Staff in the Department of German
Publication details for Professor Jonathan Long
2006 Long, Jonathan J. 'The Austrian Novel since 1945', in Kohl, Katrin & Robertson, Ritchie (eds.), A History of Austrian Literature, Camden House, pp. 223-245- Publication type: Books: sections
- ISSN/ISBN: 1571132767
Author(s) from Durham
Abstract
20th-century Austrian literature boasts many outstanding writers: Schnitzler, Musil, Rilke, Kraus, Celan, Canetti, Bernhard, Jelinek. These and others feature in broader accounts of German literature, but it is desirable to see how the Austrian literary scene -- and Austrian society itself -- shaped their writing. This volume thus surveys Austrian writers of drama, prose fiction, and lyric poetry; relates them to the distinctive history of modern Austria, a democratic republic that was overtaken by civil war and authoritarian rule, absorbed into Nazi Germany, and re-established as a neutral state; and examines their response to controversial events such as the collusion with Nazism, the Waldheim affair, and the rise of Haider and the extreme right. In addition to confronting controversy in the relations between literature, history, and politics, the volume examines popular culture in line with current trends.