National Narratives and Nighttime Spectacles in 1937: Water and Light Architectures at the Paris and Düsseldorf Expositions

Abstract

In May 1937, two European expositions opened simultaneously: the Universal Exhibition in Paris and the Great German Reich Fair in Düsseldorf. While France presented the theme of art and technology applied to modern life, Germany exhibited the productive culture of National Socialism. At both fairs, architects, artists, and technicians designed various choreographies of illuminated water in public spaces. This article analyzes and compares these ephemeral architectures to determine whether they played a significant role in relation to each country's politically opposed national agendas. Using contemporary publications and archival images, we contrast aspects such as the strategic placement of fountains within the grounds, their relationship to preexisting water resources, the technical systems deployed, the role of spectators, and the iconographic production. While France managed to create an ephemeral monument through an ambitious comprehensive spectacle designed collaboratively and in line with the exhibition's theme, in Germany the water and light displays functioned only as nocturnal entertainment, without reaching the level of sophistication of other National Socialist political scenographies.