Path for Freedom The Liberal Project of the Swabian School in Wurttemberg, 1806-1848

A Path for Freedom describes a little understood activity of poets and writers of Wurttemberg in the first half of the nineteenth century. These writers, the majority of whom are consigned by historians to the 'Biedermeier' or conservative camp, were in fact engaged in what is here called the liberal project, using their writing to further the cause of constitutional liberalism. Poets like Uhland and Kerner, and lesser known journalists such as Friedrich List and Rudolf Lohbauer, were engaged in working within the system to further the liberal cause; nonetheless, many of them served terms in prison for their actions. Professor Doerksen's book follows such figures beyond the pages of literary history to observe the Wurttemberg writers in their political roles and as literary combatants. This cross-disciplinary study will be of interest not only to Germanists but also to historians of social thought and German political movements of the nineteenth century.