Walter Benjamin

In November 1924, in Berlin, philosopher and theologian Walter Benjamin meets the atheist poet Bertolt Brecht. Despite the "unconnected" conversation during their first meeting, over the next few years their communication becomes closer and develops into a deep friendship. In the course of their ongoing dialogue, they borrow and authorize each other's ideas: Benjamin finds an analogy in his own theory of thinking in images (Denkbilder) for Brecht's principle of interrupting action in epic theater.

According to Hannah Arendt, in the persons of Brecht and Benjamin, "the greatest living German poets met with the most important critic of their time." This edition collects Benjamin's works that expand on Brecht's ideas about theater and art, texts commenting on his poetic works, as well as a review of "The Threepenny Novel" and memories of conversations with "Bert." In a conversation with Theodor Adorno, after the tragic loss of his friend, Brecht admitted that he considered Benjamin to be "his best critic."