The question, “What is German?” is, ironically, a typically German one, given that no other nation wrestles so intensely with notions of its own identity. Dieter Borchmeyer shows that the answers have varied startlingly across the centuries. He traces the history of the word ‘German’ from the writings of Goethe through to the works of Wagner and later Thomas Mann. His work describes a nation caught between the poles of worldly cosmopolitanism and national arrogance. He examines the major role German Jews have played; he also follows the motley career of Germany’s national anthem and discusses that most German of all yearnings: to journey southward. He also explains why certain German regions such as Bayreuth or Bavaria have brought forth culture of global renown, and what it means for Germany to conceive of itself as a state and as a culturally significant nation.
This portrait of the German national character is impressively nuanced. In these times of momentous change in which Germany is re-examining its role in the international community, the publication of this study of German-ness is particularly timely.
Dieter Borchmeyer’s major new exploration of Germany’s people and their identity offers a portrait of its present and signposts a way into its future.
Dieter Borchmeyer on a nation’s search for its own identity as a nation of culture, as a nation state and as a country caught between the poles of openness and isolationism.
“Today, it is more important than ever that Germany develops an understanding of itself and reflects on its own history. But in providing a history of the idea of Germany and the culture of German-ness, my book tries not only to sharpen our view on the past but also on the future.” Dieter Borchmeyer
