Felix Weil
Encyclopedia
Felix Weil was a Marxist and the original financial provider for the Institute for Social Research
in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
.
He was born in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
and was the son of the wealthy German-born jewish merchant Hermann Weil and his wife Rosa Weil. At the age of 9 he was sent to attend school in Germany at the Goethe-Gymnasium, Frankfurt
.
He went on to attend the universities in Tübingen
and Frankfurt, where he graduated with a doctoral degree in political science
. While at these universities he became increasingly interested in socialism
and Marxism
. According to intellectual historian Martin Jay
, the topic of his dissertation was "the practical problems of implementing socialism" (Jay 1973, 5).
In 1923 he financed the First Marxist Work Week (Erste Marxistische Arbeitswoche) in the German town of Ilmenau
. The event was attended by figures such as Georg Lukács
, Karl Korsch
, Richard Sorge
, Friedrich Pollock
, and Karl August Wittfogel
. Based on the success of this event he went on, along with his friend Friedrich Pollock
, to found the Institute for Social Research
in 1924.
Institute for Social Research
The Institute for Social Research is a research organization for sociology and continental philosophy, best known as the institutional home of the Frankfurt School and critical theory....
in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
He was born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and was the son of the wealthy German-born jewish merchant Hermann Weil and his wife Rosa Weil. At the age of 9 he was sent to attend school in Germany at the Goethe-Gymnasium, Frankfurt
Goethe-Gymnasium, Frankfurt
Goethe-Gymnasium is a secondary school in the city of Frankfurt am Main in Germany. It is situated near the Hauptbahnhof.It is currently the only state funded school in Germany that offers students the option of taking International Baccalaureate examination...
.
He went on to attend the universities in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
and Frankfurt, where he graduated with a doctoral degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. While at these universities he became increasingly interested in socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
. According to intellectual historian Martin Jay
Martin Jay
Martin Jay is the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a renowned Intellectual Historian and his research interests have been groundbreaking in connecting history with other academic and intellectual activities, such as the Critical Theory of...
, the topic of his dissertation was "the practical problems of implementing socialism" (Jay 1973, 5).
In 1923 he financed the First Marxist Work Week (Erste Marxistische Arbeitswoche) in the German town of Ilmenau
Ilmenau
Ilmenau is a town located in the district of Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany.Ilmenau is situated in the valley of the Ilm river, at an altitude of 431 metres above sea level, and is the biggest town in Ilm-Kreis district, with 6,200 students studying at the Technische Universität Ilmenau. The...
. The event was attended by figures such as Georg Lukács
Georg Lukács
György Lukács was a Hungarian Marxist philosopher and literary critic. He is a founder of the tradition of Western Marxism. He contributed the concept of reification to Marxist philosophy and theory and expanded Karl Marx's theory of class consciousness. Lukács' was also an influential literary...
, Karl Korsch
Karl Korsch
-Biography:Korsch was born in Tostedt, near Hamburg, to Carl August Korsch, a secretary at the cantonal court and his wife Therese. In 1898 the family moved to Meiningen, Thuringia and Korsch senior attained the position of a managing clerk in a bank...
, Richard Sorge
Richard Sorge
Richard Sorge was a German communist and spy who worked for the Soviet Union. He has gained great fame among espionage enthusiasts for his intelligence gathering during World War II. He worked as a journalist in both Germany and Japan, where he was imprisoned for spying and eventually hanged....
, Friedrich Pollock
Friedrich Pollock
Friedrich Pollock was a German social scientist and philosopher. He was one of the founders of the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt am Main, and a member of the Frankfurt School of neo-Marxist theory.- Life :...
, and Karl August Wittfogel
Karl August Wittfogel
Karl August Wittfogel was a German-American playwright, historian, and sinologist. Originally a Marxist and an active member of the Communist Party of Germany, after the Second World War Wittfogel was an equally fierce anticommunist.-Biography:...
. Based on the success of this event he went on, along with his friend Friedrich Pollock
Friedrich Pollock
Friedrich Pollock was a German social scientist and philosopher. He was one of the founders of the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt am Main, and a member of the Frankfurt School of neo-Marxist theory.- Life :...
, to found the Institute for Social Research
Institute for Social Research
The Institute for Social Research is a research organization for sociology and continental philosophy, best known as the institutional home of the Frankfurt School and critical theory....
in 1924.
See also
- Institute for Social ResearchInstitute for Social ResearchThe Institute for Social Research is a research organization for sociology and continental philosophy, best known as the institutional home of the Frankfurt School and critical theory....
- Frankfurt SchoolFrankfurt SchoolThe Frankfurt School refers to a school of neo-Marxist interdisciplinary social theory, particularly associated with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt am Main...
- Critical theory (Frankfurt School)
- Friedrich PollockFriedrich PollockFriedrich Pollock was a German social scientist and philosopher. He was one of the founders of the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt am Main, and a member of the Frankfurt School of neo-Marxist theory.- Life :...