Paris, 1789 n. Chr. (WBG Sommerurlaub 2026)
Summary
This episode explores the French Revolution through the eyes of German educator Joachim Heinrich Campe, who visited Paris in August 1789 with Wilhelm von Humboldt. The hosts discuss Campe’s enthusiastic observations of the city’s political atmosphere, the demolition of the Bastille, and the abolition of feudal privileges. They contrast his idealistic view of the revolution as a triumph of humanity with Humboldt’s more critical perspective on the chaotic streets.
Topics discussed
Intro: Language purism and Joachim Heinrich Campe
Campe's journey to Paris in 1789
The atmosphere of revolutionary Paris
Urban life, crowds, and the Place de Grève
The Storming of the Bastille
Palais Royal and the birth of public opinion
The Night of August 4th and human rights
Outro and advertisements
Listen ad-free on Castria