A New Objectivity: Ernst Jünger and Albert Renger-Patzsch

Ernst Jünger (1895-1998) was a writer and philosopher, best known for his cold, unfeeling narratives detailing his experiences as a highly decorated soldier in WWI. One of the most controversial and enduring German authors of the 20th century, Jünger was part of the “Conservative Revolution” in Weimar Germany. He was also a respected naturalist and entomologist. Albert Renger-Patzsch (1897-1966) was a German photographer known for his cool, reserved, technical style of photography. Both Renger-Patzsch and Jünger were associated with the New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit), a post-Expressionist style in Weimar Germany. While the two men did not collaborate until 1960, the juxtaposition of their early works allows for a tracing of affinities between them. The exhibition showcases the Department of Special Collections’ Ernst Jünger Collection and, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Frank Krell and Jeff Stephenson of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, features beetles collected by Jünger. The film of the exhibition was directed by Louis C. Zeller and was narrated by Ross Etherton.