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Through
the database 18th Century German
Literature Online, first editions and first published complete editions by
more than 575 German-speaking authors of the 18th century are now available
online. The approximately 3,500 works with almost 5,000 volumes reflect the
broad spectrum of German literature from the early stages of the age of
Enlightenment to the later part of the period.
This
database contains first editions and complete historical editions of leading
representatives of the Enlightenment such as Bürger, Gleim, Gellert, Gottsched,
Herder, Kant, Klopstock, Lessing, Mendelssohn, Moritz, Nicolai and Wieland, the
writings of the "Göttinger Hainbund" with Hölty and Graf Stolberg as
its most famous authors, and works of the Swiss Enlightenment from Bodmer,
Breitinger and Lavater. Most notably however, it also contains the writings of
hundreds of authors who were less well-known or are nowadays all but forgotten,
but who nevertheless contributed to the literary Enlightenment in Germany with
their lyrical, dramatic and epic works.
18th
Century German Literature Online
reveals the literary production of the Enlightenment in its entire scope from
drama, epic, and lyric to literature theory and popular philosophy.
Every
dramatic form can be found, tragic drama, comedies, pageants, operas and
operettas. Novels and narratives, including first editions of pioneering
educational novels by Wieland and Moritz are included, as well as picaresque
novels, adventure stories and gothic novels, which enjoyed immense popularity.
Fables and fairy stories were widespread in the 18th century as was literature
of the epic genre. Exemplary lyric worthy of mention includes the anacreontic
poems of Gleim, Klopstock and Uz, and the spiritual poetry of Gellert and Cramer
as well as countless odes and song collections. Examples of early children’s
books by Basedow, Salzmann and Weiße are provided. In addition, important
translations such as Wieland’s famous Shakespeare translation from the 1760s
are available. Inseparable from the literary works are the writings on literary
theory by Gottsched, Nicolai, Lessing, Mendelssohn and many others, which have
also been taken into account along with the philosophical works of Kant.
The Selection of Literature
The
selection of authors and literature in 18th Century German
Literature Online is based on the microfiche edition Bibliothek der
Deutschen Literatur. The authors and canon of works from the 18th century
filmed for this edition constitute the main part of the database. It has been
critically revised by the editor Paul Raabe and enlarged with numerous
additional authors and works. Thus, works from about 80 authors not covered in
the microfiche edition are included, digitised for the first time for this
database. They number prominent authors of lieder such as Tersteegen or
Freylinghausen and female authors, including Magdalena Sibylle Rieger and
Friederike Lohmann. In addition, the database completes the work of some authors
featured but not fully covered in the microfiche edition.
The Significance of the Database
The
database 18th Century German Literature Online offers unique
opportunities for academic research. Searches on subject matter, motive and
socialhistorical issues can be carried out across the whole literary spectrum of
an entire cultural epoch using a variety of search criteria. With the full text
search, the use of terms and figures of speech can be examined in their original
contexts. Searches involving specific genres are made far easier by using an
index of literary genre terms. Through merely pressing the keys, the users have
an extensive online library at their fingertips, with first editions by more
than 600 Germanspeaking authors of the 18th century, many of whom await
rediscovery.
The
database 18th Century German Literature Online offers unique
opportunities for academic research. Searches on subject matter, motive and
socialhistorical issues can be carried out across the whole literary spectrum of
an entire cultural epoch using a variety of search criteria. With the full text
search, the use of terms and figures of speech can be examined in their original
contexts. Searches involving specific genres are made far easier by using an
index of literary genre terms. Through merely pressing the keys, the users have
an extensive online library at their fingertips, with first editions by more
than 600 Germanspeaking authors of the 18th century, many of whom await
rediscovery.
Paul
Raabe is a scholar of literary studies and, according to the Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung, “Germany’s most well known librarian”. With his
incomparable drive, he influenced institutions forming the very centre of
Germany’s academic landscape today: from 1958 to 1968 he was in charge of
Bibliothek des Deutschen Literaturarchivs (Library of the German Literature
Archive) in Marbach, before becoming the director of Herzog August Bibliothek
(Herzog August Library) in Wolfenbüttel in the year 1968. From 1992 to 2000 he
was director of Franckesche Stiftungen (Francke Foundation) in Halle. His
numerous publications address the history of books and libraries, as well the
literature of Expressionism, the Baroque period, the Enlightenment, and Classic
Weimar.
An
introduction to the database by Paul Raabe and Axel Frey can be found in the
menu bar using the link Introduction.