On June 6, 2025, Thomas Mann would have celebrated his 150th birthday. To mark the occasion, the Buddenbrookhaus is hosting a special exhibition that delves into the pivotal moments of Mann’s political transformation into a committed democrat. The exhibition takes its inspiration and narrative thread from his landmark 1950 speech, MY TIME.
In MY TIME, first delivered in Chicago, Thomas Mann unequivocally denounces all forms of "total states" and "dogmatic dictatorships." In this powerful and eloquent address, Mann accuses totalitarian regimes of perpetuating lies through violence, presenting it as truth. The speech stands as a culmination of Mann’s political evolution—from a monarchist conservative to a republican guided by reason, and ultimately to a steadfast defender of democracy.
The exhibition traces Mann’s political journey through six pivotal moments in his intellectual and personal life: the founding of the German Empire in 1871, the First World War, the proclamation and eventual fall of the first German Republic, the invasion of Poland in 1939, and the division of Germany in 1949.
It is Thomas Mann himself who guides visitors through the exhibition. His voice, preserved in countless articles, essays, diary entries, speeches, interviews, and radio broadcasts, provides the exhibition’s narrative backbone. A special focus is placed on how Mann’s political beliefs were deeply intertwined with his literary works, from Buddenbrooks to Doctor Faustus. These masterpieces form the bridges between the exhibition’s sections, illustrating the dynamic relationship between Mann’s creative output and his political ideals.
This is more than a historical exhibition. The Buddenbrookhaus invites visitors to engage with the pressing questions of democracy today: What defines democracy, and what makes it distinct from other forms of government? What does democracy require from individuals to sustain it? What tools and rhetoric can be employed to defend it?
MY TIME is also our time.
