ABSTRACT
Mannheim published this short article in the Stuttgarter Neues Tagblatt on December 31, 1932. A week later, January 7, 1933, a slightly shorter version was published in the Hamburger Fremdenblatt under the title “The Roots of the Spiritual Crisis. “ Written halfway between the Reichstag elections of November, 1932 and Hitler’s coming to power (January 30, 1933), the article illustrates some characteristics of Mannheim’s thought at the time. The shift from an emphasis primarily on the intellectual elite to one that included the ordinary person is demonstrated here, as are Mannheim’s pedagogical concerns. Both of these characteristics would carry over into his English writings. In addition, Mannheim continued to believe, even at this late date, in the transformative promise of the crisis. More than a week after the second version of this article appeared, he urged Oscar Jászi’s son to study in Frankfurt rather than Berlin, because the opportunities for political reflection would be greater.
