Eros for president - The German Republic idealized by Thomas Mann

Abstract

"The German Republic" ["Von Deutscher Republik", 1922], unknown in Portuguese and very problematically translated to English, is a speech that marks a rupture in Thomas Mann's political ideas. The German writer declares his support to the young and fragile Weimar Republic. Our article explains Mann's republic idea and his socio-psychological radicalism which affirms a kind of religious eroticism as the "essential magic" of democracy.