Germany's Siegfried Kracauer (1889-1966) provided a fascinating study--first published in 1930--of German society on the eve of Nazism. The focus of Kracauer's inquiry was the new class of salaried employees who populated the cities of Weimar Germany. Drawing on conversations, newspapers, ads and personal correspondence, Kracauer revealed a down-spiraling of culture which has sharp relevance for today.
