Volksaufklärung. Biobibliographisches Handbuch zur Popularisierung… / Band 2,1-2: Der Höhepunkt der Volksaufklärung 1781–1800 und die Zäsur durch die Französische Revolution

Englischsprachige Einführung von Reinhart Siegert. Bibliographische Essays von Heinrich Scheel zur Mainzer Republik, von Holger Böning zur Helvetischen Republik und von Reinhard Siegert zur volksaufklärerischen Kolportage

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Volume 2 presents the Goldene Zeitalter (Golden Age) of popular Enlightenment: its concept and its agenda had now been completely developed and production had peaked. In the two decades twice as many titles were published as in the entire period preceding this. The change in the people‘s Volkes mentality, which was the declared goal, was being pursued in various areas (interpretation of apparitions, protection against smallpox, weather observation, politics among other things) and in various forms (from traditional folk songs to catechisms of botany). Here as well the discourse on the Enlightenment plays an important role. In more than 400 periodicals and in many small works the reception history and the factional struggles are described clearly. Both of these were important in view of the enormous motivational impetus given to popular literature by the French Revolution and also because of the state repressions which threatened popular Enlightenment and in fact took a heavy toll on it.