Letters of Oswald Spengler: 1913-1936

by Oswald Spengler

Oswald Spengler, the metaphysician who asserted that man is a beast of prey, was Germany's greatest philosophical writer in the period between the wars. He died in 1936. His masterpiece, The Decline of the West, is still one of the great contributions to the philosophy of history.
He was a voluminous correspondent, and although he destroyed many of his letters thoughtlessly, and destroyed many more to prevent dangerous material from falling into Hitler's hands, there is still a massive collection, from which this book is a selection. The selection has been made with a view to characterizing Spengler as a man, or illustrating his intellectual development and political activity, or throwing light on the history and psychology of his time. But especially do they describe, unintentionally as it were, how Germany fell into the state of misery and confusion which produced Hitler. Spengler was a Conservative of the deepest dye and a firm believer in government by a benevolent obligarchy. His letters show him trying to throw some of the blame for the Central European debâcle on Britain, saying that although the English, unlike Continentals, believe in the principle of fair play, they refuse to be bothered by foreign politics and nothing will distract them from money-making and sport unless they see a threat to themselves in the immediate offing.
Most anxious to convince himself that he was more than a litterary man, he tried to take a leading part in dragging his country back from the abyss. He failed, and went back to his old love, proto-history. He returned to politics with a last fling at the Nazis, and if he had not died in 1936, would in all probability have ended his life in exile or in a concentration camp.
This book casts much light on the man and his books, and on the period which preceded them both.

Genres: Philosophy, History

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Oswald Spengler was born in 1880 in Blankenburg (then in the Duchy of Brunswick, German Empire) at the foot of the Harz mountains, the eldest of four children, and the only boy. His family was conservative German of the petite bourgeoisie. His father, originally a mining technician, who came from a long line of mineworkers, was a post office bureaucrat. His childhood home was emotionally reserved, and the young Spengler turned to books and the great cultural personalities for succor. He had imperfect health, and suffered throughout his life from migraine headaches and from an anxiety complex.

At the age of ten, his family moved to the university city of Halle. Here Spengler received a classical education at the local Gymnasium (academically oriented secondary school), studying Greek, Latin, mathematics and natural sciences. Here, too, he developed his affinity for the arts—especially poetry, drama, and music—and came under the influence of the ideas of Goethe and Nietzsche. He even experimented with a few artistic creations, some of which still survive.

After his father's death in 1901 Spengler attended several universities (Munich, Berlin, and Halle) as a private scholar, taking courses in a wide range of subjects: history, philosophy, mathematics, natural science, literature, the classics, music, and fine arts. His private studies were undirected. In 1903, he failed his doctoral thesis on Heraclitus because of insufficient references, which effectively ended his chances of an academic career. In 1904 he received his Ph.D., and in 1905 suffered a nervous breakdown.

Scholars[which?] remark that his life seemed rather uneventful. He briefly served as a teacher in Saarbrücken and then in Düsseldorf. From 1908 to 1911 he worked at a grammar school (Realgymnasium) in Hamburg, where he taught science, German history, and mathematics.

In 1911, following his mother's death, he moved to Munich, where he would live until his death in 1936. He lived as a cloistered scholar, supported by his modest inheritance. Spengler survived on very limited means and was marked by loneliness. He owned no books, and took jobs as a tutor or wrote for magazines to earn additional income.

He began work on the first volume of Decline of the West intending at first to focus on Germany within Europe, but the Agadir Crisis affected him deeply, and he widened the scope of his study. Spengler was inspired by Otto Seeck's work The Decline of Antiquity in naming his own effort. The book was completed in 1914, but publishing was delayed by World War I. Due to a congenital heart problem, he was not called up for military service. During the war, however, his inheritance was largely useless because it was invested overseas; thus Spengler lived in genuine poverty for this period.

Reviews

[Matthew W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to look at if you're looking for insight into the personality of Oswald Spengler. As the years go by, Spengler seems to become less personable and more withdraw from his correspondents. Letters include correspondence between Nietzsche's Nazi sister, Joseph Goebbels, Ernst Juenger, Benito Mussolini, various aristocrats, among other interesting historical characters.

Unfortunately, a lot of letters never made the book as they were destroyed or disappeared long before the books publishing. During Spengler's day he was both highly revered and hated by many, so obviously he was doing something right. He has influenced everyone from the National Socialists to H.P. Lovecraft to Jack Kerouac to even Malcolm X. Now he is almost forgotten, when his theories and predictions are more valid than ever.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oswald Spengler is a supremely interesting and learned man, but reading letters is just not for me. There is too much daily business and talk about news which I simply don't have the context of. But please, please read his Decline of the West - both volumes. It is the most deep and wide-scoping historical investigation I have ever read.

[noblethumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letters of Oswald Spengler offers an intimate glimpse into the mind of one of the 20th century’s most provocative and controversial thinkers. Edited and annotated by Arthur Helps, this collection provides access to Spengler’s correspondence, shedding light on the personal and intellectual development of the author of The Decline of the West. These letters, spanning much of Spengler’s adult life, reveal the man behind the monumental ideas, offering insights into his philosophical reflections, political views, and relationships with contemporaries.

The letters are remarkable for their breadth, touching on topics as diverse as metaphysics, art, politics, and the cultural crises of modernity. They show Spengler grappling with the central concerns of his work: the cyclical nature of civilizations, the decline of Western culture, and the fate of humanity in an increasingly technological and disenchanted world. While The Decline of the West has often been criticized for its grand historical determinism, the letters reveal a more nuanced and, at times, uncertain Spengler. His correspondence often displays a willingness to question his own ideas and engage in dialogue with others, a quality that contrasts with the authoritative tone of his published works.

One of the most striking aspects of the letters is Spengler’s engagement with his intellectual contemporaries. The collection includes exchanges with prominent figures such as Carl Schmitt, Ernst Jünger, and Thomas Mann, illustrating Spengler’s position within the broader intellectual currents of Weimar Germany. These letters provide valuable context for understanding his relationships with the conservative revolutionary movement and his complex, often ambivalent stance toward the political ideologies of his time, including National Socialism.

Arthur Helps’ editorial work deserves particular praise. His annotations provide essential historical and philosophical context, helping readers navigate the dense and sometimes allusive nature of Spengler’s prose. The editor also includes a detailed introduction that situates the letters within the broader trajectory of Spengler’s life and work, offering a balanced assessment of his intellectual legacy. Helps avoids hagiography, acknowledging Spengler’s controversial political views while emphasizing the enduring relevance of his cultural critique.

The letters also reveal a more personal side of Spengler. His reflections on loneliness, health struggles, and the challenges of intellectual life provide a poignant counterpoint to the sweeping historical vision of his published works. These glimpses into his private life humanize a figure often perceived as aloof or dogmatic, making the letters an essential resource for those seeking a more rounded understanding of Spengler as both a thinker and an individual.

However, the collection is not without its limitations. The selection of letters, while extensive, is inevitably curated, raising questions about what may have been omitted. Some readers may wish for a broader inclusion of correspondence with lesser-known figures or letters that address less familiar aspects of Spengler’s thought. Additionally, while Helps’ annotations are generally helpful, there are moments where more detailed commentary would have been beneficial, particularly regarding Spengler’s more obscure references.

Despite these minor shortcomings, Letters of Oswald Spengler is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of intellectual history. It provides a richer understanding of Spengler’s thought and situates him within the cultural and political milieu of early 20th-century Europe. More than just a supplement to The Decline of the West, the letters offer a unique perspective on the man behind the philosophy, illuminating his enduring concerns about the fate of civilization and the human condition.

GPT