What Remains: Responses to the Legacy of Christa Wolf

Christa Wolf is a renowned German writer of the last century, known as "die gesamtdeutsche Autorin" (author for all of Germany). However, after 1989 in unified Germany, she faced controversies and was labeled as a DDR Schriftstellerin (GDR writer) or Staatsdichterin (state poet). What Remains: Responses to the Legacy of Christa Wolf explores her legacy through various methodologies to offer sensitive assessments of her major literary texts and lesser-known work in genres like film and essay.

Format: Hardback
Length: 270 pages
Publication date: 10 June 2022
Publisher: Berghahn Books

Arguably the most significant and influential German woman writer of the last century, Christa Wolf was long celebrated as the "german author," an author for all of Germany. However, after the reunification of Germany in 1989, Wolf found herself suddenly entangled in controversies that questioned her integrity and relegated her to an ideologically suspect identity as the "DDR writer" (DDR writer) or "state poet" (state poet).

What Remains: Responses to the Legacy of Christa Wolf poses the crucial question of what truly remains of her legacy in the annals of contemporary German culture and history. Unlike most of the responses that emerged in the aftermath of Wolf's death, the contributions to this international volume seek neither to monumentalize her nor to undermine her stature. Instead, they employ a diverse range of methodologies, including comparative, intertextual, psychoanalytic, historical, and transcultural approaches, to offer nuanced assessments of Wolf's major literary texts, as well as her lesser-known work in genres such as film and essay.

In her lifetime, Wolf was widely regarded as a pioneer in German literature, particularly for her innovative use of language and her exploration of feminist and social issues. Her novel "The Marriage of the Dead," for example, was praised for its surrealistic and visionary qualities, while her collection of essays "The End of the World" was celebrated for its sharp political analysis. However, Wolf's career was not without its controversies. In the 1970s, she was accused of plagiarism by another German writer, and in the 1980s, she was criticized for her support of the East German regime. These controversies only intensified after the reunification of Germany, when Wolf found herself subjected to intense scrutiny and criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.

Despite these challenges, Wolf remained committed to her craft and continued to write and publish throughout her life. Her later works, such as the novel "The City of Glass" and the collection of essays "The Dark Side of the Light," were marked by a renewed sense of introspection and self-reflection, reflecting the changing political and social landscape of post-unification Germany.

In conclusion, What Remains: Responses to the Legacy of Christa Wolf is a groundbreaking collection of essays that offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on the life and work of one of Germany's most celebrated writers. By employing a range of methodologies and employing a range of perspectives, the contributors to this volume seek to shed light on the complexities and contradictions of Wolf's legacy, and to explore the ways in which her work continues to resonate in contemporary German culture and history.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800734968