This is the first attempt ever made to provide a comprehensive portrayal of the Deutsche Tischgesellschaft founded by Achim von Arnim 1781 1831 and existing from 1811 to at least 1834 This Berlin society contributed decisively to the invention of the German nation Prominent representatives of leading circles in society were united in a Christian German Prussian nationalist and German nationalist ideology Women and Jews were excluded The speeches that have come down to us testify to a major cultural program with which Arnim and Clemens von Brentano continued the politicization of aesthetics that they initiated with Des Knaben Wunderhorn