Walter Benjamin on the Angel of History

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Walter Benjamin on the Angel of History

and his surprising connection to the Burning Archive

Jan 05, 2025

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My mini audiobook reading today is Walter Benjamin’s “Theses on the Philosophy of History” (also translated as “On the concept of history”). It is among the most iconic and poetically evocative of historical essays.

It describes an “Angel of History,” which Benjamin drew from a Paul Klee painting and his knowledge of Judaic traditions of Messiahs and mo…

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The Burning Archive

On The Burning Archive Jeff Rich talks about history, culture and the emerging multipolar world. This is the podcast where the past is not dead, the past is not even past. Tune in each week for a big issue in world affairs, some real history, and a fragment from the cultural heritage of the multipolar world. Jeff Rich is an independent author, historian, and retired (minor) government official. Free weekly newsletter at jeffrich.substack.com

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