Adorno, Gehlen, and the Long Shadow of National Socialism. Free Spirit Meets Democracy Detractor - Thomas Wagner unveils the intriguing and idiosyncratic relationship between the leftist philosopher Theodor W. Adorno and his right-wing counterpart Arnold Gehlen. With great narrative skill, he takes us on an exciting journey into a rapidly modernizing society in the midst of the Cold War. Along the way, he provides surprising and disturbing insights into the intellectual history of the young Federal Republic.

In the spring of 1958, Theodor W. Adorno accused his colleague Arnold Gehlen of fascist thinking in a devastating report, preventing his appointment in Heidelberg. A few years later, they exchanged letters, met privately, and held a series of radio discussions. Against the backdrop of rearmament and the division of Germany, Thomas Wagner narrates the story of this extraordinary encounter. He illustrates how sociology established itself as a new leading science and the role former National Socialists played in this process.

His narrative arc spans from the Weimar Republic through National Socialism to the capital of the GDR. With illustrious figures such as Arendt, Benn, Brecht, Augstein, Plessner, and Harich, a vivid picture of the intellectual foundation of the Federal Republic emerges. The roots of the heated debates of our present appear in a surprisingly new light.