Ornaments Of The Metropolis

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This work explores the concept of ornament in Siegfried Kracauer's urban writings, illustrating how it serves as a medium for city dwellers to interpret their environment. Henrik Reeh examines variations of this theme in Kracauer's urbanism, spanning his early journalism in Germany during the interwar period to his sociobiographical work on Jacques Offenbach in Paris. Kracauer, associated with the Frankfurt School and Walter Benjamin, is renowned for his insights on cinema and history. Reeh delves into Kracauer's lesser-known early writings for the influential Frankfurter Zeitung in the 1920s and early 1930s, focusing on his reflections on modern urban life through the lens of ornament. He interprets urban fragments—such as employment exchanges, shelters, movie theaters, and amusement parks—as dynamic ornaments and microcosms of city life. Reeh highlights three significant works from Kracauer before his 1940 emigration to the U.S.: the autobiographical novel "Ginster," which celebrates neglected ornamental forms; "Streets of Berlin and Elsewhere," documenting the subjectivity of urban experiences; and "Jacques Offenbach and the Paris of His Time," which reveals how the ornamental milieu of operetta became a critical force. The book also features photographs by Reeh that capture the ornamental essence of cities like Paris and Frankfurt.