All ‘Noble Savages’?—Selected Aspects of Nineteenth-Century Ideas of Revitalization and Degeneration and Their Possible After-Effects on Ideas of Landscape in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries (in German-Speaking Countries)
摘要
From the eighteenth century onwards, interpretations of climate theory and the idea of degeneration also influenced the ideas and judgements of town and country. The romantic depiction of harsh rural living conditions always has a purpose when it comes to interpreting real landscapes. The article does not focus on the well-researched National Socialist conceptions of nature and landscape. It focusses on scattered documented approaches and ideas from the nineteenth century. The article is not based on a research project. This entails the risk of ignoring relevant sources and discourses, especially as the topic relies on sources from different disciplines. Despite this shortcoming, the idea that the idealisation of rural living conditions and the devaluation of masturbation are fed by the same ‘scientific’ ideas is too weird not to take a look at.