Reflections of the Apolitical

«Reflections of the Apolitical» — the most controversial and polemical of Thomas Mann's books. This journalistic work, published in 1918, sparked a real storm of debate among writers and critics and even led to a rift between Thomas Mann and his brother Heinrich. Some exaggeratedly admired Mann's patriotism, while others accused him of conformism and a readiness to succumb to official propaganda; however, neither side was close to the truth. In «Reflections of the Apolitical», Mann sincerely contemplates what it, in his understanding, means to be a citizen of one's country and to love it, even without sharing its mistakes and delusions, in joy and in sorrow…