''The Thinkers Club'' (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

: ''Der Denker-Club'') was a

cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...

based on a fictitious group of professors and scholars which was popularized throughout the

German Confederation The German Confederation ( ) was an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states in Central Europe. It was created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as a replacement of the former Holy Roman Empire, which had been dissolved ...

in 1819. The cartoon depicts the suppression of freedom of expression within the German Confederation of 39 states under the

Carlsbad Decrees The Carlsbad Decrees () were a set of reactionary restrictions introduced in the states of the German Confederation by resolution of the Bundesversammlung on 20 September 1819 after a conference held in the spa town of Carlsbad, Austrian Empire. ...

, which stipulated for rigorous surveillance and

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governmen ...

of universities following a surge in student violence and radicalism. The plaque on the left bears the inscription: "The most important question of today's meeting: how long will thinking be allowed to us?"

Interpretation

The "club" is representative of all the clubs and societies that emerged at that point. The eight professors on the caricature are muzzled, which points out the radical nature of the mentioned political system. They were deprived of the right of expressions, as their written works were forbidden because of the press censorship. Therefore, the intellectuals are left only with their right of thought and prudently pose the question, how long they will still be allowed to think.

Description

The plaque on the left bears the inscription:'The most important question of today's meeting: How long will thinking be allowed to us?' The board on the right lists the rules of the Club which include the following: '1. Silence is the first commandment of this learned society. 2. To avoid the eventuality whereby a member of this club may succumb to the temptation of speech, muzzles will be distributed to members upon entering'.

References

Editorial cartoons Censorship in Germany 1819 works Fictional academics {{Germany-hist-stub