Jugend, a mainly satirical periodical which appeared 1896-1940. It was founded by the publisher Georg Hirth (1851-1916) and described as Münchner illustrierte Wochenschrift für Kunst und Leben. It was an organ for young writers and artists and gave its name to the German style of art nouveau (see Jugendstil). Like its contemporary weekly Simplicissimus its historical interest is confined to the first fifteen to twenty years of its existence. Many German and Austrian writers and art critics were among its contributors, but other European authors, including d'Annunzio, Bjørnson, Gorki, Kipling, Maeterlinck, Strindberg, and Zola, were also represented. ‘Unsere Zeit ist nicht alt, nicht müde!’, wrote Hirth in 1899 in response to the fin de siècle mood. Illustrations by young artists were a special feature. A characteristic title-page was designed by Barlach.

The Oxford Companion to German Literature. Copyright © 1976, 1986, 1997, 2005 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.