Voluptuous Panic: The Erotic World of Weimar Berlin (Expanded Edition)

There's an apocryphal story about David Bowie meeting Christopher Isherwood, author of "Berlin Stories." Bowie said something to the effect that it must have been exciting to be in Weimar Germany during the Roaring Twenties, what with the tycoons, transvestites, and spies all rubbing shoulders. At this point Isherwood felt compelled to let the relatively younger man know that he was a writer of fiction, and that the Weimar that fed his adventurous stories was very much fabricated.The point of this anecdote is to highlight how elusive the reality of any bygone era is at a certain remove, and to further point out that Mel Gordon does the reader interested in the real history of Weimar a bit of a disservice by (by his own admission) ignoring anything that doesn't serve his sensationalist agenda. "Eroticism" is a subjective term, and while I didn't object to the S & M/ gender play content (or even the urolagnia/coprophagia), the sexualization of children glorified in the book (even if Gordon would deny this was his intent) was a bit much too stomach.Taken in the right spirit, as something in the same vein as Kenneth Anger's "Hollywood Babylon," which is to say a kind of salacious bit of tabloid-style light reading, the book really isn't half bad. Some of the photos, flyers, and bits of artwork are essential Weimar memorabilia that help give the reader insight into Germany's ill-fated experiment with democracy in the post-Wilhelmine era. But those of a more scholarly bent beware: there is a bibliography, but no sources, and when I attempted to find external corroboration of many of the assertions in the book, the only results I got online led me right back to this book. That's a red flag right there. Tepid recommendation.

This fantastic, one of a kind book is living proof that the hippies didn't invent drugs, sex, and artistic freedom. In fact, the hippies seem much more dated and silly than the denizens of the Weimar Republic, who embraced a lifestyle as artful and libertine as it was impoverished. How incredibly sad to realize that this enlightened culture was soon to be utterly decimated by the Nazis in only a few years. Weimar was an artistic statement in itself but could not sustain itself against a juggernaut of evil hellbent on the destruction of anything different from itself.Voluptuous Panic helped me to realize that in a past life I was an exuberant, creative student at the Bauhaus by day, and a cocaine and opium addicted sex fiend by night - at least I long for it to be true. Perhaps in the next life I can go back to where I truly belong. After all, life is a cabaret my friend.

This is an excellent book if you want to get a sense of the decadent side of Weimar Culture. I don't know of any other book that discusses this side of Germany between the wars in such detail. There is Peter Gay's book which is fine, but it has an entirely different focus. There are lots of pictures. If you have an interest in gender relations, nudism, eroticism in the arts or hedonism, this book will be of interest. Between WW1 and 2, Germany and in particular Berlin, was the sex capital of the world. This book points out the many prescient features of the clubs. If you don't know already, you may be surprised to learn that naturism, nudism, homeopathy, the hippie movement, body culture all started in Germany. The German culture has had a huge effect on the world and this book focuses on one aspect of it.If you liked this, you may also find the following of interest: The Seven Addictions and Five Professions of Anita Berber: Weimar Berlin's Priestess of Depravity, Naked Germany: Health, Race and the Nation and Empire of Ecstasy: Nudity and Movement in German Body Culture, 1910-1935.(I used this book for research I'm doing for a novel I'm writing.) The back of the book categorizes it under Popular Culture, Art History and Gender Studies. The book discusses homosexuality and nudism quite a bit, so if those topics interest you, then this book might be of interest.

My only dislike was the writer didn't do much to distinguish between sex work and sex trafficking. Those two shouldn't be lumped together as one is a person willingly going into sex work and the other is someone being forced into it.

…this is a very edgy book with reference to the material presented. I question whether I would buy it again for that reason. The debauchery that is explained is in some cases absolutely disgusting, however if there is one redeeming quality about it, it is that it is interesting to note it historically as it relates to the rise of Nazi Germany.

Excellent book, which had lots of information regarding Berlin, Germany in the wild 20s. I only wish there was more in depth material to read and more photo's. Especially interesting was the "Occult" section, which could have had a more in depth coverage, but I'm not complaining. Dietrich Eckhart, who belonged to a number of Occult Societies introduced Hitler to Ernst Rohm The Criminal Elements or crime section was also heady. Overall, well put together and very interesting. I think including the individuals and activies of some subversive groups in Berlin at the time would have been helpful in understanding the rise of Naziasm in the 20's. I understand there were a number of "White Russian" exiles that supported Hitler's cause.

This book is worth the price just for the pictures. For those who thought that kink started with Fetlife, this book will come as a real shock. However, the real value of this book is its ability to situate what happened in Germany at that time in a historical context. This Golden Age of Kink happened between the appalling suffering of World War I and the rise of the Nazi's. This historical vision should make us grateful for what we have now, and pray that it will last.

A voluminous, encyclopedic overview and detailed analysis of a forgotten time. With graphic photos, all placed in proper context. A must for any student of social development, or theatre director looking for how to stage works from this period.

I bought Voluptuous Panic while writing an essay on cabaret and dance in the Weimar Republic. It's style, much like the subject matter is unconventional and utterly fascinating. This is a book full of intrigue and less usual reference that prompted new lines of enquiry and connections to develop within my research. Well produced full of great visuals. Having completed my essay and studies on Weimar Culture I could easily be tempted to part my copy of VP but I'll definitely keep in for reference and conversation. Mel Gordon is clearly a good author to look out for.

Not much of a book. More as a tabloid article

fascinating!!

Historic

A fascinatig outlook to the less studied and descprited Berlin Weimar era. A stimulating reading. And very vividly portayed. Also a festival of bizzarre about the Babylon on the Spree