One of the first books published by authority of the British Military Government in Germany was Nietzsche and Christianity by Karl Jaspers. This was the first of a number of post-war publications through which Professor Jaspers became practically the spokesman of academic Germany. He had been one of the few outstanding university professors who, though not directly discriminated for racial, religious or political reasons, had never for a moment associated themselves with National Socialism. Apart from church dignitaries and scientific technicians, he was the first German intellectual to be invited after the war for lectures abroad. When the first German university was re-opened by the Allied Military Authorities at Heidelberg, he was not only restored to his professorship but appointed Rector. Fifteen years after the publication of his chief work, Jaspers has become perhaps the most influential figure in the intellectual life of Central and Western Europe. In Switzerland, the Low Countries, Scandinavia, England and France, his Existentialism is discussed even by those who used to take but little interest in philosophical pursuits.

In these countries, it is difficult to obtain genuine information on Jaspers’s philosophy. Only one small book of his has been translated into English.

In 1931 the publishers of Sammlung Goeschen asked Jaspers to write the 1,000th volume of this series of popular text-books on all branches of learning. He gave his book the title The spiritual Situation of our Time, which the Australian translators (E. and C. Paul) rendered by Man in the Modern Age. This book is long out of print.