The High Middle Ages in Germany - 中世纪的德国

作者：Rolf Toman

简介：The High Middle Ages in Germany《中世纪的德国》

For many years now there has been an astonishing interest in the Middle Ages. The popularity in Germany of exhibitions such as on the Staufer (1977) and the House of Wittelsbach (1980) and the tremendous number of books recently published on historical matters bear witness to this. Opinions differ as to the cause and depth of this interest. The publication of Umberto Eco's immensely popular mediaeval novel The Name of the Rose can certainly be said to have roused this interest and stimulated it, although it is doubtful whether the majority of readers would understand and appreciate the vast number of historical references in it. It is probably largely the ambience of the distant, mysterious world of the monastery and the events described that account for the fascination of this book for readers. For many people, the historical imagination needs the stimulation of the senses if it is -perhaps - to develop into an interest based on facts. 
Many observers regard with suspicion this interest in the Middle Ages, in history generally, and talk of an escape into the past. They say it comes from a deep-seated need for guidance-a need which it is increasingly difficult to meet in our highly complicated world. Faced with the complexities of the present and incapable, even unwilling, to come to terms with them, many people retreat into an oversimplified view of the distant past. 
There is something to this criticism, but it seems excessively pessimistic in view of the chances such a return to the past can offer. It is clear that the facts of history are not facts in an empirically scientific-sense. Living as we do in the modern world we can, for example, feel gratified at our relatively high standard of living and long life expectancy compared to the hard life led by people in the Middle Ages. We may be astonished at many things our sense of rationality cannot grasp. And we are perhaps distressed that, in spite of all the progress that has been made, the loss of enchantment

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