Walter Rathenau – a man ahead of time

Abstract

The contradictory personality of Walter Rathenau is considered, which is under-investigated in the domestic historiography, from the perspective of a comprehensive analysis of his versatile life activity and creative written heritage. Attention is drawn to the ability of Rathenau to go beyond the visible phenomena and processes and predict the future. The feasibility of his several ideas, confirmed by the practice of the 20th and 21st centuries, is emphasized in the article.

Keywords

• walter rathenau
• the german empire
• the weimar republic
• contradictory personality
• systemic thinking
• modern problems.