Cette série explore le cœur de la théorie littéraire et des études culturelles allemandes. Elle propose des analyses perspicaces de penseurs et de mouvements clés qui ont façonné la pensée intellectuelle allemande moderne. Les lecteurs acquerront une compréhension approfondie de cette riche tradition académique et de son impact durable sur la culture contemporaine. C'est une lecture essentielle pour quiconque s'intéresse aux perspectives critiques et à leur évolution historique.
Walter Benjamin was a multifaceted European intellectual whose work spanned history, philosophy, literary criticism, and journalism during the turbulent interwar period. He grappled with the complexities of his identity and the cultural crises of his era, seeking to articulate the interplay between tradition and modernity. His unique perspective offers profound insights into the challenges faced by society in a time of upheaval.
This work explores how the German middle class developed a distinctive domestic culture that intertwined consumption with high culture through fashionable entertainment. Around the turn of the nineteenth century, entertainment, seen as a source of pleasure, significantly influenced the lifestyle and identity of the German bourgeoisie. Emerging modern cultural and consumption practices enhanced physical pleasure and fostered imaginary sensations, emphasizing desire over possession as a key aspect of cultural engagement. This shift linked products and practices to self-image, reflecting social identity in an increasingly anonymous society where modern choice led to a loss of traditional stability. The author traces the formation of this unique domestic culture, highlighting the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth-century bourgeoisie’s blend of consumption and high culture. Karin Wurst sheds light on the sociohistorical context, the emergence of the modern middle class, and its cultural differentiation. She analyzes the roles of Empfindsamkeit (sensibility) and a new love paradigm, revealing their impact on perceptions of pleasure and entertainment. The book also examines the interplay between print culture—using Bertuch's Journal des Luxus und der Moden as a key example—and rising social mobility. From art and music to fashion and travel, Wurst situates these popular entertainment forms within their historical contexts, linking
Examining literature and cultural theory of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this volume considers connections between photography, archaeology, and psychoanalysis and their effects on conceptions of the self and Bildung.
Die Auseinandersetzung mit der Rolle von Antisemitismus und Judenfeindschaft für das Werk Aby Warburgs (1866-1929), die Charlotte Schoell-Glass unternimmt, zählt zu den interessantesten neueren Annäherungen an das Werk des bedeutenden Kunsthistorikers. Die Autorin zeigt, daß zentrale Motive dieses Werks in engem Zusammenhang gesehen werden müssen mit Warburgs Reaktion auf den Antisemitismus, dem er mit 'geistespolitischen' Maßnahmen zu begegnen suchte. Dabei geht es nicht um eine psychologische Erforschung von Warburgs subjektiven Motiven, sondern um die Interpretation seines Lebenswerks aus einem bisher weitgehend ausgeklammerten Blickwinkel. Eine Interpretation, die sich vor allem auf unerschlossene Quellen stützt und Warburgs Versuch der Erklärung tiefliegender kultureller Prägungen menschlicher Verhaltensweisen in neuem Licht zeigt.
"Readers interested in modern German literature and culture, literary and cultural theory, comparative literature, Weimar culture, and fascism will welcome this book."--BOOK JACKET.
In 1786, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe left his administrative role at the Duke's court in Weimar, embarking on a journey to Italy that had captivated him since childhood. His time there profoundly influenced his perspectives on art, architecture, prose, poetry, and science. Upon returning to Germany, Goethe's experiences shaped his life and work, impacting the development of Germany's high culture. This study explores Italy's unique position in the cultural consciousness of German writers, focusing on the Italian journeys of Goethe and Winckelmann, and their influence on figures like Heine, Nietzsche, Freud, Mann, Carossa, and Bachmann. Richard Block challenges the notion of Italy as merely a site for classical culture and creative rebirth. He investigates how Germany's literary traditions appropriated a mythical Italy, suggesting that Winckelmann's art history and Goethe's journey led later writers to seek an aesthetic ideal in Italy that was ultimately illusory. This quest for an unattainable ideal resulted in disillusionment and deception. Building on existing scholarship in Goethe, literary theory, and cultural history, this work provides fresh insights into Germany's enduring fascination with Italy from the eighteenth century through the tumultuous political landscape of the twentieth century.
This landmark study offers an unprecedented look at Aby Warburg's life and writings through the lens of his lesser-known political views, particularly his response to the rising anti-Semitism in Germany. Charlotte Schoell-Glass argues, based on archival research, that Warburg's work and teachings were shaped by his perception of anti-Semitism as a threat to classical education and scholarship. The book, now translated into English for the first time, illuminates Warburg's perspectives on Judaism and the political climate of his time. As a member of a prominent Jewish banking family in Hamburg, Warburg chose to forgo his birthright to become a private scholar. He focused on reinterpreting the revival of antiquity during the Renaissance, encouraging art historians to view their work within a broader context of image-making and philosophy. Schoell-Glass analyzes Warburg's influential essays on figures like Dürer and Rembrandt, as well as his innovative concepts such as the accessories of motion and the pathos formula. Through this examination, she reveals Warburg's deep concern for the unstable world around him and his attempts to address anti-Semitism in the only way he knew, despite recognizing the diminishing impact of such responses. This study serves as a multilayered exploration of the intersection between twentieth-century politics and scholarship, appealing to art historians, German historians, and scholars in Jewish and
Youth, Reeducation, and Reconstruction after the Second World War
The book explores how the Nazi regime's focus on youth shaped political and social structures during Hitler's rule. After the war, intellectuals and creators used youthful imagery to confront Germany's troubling past. By examining themes of youth, education, and crime, postwar Germans sought to reclaim agency in the face of Allied reeducation efforts. This narrative highlights the struggle to reconcile recent history while navigating occupation and shaping the future of the nation.
A critical history of physiognomic thought in German-speaking Europe that traces the roots of twentieth-century racial profiling to the Enlightenment.
Walter Sokel's collection of essays offers a profound exploration of Kafka's influence and significance in 20th-century literature. Covering a span of over three decades, it includes discussions on previously untranslated works and new essays in English. Sokel integrates Freudian and Expressionist perspectives while incorporating linguistic theory, Gnosticism, and Derrida's ideas, providing a comprehensive cultural context for Kafka's writings. This collection is essential for literary critics, historians, and scholars interested in deepening their understanding of Kafka's complex oeuvre.
This comprehensive cultural history explores the language sciences in nineteenth-century Germany, highlighting the significant yet overlooked impact of language study on modernity. The author situates German language scholarship within the contexts of European nationalism, race and ethnicity, humanistic methodologies, and scriptural interpretation. Tuska Benes examines how the German nation was defined as a linguistic community and traces the "linguistic turn" in contemporary social sciences back to the late eighteenth century, rooted in a German tradition that critiques knowledge production through language. The volume reveals how nineteenth-century philologists viewed language as a marker of ethnic descent, creating influential myths about cultural origins tied to their mother tongue. This origin paradigm reinforced the historical and ethnic focus of German nationhood, affecting theologians, cultural critics, philosophers, and racial theorists. Additionally, the text contextualizes the relevance of linguistics in modern cultural studies, asserting that the cultural significance of language in twentieth-century French philosophy has its roots in earlier theological reflections. Benes connects the German tradition's insights on language to the works of structuralist and poststructuralist thinkers like Ferdinand de Saussure and Friedrich Nietzsche. This volume demonstrates how comparative philology positioned language as a vita
This study explores the formation of German identity during the nineteenth century, focusing on how Germany's national narrative emerged through historical fiction and various historical accounts. Prior to 1871, the German-speaking populace in central Europe did not uniformly identify as "Germans." They spoke different dialects, pledged loyalty to various leaders, practiced different religions, and had distinct customs. When asked about their identity, they might have identified as Austrian, Bavarian, or Prussian, often using local or occupational labels instead. For these individuals to adopt a collective identity as "Germans," the term needed to be imbued with meaning, requiring the creation of shared narratives. The book examines how German nationalism evolved alongside the historical novel and academic history, as writers adapted and popularized the national narrative to reflect their visions and the changing social landscape. These authors highlighted national heroes, vilified adversaries, and expressed the aspirations of the nation. Brent O. Peterson argues that the act of narrating national history—through writing and reading—was crucial in shaping a collective German identity. Though no single version of this identity emerged, the shared stories of the past played a significant role in unifying Germany more than any political leader or philosopher could. This work serves as a valuable resource for scholars and students
This biography of Walter Benjamin provides an introduction to his thought.