Weibliche Handlungsmacht und Mobilität

Overview & Synopsis

Women's beauty has been spectacularly showcased and evaluated long before "Germany's Next Top Model." Commercial beauty pageants have captivated people for over a hundred years. In Germany, they have been observed since 1909 at the latest. However, they only really gained momentum in the 1920s, during the Weimar Republic – a time when contemporaries were virtually obsessed with the outward appearance of themselves and their fellow human beings. This study examines the beauty pageants between 1909 and 1933 in their local, regional, national, and transnational networks, thus providing groundbreaking research. The focus is on women as economic actors. The study shows that although they were dependent on societal norms and patriarchal structures, they nevertheless managed to purposefully use their agency to achieve spatial and social mobility – and to pursue careers.