The artists associated with early 20th century German Expressionism sought to make a radically new kind of art that conveyed transcendent, essential truths about the world. They hoped their work, which incorporated current theories about the transformative power of abstraction, would reinvigorate the viewing public, whose senses had been deadened by the excessive materialism of the age. When World War I broke out in August 1914, many German Expressionists initially believed it could be the apocalyptic event that would at last overthrow the self-satisfied materialism of the nation’s monarch and bourgeoisie. Many German artists enlisted for active duty or were drafted. This lecture examines the lives and work of German Expressionists who, when confronted with the harrowing experiences of war, suffered physical wounds, “shell shock,” and mental breakdowns. Most tragic are the cases of Franz Marc and Auguste Macke, both killed in battle, only to be deemed “degenerate” in the coming years.