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Competence of interpreting texts of German literature, taking into account (inter) cultural, theoretical, social and historical contexts according to scientific principles.

Between 1880 and 1930, the circus experienced a kind of heyday with vast menageries and artistic body arts that apparently effortlessly overcome the limitations of gravity. In addition, the traveling people of the nomadic circus, the fairground and jugglers who move around the edges of morality, art and law offer an ambivalent projection space.

All this together generates a lasting interest of literary modernism in the circus and acrobatics. So different authors such as Frank Wedekind, Franz, Kafka, Joachim Ringelnatz or Else Lasker-Schüler have dedicated to this world important texts. In addition, acrobatics combine cultural history with aesthetic theory. Friedrich Nietzsche e. g. seems inspired by the acrobatics just as he has overcome them in order to generate a modern aesthetic of the artistic in the symbolic. From this turn, even Gottfried Benn’s famous "Artistenevangelium" can be derived.

In this seminar we will analyze these aspects and contexts by means of selected texts and images in a detailed manner.

Presentation, small group work, discussion

Participation at discussions, presentation, paper

Günter Bose/Erich Brinkmann: Circus. Geschichte und Ästhetik einer niederen Kunst, Berlin 1978.

Recommended for the second Semester master's degree German, for German (teaching), 2nd Study section, and German Philology (diploma), 2nd Study section. Application requirement/s: Master's degree German: positive assessment of the compulsory modules 1 and 3. German (teaching) + German Philology (Diploma): 1st Study section. Repeat Cycle: The module is offered for the German master's program regularly only during the summer semester.