September 2024

Join the Lafayette College for the traveling exhibition "Thomas Mann: Democracy Will Win!"

The exhibition commemorates the series of lecture tours that the Nobel Laureate conducted throughout the Unites States from the late 1930s to the mid-1940s. The first of these tours began at Northwestern University, where more than 4000 people came to hear him speak about the fundamental reasons for liberal democracy. “It is a terrible spectacle when the irrational becomes popular,” Mann said in a speech at the Library of Congress in 1943, and he drew on his considerable powers of thought and expression to counter the sources of this spectacle through his confident motto: “Democracy will win.”

The like-named exhibit is divided into two parts: the first charts the changes in Mann’s political views, while the second connects Mann’s lectures tours to current political situations in both Europe and the United States.

The galleries are open Wednesdays to Sundays, 12-5 pm.

Find more information here.

The traveling exhibition Thomas Mann: Democracy Will Win! is a collaboration between the German Department at Lafayette College, and the Thomas Mann House Los Angeles.

Patty Jenkins is a renowned writer and director best known for the films Wonder Woman (2017), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), and her debut Oscar-winning feature Monster (2003). Jenkins also helmed the pilot and finale of AMC’s hit show The Killing, garnering her multiple awards. Wonder Woman smashed box office records and became the highest-grossing live-action film directed by a woman at the time. She was also the first woman to oversee a film budget over $200 million. The feminist journalist and activist Gloria Steinem remarked that the film made Wonder Woman’s "Amazon origin story clear; she was stopping war, not perpetuating it; her strength was communicating in 200 languages; and she was exploring and learning without giving up her uniqueness.” During her residency at the Thomas Mann House, Aida Baghernejad will explore the intersection between pop culture and politics in times of multiple crises. Together with New York Times bestselling author and journalist Tom Zoellner, co-host of the Thomas Mann House podcast 55 Voices for Democracy, they will discuss Patty Jenkins’ groundbreaking work for women in film, Wonder Woman’s critical role for feminist superhero films, and what the German entertainment industry can learn from Hollywood.

The conversation will take place at the Thomas Mann House in front of a live audience. A recording of the conversation will be released on the 55 Voices for Democracy podcast feed.

In collaboration with Los Angeles Review of Books

The exhibit explores the trajectory of Mann’s political development in relation to different categories such as personal background, Zeitgeist, his political commitments, actions, and responsibility. Viewers are invited to interrogate their own beliefs and paths alongside those of Thomas Mann. A series of film clips connects these different topics with ongoing debates and critical moments in contemporary history such as the 2017 Charlottesville riot, the Black Lives Matter Movement, climate change mitigation, and the global refugee and immigration crises.

The exhibition will be displayed at Lafayette College from August 28 until October 25, 2024.

Learn more about the exhibition here.

An event by the Max Kade Center for German Studies in collaboration with the Thomas Mann House.

During his Fellowship at the Thomas Mann House, historian Dieter Gosewinkel is conducting academic research in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York for a publication project on the topic of "Denationalize & Kill. On the Expulsion of 'Enemies of the State' from the Democratic Legal Community after 1945.“ In September 2024, he will present and discuss his research with academic partners in the U.S., and conduct in-depth interviews with experts on the subject. His research concerns the vulnerability of democracy from within: the abandonment of its constitutional core in favor of a hoped-for gain in security. To what extent does the commitment to the law distinguish democracies from dictatorships in the fight against "enemies of the state?" The United States, the oldest republican constitutional state, serves as the world's most important model for this.

The lecture tour is organized with Queens College (CUNY), Georgetown University, New York University, and UCLA.

During his Fellowship at the Thomas Mann House, historian Dieter Gosewinkel is conducting academic research in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York for a publication project on the topic of "Denationalize & Kill. On the Expulsion of 'Enemies of the State' from the Democratic Legal Community after 1945.“ In September 2024, he will present and discuss his research with academic partners in the U.S., and conduct in-depth interviews with experts on the subject. His research concerns the vulnerability of democracy from within: the abandonment of its constitutional core in favor of a hoped-for gain in security. To what extent does the commitment to the law distinguish democracies from dictatorships in the fight against "enemies of the state?" The United States, the oldest republican constitutional state, serves as the world's most important model for this.

The lecture tour is organized with Queens College (CUNY), Georgetown University, New York University, and UCLA.

During his Fellowship at the Thomas Mann House, historian Dieter Gosewinkel is conducting academic research in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York for a publication project on the topic of "Denationalize & Kill. On the Expulsion of 'Enemies of the State' from the Democratic Legal Community after 1945.“ In September 2024, he will present and discuss his research with academic partners in the U.S., and conduct in-depth interviews with experts on the subject. His research concerns the vulnerability of democracy from within: the abandonment of its constitutional core in favor of a hoped-for gain in security. To what extent does the commitment to the law distinguish democracies from dictatorships in the fight against "enemies of the state?" The United States, the oldest republican constitutional state, serves as the world's most important model for this.

The lecture tour is organized with Queens College (CUNY), Georgetown University, New York University, and UCLA.

The talk is organized with Tulane University.

The Student Council consists of a team of highly engaged, talented, and diverse undergraduate and graduate students who invite prominent guest speakers to discuss topics relating to society, politics, culture, and art. In conversation with academics, journalists, politicians, and artists, the students will explore the various threats to democratic institutions and principles worldwide, as well as strategies to potentially overcome these threats.

RSVP here!

Watch our August interview with Professor of Indian Politics at Georgetown University, Irfan Nooruddin.

Sara Abrahamsson is a fourth-year student at UCLA studying Art History and French. As a culmination of her artistic and academic interest in political graphics, Sara is currently writing her senior thesis paper on the internationalist poster art of post-revolutionary Cuba. Upon graduating, she plans to continue working in museums before pursuing graduate studies in Art History or Art Conservation.

Amy Cabrales is a First-Generation fourth-year undergraduate student at UCLA, studying Sociology and the Russian Language. She is a Mexican-American, Los Angeles native born in Lynwood, California. Her career interests include cross-cultural education via museum work or language instruction and immigrant resettlement, while her academic interests include immigrant integration and self-identity across immigrant generations. She is anticipating returning to Almaty, Kazakhstan for the 2024-25 academic year to inform these interests and advance her Russian proficiency.

Elsa Coony is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles double majoring in Global Studies and German. She has previously worked at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as both a docent and translator and is excited to join this year's council. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in international development.

Biruke Dix is currently a 2nd year student at UCLA studying Applied Mathematics. He joined the Wende Student Council in 2024 and is deeply invested in the ever-changing properties of art as well as social habits. He hopes that he can create language and conversation that promotes the spread of cultural shifts and social justice.

Matthew Jones is a third-year PhD student in Claremont Graduate University’s Cultural Studies and Museum Studies program. His research currently explores how sites connected to authoritarian regimes function as pilgrimage destinations and what strategies states and institutions employ to reduce extremist attachment at these sites. He is thrilled to continue his training with the Wende Museum through this collaboration with the Thomas Mann House.

Emma Larson is a master's student at Columbia University's Harriman Institute of Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies. There, she focuses on the gender, social, and political history of Central Asia. Before starting at Columbia, Emma taught English in Kazakhstan with the Fulbright Program. She graduated from Williams College with degrees in History and Russian in 2021.

Zora Nelson is a current undergraduate student at New York University,  where she is studying Harp Performance and Media, Culture, and Communication.  As an east coaster born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she discovered the Wende Museum in the summer of 2022 and is honored to be a part of the council. With a passion for writing, Zora sees a future in storytelling to promote social justice.

Lexi Tooley is a current sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Political Science and Art History, minoring in Chinese Language and Culture. She is originally from Los Angeles, California, and attended the Archer School for Girls. Lexi has been working with the Wende Museum for the past 2 years. She looks forward to continuing the search for truth and examining the vulnerability of democracy through this program!

The event series is a collaboration with the Wende Museum Culver City, dublab and the Thomas Mann House Los Angeles.

Join us for this free in-person listening session with Jamie Stewart of the renowned band Xiu Xiu in conversation with 2024 Thomas Mann Fellow and music critic Aida Baghernejad at dublab studios organized by the Thomas Mann House Los Angeles!

Xiu Xiu is an experimental band formed in 2002 by Jamie Stewart in San Jose, California. The band's music is characterized by its intense emotional content, blending elements of post-punk, noise rock, experimental pop, and industrial music. Xiu Xiu is known for its raw and often confrontational lyrics, exploring themes like trauma, despair, love, and politics. The band's sound is distinctive, often featuring unconventional song structures, dissonant melodies, and a wide range of instrumentation, including electronics, strings, and percussion. Their style can be described as challenging and boundary-pushing, often incorporating harsh noise and contrasting it with moments of delicate beauty. Xiu Xiu's work is also marked by its collaborative nature, with various musicians contributing over the years, but Jamie Stewart has remained the constant creative force behind the project. The band's prolific output includes numerous albums, EPs, and collaborations, reflecting their evolving and experimental approach to music. Currently, the line-up consists of multi-instrumentalists Stewart, Angela Seo, and percussionist David Kendrick. The band's name comes from the Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl, which has influenced the sound of their music, according to Stewart.

DARIUS MILHAUD: ALL THE MUSICS OF THE WORLD commemorates the 50th anniversary of composer Darius Milhaud’s death. Sponsored by the Scheuer Fund for Judaic Studies, Ruth and Joseph Moskow Endowment in Judaic Studies. Cosponsors include Brown’s Department of Music and German Studies as well as the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Neuer Musikverein Berlin. The event is co-presented by the Thomas Mann House as part of our concert and conversation series Opera & Democracy.

The focus will be the opera Esther de Carpentras, based on a 17th-century stage play about the biblical heroine. The event will open with a round table discussion of Milhaud’s music, life, and identity, followed by a video animation interpreting Esther de Carpentras. It will conclude with a chamber music concert including excerpts of the opera and other compositions.

An event hosted by the Program in Judaic Studies at Brown University and co-presented by the Thomas Mann House, Los Angeles. Sponsored by the Scheuer Fund for Judaic Studies and the Ruth And Joseph Moskow Endowment in Judaic Studies at Brown University. Cosponsored by the Department of Music, the Center for Middle East Studies, the Department of German Studies, the Department of French and Francophone Studies, the Department of Religious Studies, the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life at Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Neuer Musikverein Berlin, L’association des amis de Darius Milhaud, and Les amis de la synagogue de Cavaillon.