Much has been written about the rise and reign of Hitler, but the bird's-eye view of a historian can sometimes feel a little remote and abstract. By focusing on the microcosm of Weimar, where so many of the events that shaped the 20th century unfolded on the residents' doorstep, I seek to add a close-up perspective on this dark and complex chapter of German history.
Katja Hoyer, Visiting Research Fellow
05 May 2026
Town of Weimar offers a glimpse into life under Nazi rule, says new book
Katja Hoyer, Visiting Research Fellow in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, tells the stories of citizens living in Weimar during the interwar period to document the seismic changes taking place at the time in Germany.
In her new book Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, Hoyer examines the momentous historical events of 1919-1939 through the experiences of the everyday people living in Weimar. Using archival diaries, business documents and letters, she paints a picture of how Germany shifted from a liberal democracy to dictatorship, as seen through the eyes of the townsfolk.
This research charts a new course for the study of German history by zoning in on the lives of specific regular citizens, rather than offering an overview of what was happening in the country in its entirety.
Often seen as the cultural and geographical heart of Germany, Weimar is known for its connections to artists, thinkers and musicians. It was viewed as a place from which to rebirth the German nation after the upheaval of the First World War, giving its name to the interwar Weimar Republic. The town’s importance persisted when the Nazis came to power and imagined another future for Germany.
As the Nazis held the town of Weimar in such high regard due to its cultural significance, they wanted to position it as a Gau or district capital within the Nazi structure of Germany. They built a Gauforum, a huge complex of buildings designed to house administrative offices and host public events, that still stands today – showing how their ideology has left a physical imprint on the town’s architecture.
Similar Nazi architecture was planned for but never actually built in the other Gau capitals of Germany, making Weimar particularly significant.
Learn more about Hoyer’s research in the video below.
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Visiting Research Fellow