In 1959, Hannah Arendt received the Lessing Prize from the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg. She traveled from New York to deliver her acceptance speech, which was given in German, titled "Von der Menschlichkeit in finsteren Zeiten: Rede über Lessing," on September 28, 1959. The text was published in English as "On Humanity in Dark Times: Thoughts about Lessing."

There Arendt interprets Lessing's humanity not as a moral virtue, but as a certain attitude toward society. It entails the willingness to expose oneself to what should be considered as true, even when it is uncomfortable. This attitude, she argues, is particularly vulnerable and, at the same time, outstandingly necessary in dark times.

Arendt’s speech is not a literary-historical analysis of Lessing, but rather a philosophical reflection on his enduring significance. She presents Lessing as a key representative of the Enlightenment. He embodies a superior ideal of humanity. Lessing’s person and work is discussed in broad terms, without engaging with specific elements of certain pieces of his work. However, his plays Nathan the Wise and Minna von Barnhelm would be especially well suited to deepening certain interpretations of Arendt’s approach, or to enriching a more nuanced understanding of humanity.

One aspect that remains somewhat underexplored in Arendt’s speech is the question of how humanitarian ideals and practices might be endowed with greater legitimacy and translated more effectively into action—particularly in what she terms “dark times.” The two above-mentioned plays offer valuable insights into this issue. My contribution seeks to examine these dimensions more closely. Ultimately, my reflections are intended to lend humanistic political psychology greater theoretical rigor and impact.