new imprint wbg Edition offers reprints and complete editions. wbg Academics, which is also new, focuses on academic, study course and research literature. We look forward to hearing from you! If any of our books spark your interest, if you have any further questions, or if you would like to discuss backlist opportunities, please contact us anytime. We are happy to provide you with reading copies in PDF format and with additional information on specific titles or on our program in general. With best wishes, Christina
Translation So to Speak. International Publishing Services and Media Consulting Cover illustration Space capsule manoeuvering ready for Moon landing. The illustration was created in 1865 by the French illustrators Émile-Antoine Bayard and Alphonse de Neuville in cooperation with Jules Verne for the first edition of „From the Earth to the Moon”. © Heritage-Images / Oxford Science Archive / akg-images
TITLES FOR TRANSLATION
AUTUMN 2018
Ancient Sciences Rathmann (ed.) Tabula Peutingeriana ............................................................................................... 4 Maschek The Roman Civil Wars – Archaeology and History at a Time of Crisis ..................... 5 Pappalardo / Ciardiello (eds.) The Splendour of Roman Mosaics – the Villa Casale in Sicily 6
Biographies Trepp The Last Rabbi – the Unorthodox Life of Leo Trepp ........................................................... 7 Schultz Mazarin – a Juggler of Power and Mentor of the Sun King ............................................ 8 Knab I Will Not Be Silenced – Hans Scholl and the White Rose ................................................ 9 Junkerjürgen Jules Verne ....................................................................................................................10 Leppin Francis of Assisi ..................................................................................................................... 11
Geography & Natural Sciences Hellbrück A Matter of Sound – What Noise Does to Us .............................................................. 12 Bätzing The Alps – a Disappearing Landscape .............................................................................. 13 Ludwig My Life as a Tin Opener ........................................................................................................ 14 Bild der Wissenschaft (ed.) One Giant Leap for Mankind ............................................................. 15
History Bremm The Waffen-SS – Hitler’s Over-Estimated Praetorian Guard ........................................ 16 Machtan The Fall of the Kaiser – Germany in the Autumn of 1918 ............................................ 17 Kellerhoff / Keil Praise for the Revolution – the Birth of German Democracy ......................... 18 Becker The Weimar Experiment – a Cultural History of Germany 1918-1933 .......................... 19 Nieradka-Steiner Palm Tree Exile – German Emigrants in Sanary-sur-Mer ............................ 20 Johrendt The Investiture Controversy.............................................................................................. 21
Modern Language Studies & Art Schneidmüller / Wolter-von dem Knesebeck The Gospels of Henry the Lion........................... 22
Philosophy & Theology Zulehner / Halík (eds.) The Pope’s Progress .................................................................................. 23 König The Berlin Gutenberg Bible ........................................................................................... 24 Seewald Introduction to Systematic Theology ............................................................................. 25
Selected Backlist Titles ........................................................................................................... 26
Michael Rathmann (ed.)
Tabula Peutingeriana
The Tabula Peutingeriana is one of antiquity’s most impressive testimonies. It is one of the most important sources for assigning ancient place names and has been part of the UNESCO Memory of the World programme since 2007. Almost all of what was known of the world at the time from Iberia to India was portrayed on the approximately seven metre long parchment scroll. This unique antique map of the world has been handed down as a copy from the Middle Ages, preserved in eleven sheets in the Austrian National Library. The original Tabula dating from 200 BC was enriched, from one transcript to the next, with new information. The last transcript, which probably originates from around 435 AD, recorded, in addition to the network of Roman imperial roads and geographical and cultural information, around 4000 place names. Following extensive restoration, this high-quality volume makes the Tabula completely accessible. An introduction and a detailed commentary by Michael Rathmann, a recognised expert on this cartographic work, as well as an index of the place names enable a thorough understanding of this particular “Memory of the World”.
Michael Rathmann studied History and Classical Archaeology and taught in Bonn, Siegen, Hamburg, Zurich and Berlin. Since 2012 he has been Professor of Ancient History at the University of EichstättIngolstadt. Following his doctorate on Roman road transport, ancient cartography has been one of the focal points of his work.
“A wonderful book rich in content (...), that can be particularly recommended to both the expert and also the interested lay person.” Cartographica Helvetica
112 pages 107 illus. June 2018 Original Title: Tabula Peutingeriana ISBN: 978-3-8053-5177-5
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Ancient Sciences page 4
Dominik Maschek
© private
The Roman Civil Wars Archaeology and History at a Time of Crisis
For the late Roman Republic, the period between 133 and 27 BC was characterised above all by severe crises, which extended from the Gracchus brothers through to the Battle of Actium and finally came to an end at the start of Augustus’ Principate. Violence erupted on a regular basis in the interior, with individual generals such as Marius or Pompey acquiring so much power that the Republic’s internal cohesion fell apart. The Roman Empire drifted into civil war. Yet at the same time, in spite of the internal and external conflicts, a growth in prosperity can be observed which set in motion some upheavals in society in both the public and the private domain that was evident in architecture, production and consumption. Basing his work not only on buildings and art but also on rituals and state records, Dominik Maschek examines this period of crisis during the late Roman Republic and presents for the first time a global cultural and historical interpretation.
Dominik Maschek received his PhD in Classical Archaeology from the University of Vienna. He obtained a scholarship in Roman History at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and has been involved in excavations in Austria, Greece and Syria since 2001. He is currently a lecturer in Classical Archaeology at the University of Birmingham (UK). His research focuses on the Roman Republic’s art and material culture as well as on ancient architecture, urban studies and sculpture.
“Dominik Maschek offers a new interpretation of the Roman civil wars and discovers who was influencing the destruction backstage”. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
352 pages 20 b/w illus. April 2018 Original Title: Die römischen Bürgerkriege. Archäologie und Geschichte einer Krisenzeit ISBN: 978-3-8053-4913-0
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Ancient Sciences page 5
The Splendour of Roman Mosaics The Villa Casale in Sicily
The mosaics at the Villa Casale on the island of Sicily overwhelm us with their beauty, fascinate us with their wealth of detail and take us with them on a unique journey to Ancient Rome. Yet when archaeologists discovered the remains of a Roman villa close to the Piazza Armerina during the nineteenth century, they did not yet grasp what a unique treasure they had discovered. Only during the twentieth century did it become clear that they had the most comprehensive and best-preserved collection of Roman mosaic art in front of them. Today, the Villa Casale is a UNESCO world cultural heritage site – and the highlight of any trip to Sicily. Umberto Pappalardo and Rosaria Ciardiello provide an introduction to the technology, style and literary sources of the motifs and an outline of the history of the excavations since the early modern era before going on to offer an expert commentary on all the mosaics. The fascinating texts and impressive pictures – which include both panoramic views of the individual floor mosaics and also close-ups – demonstrate the mosaics’ artistic diversity and confirm the supreme importance of the Villa Casale.
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Umberto Pappalardo, the Director of the excavations at Herculaneum and the inspector of those at Pompeii, has been Professor of Geoarchaeology at the Suor Orsola Benincasa Institute in Naples since 1995.
© private
Umberto Pappalardo / Rosaria Ciardiello
Rosaria Ciardiello teaches Classical Archaeology at the Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa in Naples. She is also working for the Soprintendenze per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e di Pompei and has designed numerous international archaeological exhibitions. 208 pages 162 illus. April 2018 Original Title: Die Pracht römischer Mosaiken. Die Villa Casale in Sizilien ISBN: 978-3-8053-4880-5
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Ancient Sciences page 6
Gunda Trepp
The Last Rabbi The Unorthodox Life of Leo Trepp
Gunda Trepp works as a journalist for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, der Spiegel and other German newspapers. She lives in San Francisco and is a freelance author.
Leo Trepp grew up in an orthodox Jewish intellectual German family in which theatre and classical literature were just as much a part of daily life as visits to the synagogue and Torah lessons. It was a period in Germany in which Jewish culture flourished, only to be destroyed irretrievably by the National Socialists. Leo Trepp, the last state Rabbi to hold office in Oldenburg, miraculously escaped persecution and started a new life in the US. Yet he never turned his back on Germany: he came back time and again to open synagogues and, in particular, to make students at university more aware of Jewish life and to reduce prejudice. His autobiography remained unfinished – and so it is his wife, Gunda Trepp, that has compiled his memoirs. She completes, comments on and tells the story of this typical and yet unusual German-Jewish life with love and compassion. 280 pages 24 b/w illus. Oct. 2018 Original Title: Der letzte Rabbiner. Das unorthodoxe Leben des Leo Trepp ISBN: 978-3-8062-3818-1
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Biographies page 7
Uwe Schultz
Mazarin A Juggler of Power and Mentor of the Sun King
Dr. Uwe Schultz was awarded the Kurt Magnus Prize from the German broadcasting corporations in 1966 and the Franco-German Cultural Council prize for Essay Writing in 1999. He is considered to be one of the leading experts on absolutist France and has published numerous biographies on the subject. He is currently working as a freelance journalist in Paris.
When Jules Mazarin entered the political stage in 1630, he did so as the papal envoy, yet without any rank or title worth mentioning. His incomparable effectiveness made up for this, with his diplomatic skills preventing a military escalation between Spain and France in the War of the Mantuan Succession. From then on, every door was open to him – a state of affairs which the young Italian knew exactly how to exploit. He won the favour of France’s First Minister, Cardinal Richelieu, whose position he took over in 1642 and occupied until his death in 1661. Mazarin acted as the educator of Louis XIV. Even after the latter was crowned King in 1654, Mazarin stayed in power. At the same time, he accumulated huge private wealth. His business idea was as simple as it was brilliant. His position allowed him to take decisions about France’s military campaigns – and he then sold the state everything it needed to wage war. 304 pages 40 b/w illus. Sep. 2018 Original Title: Jongleur der Macht. Kardinal Mazarin, der Lehrmeister des Sonnenkönigs ISBN: 978-3-8062-3783-2
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Biographies page 8
Jakob Knab © private
I Will Not Be Silenced Hans Scholl and the White Rose
His last words were “Long live freedom!” Hans Scholl was executed at the age of only 23 by the National Socialists. Today, his name is linked above all to the “White Rose” resistance movement. Yet the passionate young man did not take a direct route to get there. As a fanatical Hitler Youth leader, he cheered on the “Führer”. After undergoing a profound existential crisis, which began when he was first arrested in 1937, he turned to the Christianity that would go on to define his thoughts and deeds. Jakob Knab describes the remarkable story of a change of path free of denominational and ideological prejudice. How could Hans Scholl resist the “Dictatorship of Evil”? What influence did his family home, his reading, his military service and the accusation of homosexuality have on him? This gripping biography allows us to finally gain a deeper understanding of Scholl’s complex personality.
Jakob Knab studied Catholic Theology and English at Munich, Linguistics at Edinburgh and the Philosophy of Religion at Oxford (Christ Church). He worked as Director of Studies there until 2015 and lectured and published frequently on the History of Politics, the Preservation of Traditions and the Culture of Memory.
272 pages 31 b/w illus. July 2018 Original Title: Ich schweige nicht. Hans Scholl und die Weiße Rose ISBN: 978-3-8062-3748-1
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Biographies page 9
© Cristina Alonso-Villa
Ralf Junkerjürgen
Jules Verne
Jules Verne’s novels are among the nineteenth century’s key works. They interweave romantic wanderlust, scientific rationalism and technological progress to create an exciting plot. They create new heroes and imaginary machines that pre-empt our future. Captain Nemo and the Nautilus and Around the World in Eighty Days still fascinate us today.
Ralf Junkerjürgen has been Professor of Romance Cultural Sciences at the University of Regensburg since 2007. He has already written a number of publications about Jules Verne. His research focuses on nineteenth century French literature and culture.
This biography presents Jules Verne as a universal adventure story teller and takes us through the different stages of the acclaimed author’s life. The well-respected citizen followed a strict work plan every day that was only interrupted by occasional travel. He wrote no less than sixty-five novels and, in doing so, produced an encyclopaedia which covered an entire era. Jules Verne’s biography is the biography of a whole century.
272 pages 35 b/w illus. Sep. 2018 Original Title: Jules Verne ISBN: 978-3-8062-3746-7
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Biographies page 10
© Hannegreth Grundmann
Volker Leppin
Francis of Assisi
“I want neither money nor clothes from you – from now on, I call only one person “Father” – the one that is in heaven!” With these words, Giovanni Battista Bernardone, known as Francis of Assisi (1181/2–1226) and from a wealthy family, renounced his possessions. From then on, he lived a life of poverty. The man who was initially dismissed as eccentric became the founder of one of the most important medieval religious orders that went on to produce many great scholars.
Volker Leppin is a Protestant theologian and Professor of Church History at the University of Tübingen. His research focuses on the scholasticism and mysticism of the late Middle Ages, Luther’s life story and theology and also the Enlightenment.
The church historian Volker Leppin approaches Francis from a new perspective by bringing the various relationship structures to the fore and dispensing with a purely chronological approach. Francis’ relationships are characterised by conflicts with his family, society and the Church, but also by his ability to enthuse others with his actions. In doing so, Leppin creates a magnificent portrayal of a fascinating and important man, who was convinced about his mission in life. 368 pages 15 b/w illus. Sep. 2018 Original Title: Franziskus von Assisi ISBN: 978-3-8062-3817-4
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Biographies page 11
Jürgen Hellbrück
A Matter of Sound What Noise Does to Us
Jürgen Hellbrück was Professor of Environmental and Health Psychology at the Catholic University of Eichstätt. He accompanied the Frankfurt aircraft noise study NORAH, worked on the noise guidelines for workplace regulations and has already written several articles and books on the subjects of noise and hearing.
The subject of “noise” is a perennial issue. The main perpetrators – road, rail and air travel – will continue to increase noticeably in the years to come. Noise is and will remain an area of social and political conflict that affects many people and in which different interest groups are active. To be able to understand the phenomenon of noise, the author introduces us to the superlative organ – the ear. By focusing on issues such as Frankfurt Airport or railway noise in the central Rhine valley, he discusses the physiological, psychological, health and socio-economic consequences of noise and presents some possible solutions. With respect to the subject of hearing, the author provides a fascinating account of the unusual powers of human hearing and makes people equally aware of its vulnerability. 255 pages 15 b/w illus. Sep. 2018 Original Title: Lauter Schall. Wie Lärm auf uns wirkt ISBN: 978-3-534-27041-5
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Geography & Natural Sciences page 12
Werner Bätzing
The Alps A Disappearing Landscape
Werner Bätzing was Professor of Cultural Geography at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He has been researching, teaching and publishing on the subject of the Alps for more than twenty years. He is a member of the important national and international Alpine organisations, for which he acts as scientific adviser.
The geographer and renowned Alpine specialist, Werner Bätzing, has been fighting to preserve the nature and culture of the Alps for decades. Not only mass tourism and never-ending traffic jams but also the rural exodus and an aging population are leaving their mark and will change the Alpine region irreversibly. Werner Bätzing identifies the causes and uses meaningful images to show how much the Alpine region has changed in recent years. He also highlights the key geographical features, the history of the Alps as a living environment and the importance of agriculture, industry and tourism. In addition, he touches on natural catastrophes and the future of the Alps. Werner Bätzing takes a clear stand and criticises the current developments in the region. In doing so, this book – together with its author – is a powerful contributor to the current discussions about the Alps. And it is a book that researchers, tourists, locals and all friends of the Alps, to whom preserving this region really matters, simply have to read.
191 pages 160 color illus. Sep. 2018 Original Title: Die Alpen. Das Verschwinden einer Landschaft ISBN: 978-3-8062-3779-5
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Geography & Natural Sciences page 13
© Elisa Reznicek
Mario Ludwig
My Life as a Tin Opener
“I have found the ideal cat! She looks very wellgroomed and has good manners. Her colours also fit very well with our carpet!” This happy message signalled the start of a new life for Mario Ludwig and his wife. The different roles were quickly assigned: Ludwig was the tin opener that could easily be manipulated and his wife Katharina the selfrighteous know-all who was constantly at loggerheads with the pussy cats. Spikey, who was not particularly bright but who could pass for the George Clooney of the cat world, soon joined the colour-coordinated but otherwise fat and somewhat unruly (what was that again about good manners?) Pünktchen. In thirty-six short stories, Mario Ludwig tells the story of his daily life as Pünktchen and Spikey’s overqualified tin opener. In doing so, the latest scientific developments are also not forgotten. Numerous illustrations, which were specially produced for this volume, add colour to the amusing anecdotes.
Dr. Mario Ludwig is a biologist and nature book author and has so far published more than twenty books which have been translated into five languages. His book Genial gebaut (Brilliantly Built) reached the bestseller list of the German news magazine, Der Spiegel.
192 pages drawings Sep. 2018 Original Title: Mein Leben als Dosenöffner ISBN: 978-3-8062-3767-2
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Geography & Natural Sciences page 14
bild der wissenschaft (ed.)
One Giant Leap for Mankind
”That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” It was Neil Armstrong who famously spoke these words when he became the first man to step on the surface of the moon in July 1969. In doing so, he fulfilled an eternal human dream – and one of the biggest scientific adventures reached its biggest climax so far. At the same time, the landing was a highly political event within the context of the Cold War and one of the first global media events to be followed by millions of people. It was an occasion that has become as ingrained in our collective memory as few others have. This richly illustrated volume highlights all aspects of the landing and its consequences – at a political, historical, human and technical level – and yet also brings us closer to the moon itself. In conclusion, the authors venture a glimpse into the future and report on how manned space flight will develop in the years to come.
128 pages 60 illus. Nov. 2018 Original Title: Ein großer Schritt für die Menschheit ISBN: 978-3-8062-3791-7
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Geography & Natural Sciences page 15
Klaus-Jürgen Bremm
The Waffen-SS
The gloomy myth surrounding the Waffen-SS is still today one of brutality, indoctrination and invincibility. But to what extent was the Waffen-SS really a military elite? How effective were their combat missions? Or were their divisions nothing more than normal troops at the Front? Klaus-Jürgen Bremm attempts to provide an overall view which is both critical and well-researched. He describes the ideologisation processes and the history of the organisation – from the early skull and crossbones associations and the First SS Panzer Division “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler” through to the thirty-eight divisions of the Waffen-SS at the end of the war, which also included many units with foreign soldiers. He expands in great detail on the history of their operations and their actual combat missions, whether successful or disastrous. He focuses on the atrocities of the unit that was declared to be a criminal organisation in 1946 and also on its members’ actions in the early stages of the Federal Republic. His succinct conclusion is that the WaffenSS was at its most effective after the war.
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Hitler’s Over-Estimated Praetorian Guard
Klaus-Jürgen Bremm is a journalist and historian who specialises in military history. He has published numerous successful non-fiction books, including Das Zeitalter der Industrialisierung (The Era of Industrialisation), Die Schlacht. Waterloo 1815 (The Battle of Waterloo 1815) and the first depiction of the Austro-Prussian War, 1866. Bismarcks Krieg gegen Habsburg (1866 – Bismarck’s War against the Habsburgs).
352 pages 30 b/w illus. Oct. 2018 Original Title: Die Waffen-SS. Hitlers überschätzte Prätorianer ISBN: 978-3-8062-3793-1
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
History page 16
© Jürgen Bauer
Lothar Machtan
The Fall of the Kaiser Germany in the Autumn of 1918
Even before the empire fell apart in the turmoil of capitulation and the opposition movement, it was suffering from a lack of political leadership. In the end, the decision-makers wanting to save it in the autumn of 1918 were the ones that went on to dig its grave as a result of their lack of drive and courage. His astounding knowledge of sources and his ability to empathise with the motivations of the key actors enables Lothar Machtan to paint a picture of the German monarchy’s tightrope walk. It is above all the bizarre interaction between politics and intrigue in the innermost centre of power that is the focus of attention – the survival strategy of the German imperial couple, the partial political betrayal of the last imperial chancellor and the rational monarchism of Ebert, the chairman of the powerful SPD. He also, however, focuses on street politics and the way they ignited events during the final countdown. In this way, he creates a thrilling scenario that sheds new light on 1918’s revolutionary turmoil. The fall of the Kaiser was self-induced – in reality, he dethroned himself.
Lothar Machtan is an Emeritus Professor of Modern History at the University of Bremen. He carries out research into Germany’s cultural and political history in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Mr. Machtan writes for the German news magazines and newspapers der Spiegel, die Zeit and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He is also the author of numerous successful nonfiction books and the co-author of the film “Kaisersturz” (The Fall of the Kaiser) by the German TV broadcaster ZDF.
352 pages 50 b/w illus. Aug. 2018 Original Title: Kaisersturz. Deutschland im Herbst 1918 ISBN: 978-3-8062-3760-3
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
History page 17
© Martin Lengemann
Sven Felix Kellerhoff / Lars-Broder Keil
Praise for the Revolution The Birth of German Democracy
Was the putsch of 1918 a failure, a “revolution that that got stuck in its tracks”, a “precipitate birth”? Or was it not rather an extraordinarily bloodless, largely successful transition to the first democratic society on German soil? The objective of “Praise for the Revolution” is to contest the revolution’s bad reputation. At the end of the day, it led to the first republic, to the highly modern Weimar constitution and the first general, free and secret elections.
Sven Felix Kellerhoff studied History, Media Law and Journalism. He is chief editor for contemporary and cultural history for the German newspaper Die Welt. Lars-Broder Keil studied Journalism and has been working as a journalist since 1989. He has been print team coordinator for the Die Welt group since 2013.
Lars-Broder Keil and Sven Felix Kellerhoff, both of whom are historians and journalists, take the reader to the actual historical sites – Munich, Kiel, Berlin, Bremen and the Ruhr area – and let contemporary witnesses have their say in diaries, memoirs and newspaper articles. In doing so, they reveal the panorama of revolutionary activities between autumn 1818 and autumn 1919 in a highly vivid manner. 296 pages 30 b/w illus. Aug. 2018 Original Title: Lob der Revolution. Die Geburt der deutschen Demokratie ISBN: 978-3-8062-3805-1
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
History page 18
© private
Sabina Becker
The Weimar Experiment A Cultural History of Germany 1918-1933
Sabina Becker has written a major cultural history of the Weimar Republic – viewing it as a period in its own right with its innovative media technology approach and sociologically broad cultural modernity, when it came to literature, the theatre, architecture, the visual arts, music and dance. She focuses intentionally on the period’s varied and partly explosive development processes and manifestations of life – without devaluing it as the “interwar period”, the “incubation period for National Socialism”, or the crisis years of the “classical modern period”. She is able to do this because she views the Weimar Republic less from the perspective of its end than from that of the First World War. In this way, Sabina Becker can present this decade’s artistic innovations and lasting cultural aspects, which enable her to provide an impressive demonstration of why the Weimar period left such a mark on German cultural history.
Sabina Becker, Professor of Modern German Literary History, is one of the leading researchers of the modern age. She has been the editor of the Jahrbuch zur Kultur und Literatur der Weimarer Republik (Cultural and Literary Yearbook of the Weimar Republic) for more than twenty years.
608 pages 100 b/w illus. Okt. 2018 Original Title: Experiment Weimar. Eine Kulturgeschichte Deutschlands 1918-1933 ISBN: 978-3-534-27051-4
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
History page 19
Magali Nieradka-Steiner
Palm Tree Exile German Emigrants in Sanary-sur-Mer
Magali Nieradka-Steiner has a doctorate in German Language and Literature and is the author of monographs and numerous essays on exile and Franco-German topics. She teaches French and literary studies at the universities of Heidelberg and Mannheim.
A fishing village close to Toulon was once the “Capital of German Literature”. That was, in any case, how Ludwig Marcuse saw it. After Hitler seized power, numerous German writers fled to the Côte d’Azur. Ernst Toller and Bert Brecht met at the harbour in Sanary-sur-Mer. Lion Feuchtwanger owned a house by the sea there. Thomas Mann and his wife visited the fair while his son Klaus was working on “Mephisto”. The ‘palm tree’ exile soon, however, became a mousetrap. At the start of the war, France declared the Germans to be the foreign enemy. Those who were unable to emigrate abroad in time were detained, deported and murdered. Magali Nieradka-Steiner is of Franco-German nationality and has lived for a long time on the Côte d’Azur. She was able to access previously unknown documents and speak with contemporary witnesses. Her book gives a vivid account of how universal catastrophe and individual destinies crossed paths in Sanary.
272 pages 32 b/w illus. June 2018 Original Title: Exil unter Palmen. Deutsche Emigranten in Sanary-surMer ISBN: 978-3-8062-3656-9
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
History page 20
Jochen Johrendt
The Investiture Controversy
Jochen Johrendt was a research assistant at the German Historical Institute in Rome (DHI Rome) from 2003 until 2006. He qualified as a professor in 2008 and has been Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of Wuppertal since April 2011.
What were the fundamental conflicts behind the Investiture Controversy? What triggered the Investiture Controversy and what consequences did it have? This book offers a concise introduction to one of the central conflicts in mediaeval history; it is not a purely chronological account but concentrates on the causes and effects of a conflict of European dimension. Even though the name suggests otherwise, the Investiture Controversy was not only an argument about investiture but a fundamental struggle for spiritual and secular power. Jochen Johrendt describes the Investiture Controversy as a conflict that played a decisive role in Europe’s spiritual development. He examines internal Church tensions in addition to the fundamental conflict between secular and religious power.
160 pages Oct. 2018 Original Title: Investiturstreit ISBN: 978-3-534-15577-4
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History page 21
Bernd Schneidmüller / Harald Wolter-von dem Knesebeck
The Gospels of Henry the Lion
Bernd Schneidmüller is Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of Heidelberg. Harald Wolter-von dem Knesebeck is Professor of Art History at the University of Bonn.
The Gospels of Henry the Lion and Matilda of England are among the most beautiful manuscripts from the Middle Ages in Europe. When they went into public ownership in 1983 for 32 million German Marks, it was the most expensive manuscript in the world. Bernd Schneidmüller and Harald Wolter-von dem Knesebeck provide for the first time a comprehensive presentation of the codex, which was produced at the end of the twelfth century in the Benedictine Abbey of Helmarshausen, taking into account its theological, artistic and historical importance. A further novelty is a description of the illustrated and ornamental pages which are all reproduced. The calligraphy is also honoured in both images and text. The authors provide fresh insight to clarify the controversy surrounding the role of the benefactor couple and the mystery of the Guelph pictures. Both authors have been recognised on many occasions as experts in Guelph history and art.
240 pages 140 illus. Oct. 2018 Original Title: Das Evangeliar Heinrichs des Löwen ISBN: 978-3-534-26995-2
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Modern Language Studies & Art page 22
Paul Zulehner u. Tomáš Halík (eds.)
The Pope’s Progress
Since his communication “Amoris laetitia” about the role of love in family life, Pope Francis has been the focus of internal Church criticism. The international Catholic initiative “Pro Pope Francis”, which provides public support to the Pope and was started by the pastoral theologian Paul Zulehner and the sociologist Tomáš Halík on 16 October 2017, was a reaction to the attacks on the Pope. It stands for a pastoral culture which focuses on compassion, a path which the Church together with its Pope would like to embark on.
Paul Michael Zulehner is an Austrian theologian and a Catholic priest. The Emeritus Professor is one of the most renowned sociologists of religion in Europe. Tomáš Halík is a Czech sociologist, religious philosopher and Roman Catholic priest. He is one of the most famous intellectuals in the Czech Republic and regularly takes a stand on political and ethical issues.
This volume is a collection of the opinions of important church representatives, members of religious orders, theologians, public figures, spiritual companions and committed lay people from Germany, Austria and Switzerland
144 pages July 2018 Original Title: Rückenwind für den Papst ISBN: 978-3-8062-3804-4
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Theology & Philosophy page 23
Eberhard König
There is hardly any invention that has brought about such fundamental change as book printing with movable type. When the original printing works was set up in Mainz around 1450, the first big project that they took on was a bible. The central focus of this volume is therefore the Berlin Gutenberg bible, an almost completely preserved parchment copy of outstanding quality. The excellent reproduction of the illuminated pages is accompanied by comments relating to the layout, print type, figurative elements and ornamental design. There are also some short summaries of the biblical books. Historical, economic and technical requirements for printing are discussed, as are the most recent findings relating to the history of its origins. Eberhard König recognises Gutenberg’s achievement and creates an impressive overall view of his time. He demonstrates how this magnificent bible opened the doors to a development that we still admire to this day as the Gutenberg Galaxy.
© private
The Berlin Gutenberg Bible
Eberhard König is an internationally renowned specialist in manuscripts and incunabula. Before becoming an Emeritus Professor, he was a professor at the Free University of Berlin.
240 pages 160 illus. Oct. 2018 Original Title: Die Berliner Gutenbergbibel ISBN: 978-3-534-26997-6
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Theology & Philosophy page 24
Michael Seewald
Introduction to Systematic Theology
Michael Seewald is Professor of Dogmatics and Dogma History at the Catholic Theological faculty at the University of MĂźnster.
Systematic Theology is the umbrella term for the disciplines of dogmatics, dogma history, fundamental theology, moral theology and Christian social ethics. The introduction to Systematic Theology has established itself as an independent course in the modularised Catholic Theology syllabus. This book is aimed at all those who want to gain an understanding of the topics and working methods involved in the study of Theology.
160 pages Aug. 2018 Original Title: EinfĂźhrung in die Systematische Theologie ISBN: 978-3-534-27044-6
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History page 25
Autumn 2018
Selected Backlist Titles
Klaus Bringmann
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero was one of the most fascinating personalities of the late Roman Republic. A member of the equestrian order, he succeeded in being promoted to the rank of Senator, with his appointment as Consul being the high point in his career. As a typical “homo novus”, the term for a man who was the first in his family to be a member of the Roman senate, he embodied almost more than anybody the ideals of ancient Roman virtues – and it was exactly for this reason that he got caught up in the maelstrom of the foundering Republican order. He recognised that the Roman state was in danger as a result of social-revolutionary politicians such as Catilina – and as a natural consequence of this, he automatically became an opponent of Caesar. He rejoiced when the latter was murdered – only to realise too late that he was again on the wrong side. In the civil war against the murderers of Caesar, he became one of the first victims of the proscriptions. The tragic involvement of Cicero in the historical conflicts of his time is at the heart of Klaus Bringmann’s biography. At the same time, he also takes a close look at the extensive literary works which reflect not only Cicero’s political ideas but also his private impressions and thoughts.
Klaus Bringmann is an Emeritus Professor for History of the Antiquity at the University of Frankfurt. His focus in research revolves around Roman history from the republic to late antiquity, the history of Hellenism, Jewish history in Hellenic and Roman times as well as the history of Christendom in the Roman Empire.
336 pages 12 b/w illus. 2014 Original Title: Cicero ISBN: 978-3-8053-4829-4
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Selected Backlist Titles page 27
Wolfgang Pleger
The Most Important Concepts from Homer to Sartre
Wolfgang Pleger is an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy. Most recently he was teaching at the University of Koblenz-Landau. He has published numerous works on the philosophy of the ancient world, practical philosophy and anthropology.
In this handbook, Wolfgang Pleger presents the most important anthropological concepts in European history and addresses the problematical situation of mankind in the world – such as, for example, in ancient and biblical mythology, in which humans were regarded as God’s mortal beings or in materialistic anthropology, which starts from the assumption that humankind is fixed and predetermined. From the ancient to the modern world and from Homer to Sartre, every concept is represented by the viewpoints of three historically important thinkers. Using an interdisciplinary approach, examples from poetry and religion and from the social and natural sciences are cited alongside philosophical approaches.
Portuguese rights sold
A Handbook of Anthropology
320 pages 2018 (3rd edition) Original Title: Handbuch der Anthropologie. Die wichtigsten Konzepte von Homer bis Sartre ISBN: 978-3-534-27048-4
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Selected Backlist Titles page 28
Jörg Rüpke
From Jupiter to Christ
The religious history of the Roman Empire is of paramount significance for the religious history of Europe. During this epoch the Mediterranean developed into an intensely interlinked cultural area that enabled the quick dissemination of ideas. It was then and there that the first expansion of Christianity took place. Previous accounts of religious history confined themselves to the description of individual cults and religions. Jörg Rüpke, however, argues that what makes this epoch stand out is the societal significance of religion. No longer is religion simply an answer to individual human problems (illness, insecurity, death) but it becomes a comprehensive setting for man’s conduct of life and for framing group identities and political legitimation.
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Religious History in Roman Times
Jörg Rüpke is Professor of Comparative Religion at the University of Erfurt and a member of the European Academy of Sciences.
English rights sold
304 pages 2015 (2nd edition) Original Title: Von Jupiter zu Christus. Religionsgeschichte in römischer Zeit ISBN: 978-3-534-26757-6
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Selected Backlist Titles page 29
Mario Markus © private
Superbrains How Neurotechnology is Revolutionizing Our Lives
Telepathy from one brain to the next, prostheses and wheelchairs steered by the mind only and the reading of dreams – what was considered to be sciencefictional or esoteric only a short while ago seems to be within reach today. We will soon be able to see without eyes and listen without ears – simply by electrical stimulation of the brain. It will be possible to fight illnesses like depression or Parkinson in a more efficient way. This new technology, however, entails a huge ethical responsibility. Mario Markus presents the results of current research and explains what is already possible today and what will be possible very soon. He shows how brain research is about to fundamentally change our lives.
Mario Markus, Professor Emeritus at the University of Dortmund, is a physicist who worked at the MaxPlanck-Institute for molecular physiology in Dortmund, Germany. He has published numerous articles, books and poems on chemistry, physics and biology.
Korean rights sold
240 pages 10 b/w illus. 2016 Original Title: Das nackte Gehirn. Wie Neurotechnik unser Leben revolutioniert ISBN: 978-3-8062-3278-3
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Selected Backlist Titles page 30
© Kirsten Bohlig
Mario Ludwig
Well Roared, Lion! The Language of Animals
Did you know that dolphins address each other by name? That trees call ants for help or that the female mates of talented songbirds lay bigger eggs? Chameleons and octopuses on the other hand communicate through a change of colour. And some kinds of fish are nowhere near as mute as conventional wisdom would have us believe, but are able to communicate with such loudness that anyone within hearing distance will not sleep a wink. In his latest book, noted biologist and author Mario Ludwig introduces to his readers the gifted singers and great communicators of the animal kingdom. Well Roared, Lion! is not only a gripping read and highly entertaining, but also benefits from its author’s expertise and research skills. In ten marvellous chapters, Mario Ludwig shows that when it comes to communication, animals are vastly superior to humans. After all, they communicate using not only an array of optical, acoustical, mechanical and chemical signals, but also a wide range of nuanced behaviour. Ludwig exposes many methods which might – at first sight – seem rather bizarre but are in reality both highly refined and strikingly successful.
Mario Ludwig received his doctorate in biology from Heidelberg University. Today he lives in Karlsruhe and has authored over twenty books, which have been translated into five different languages.
228 pages 49 b/w illus. 2017 Original Title: Gut gebrüllt! Die Sprache der Tiere ISBN: 978-3-8062-3483-1
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Selected Backlist Titles page 31
Marion Bolder-Boos © private
Ostia Rome’s Harbour
The Roman harbour town of Ostia, located approximately 30 km west of Rome, is one of Italy’s most important archaeological sites. It was probably founded in the fourth century before Christ and was occupied for almost 1000 years before being gradually handed over in the sixth century AD. The picture that confronts today’s visitor is characterised by monuments from the high through to the later imperial period, when Ostia was flourishing as Rome’s river harbour. Marion Bolder-Boos presents the different phases of the city’s history, including the most important buildings and installations. Using numerous illustrations, she presents the development of Ostia from a small settlement serving military purposes to one of the most important harbour towns in the Roman Empire.
Dr. Marion Bolder-Boos is a classical archaeologist and a scientific researcher at the Technical University of Darmstadt. Her research focuses on Roman citizen colonies and shrines as well as Punic archaeology.
144 pages 131 color illus. 2014 Original Title: Ostia. Der Hafen Roms ISBN: 978-3-8053-4819-5
wbg (Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft) Hindenburgstr. 40 64295 Darmstadt, Germany Foreign Rights Department Dr. Christina Kerz kerz@wbg-wissenverbindet.de +49 6151 3308 159
Selected Backlist Titles page 32
Martin Kuckenburg
© private
Who Had the First Word? How Language, Speech, and Writing Came to Be
Without language, speech, and writing, humanity would never have become what it is today. While we usually take them for granted, life without these fundamental tools of civilisation seems hardly imaginable. Did language really originate with the first anatomically and behaviourally “modern” humans, a mere couple of ten thousand years ago? Or was it that the Neanderthals, already, had acquired the necessary linguistic and phonetical abilities to produce at least rudimentary utterances? Where and when did language emerge first? It is with fascinating questions like these that the first part of Martin Kuckenburg’s book is concerned. In the second part, Kuckenburg deals with the history of writing. In Palaeolithic times already, people carved their calendars and maps into bone, and painted their myths and stories on the walls and ceilings of their cave dwellings. In Who Had the First Word?, Martin Kuckenburg offers convincing answers to some of the most critical questions in early human history, and reveals the close nexus between linguistic developments and wider civilising processes.
Martin Kuckenburg, a pre- and early historian by training, has authored several books and many articles on archaeological and historical topics.
Polish rights sold
272 pages 94 b/w illus. 2016 Original Title: Wer sprach das erste Wort? Die Entstehung von Sprache und Schrift ISBN: 978-3-8062-3344-5
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Selected Backlist Titles page 33
Klaus Bartels
Winged Words of the Classical World
Prof. Dr. Klaus Bartels is a classical scholar and a renowned educator and author.
What They Mean and Where They Come From
Whether it is “Heureka!” or “Know thyself!,” “Carpe diem!” or “ceterum censeo”: everybody knows these phrases from Latin antiquity; yet few know their origins. Many have long left their original nesting grounds: What exactly did Caesar mean to say in his famous “Alea iacta est”? Did you know that “Mens sana in corpore sano” was not directed at athletes, but those at prayer? In forty-nine entertaining chapters, Klaus Bartels takes his readers on a trip ‘ad fontes,’ to the forgotten wellsprings from which these famous sayings have ‘flown.’ This reader, full of enlightening clarifications and delightful aha moments, is the perfect companion book to Bartels’s earlier encyclopaedia of classical sayings, “Veni Vidi Vici.” This book is perfect for everyone interested in classical antiquity – especially if they do not tend to dream fluently in Latin. 168 pages 2013 Original Title: Geflügelte Worte aus der Antike. Woher sie kommen und was sie bedeuten ISBN: 978-3-8053-4712-9
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Selected Backlist Titles page 34
Reinhard Hiltscher
Introduction into the Philosophy of German Idealism
Reinhard Hiltscher is Professor for philosophy at the Technical University of Dresden.
Idealism is generally acknowledged to be the prime period of German philosophy. The works of Kant, Fichte, Hegel and Schelling have become classical writings of philosophical history and constitute an important component of any course on philosophy. This introduction explains concisely and wellgrounded the central questions of this important epoch. It offers an excellent introduction into the minds of Kant, Fichte, Hegel and Schelling.
150 pages 2016 Original Title: EinfĂźhrung in die Philosophie des deutschen Idealismus ISBN: 978-3-534-26738-5
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Selected Backlist Titles page 35
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