This anthology is designed to meet the needs of teachers and students engaged in the university level study of contemporary German and Austrian Jewish literature. The selected texts introduce students to some of the most prominent German and Austrian Jewish writers, while addressing the historical and cultural elements that inform their work. Courses for which this anthology is appropriate might include those on post-Shoah German and Austrian Jewish literature and culture, in addition to content and theme–based upper-level German language classes. This collection may serve as the primary material or as a supplement to a more broadly focused syllabus, such as a course on minority writing in Germany and Austria, including the work of Afro-Germans, Turkish and Ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe.

     The material in this volume has not been chosen based on reading difficulty, but rather in accordance with our desire to weave together a spectrum of perspectives, which serve to elucidate the complexities of a German and Austrian Jewish identity, particularly after the Shoah. The underlying assumption of the editors is that many students and instructors know little about the topics addressed. With this in mind, we have organized this book so as to facilitate a broad understanding of the texts.

Organization and Usage

     A number of steps have been taken to make the overall text a point of departure for a thoughtful reading of the material, and for an examination of the issues evoked regardless of prior knowledge of German and Austrian Jewish literature or Jewish studies in general.

Einleitung

     The anthology opens with a brief overview of those facts and figures, historical and cultural events that, in one way or another, are alluded to by the authors of the selected texts and therefore are relevant. It is by no means meant to be an exhaustive treatment of all the issues pertaining to Jews living in Germany and Austria today. Instead, a selected bibliography refers the interested reader to pertinent works offering deeper insights, commentaries and/or analyses.

Theme as Organizing Principle

     The texts have been organized into three sections entitled: I. Bleibende Erinnerung, II. Wiedergewonnene Heimat? and III. Ererbte Erinnerung. Each section begins with an opening essay, which presents a theme, biographical information about the writers, as well as cultural and/or historical insights relevant to an erudite understanding of the material. Although the texts are presented in this manner, they can all stand alone, affording instructors the ability to make selections relevant to a particular syllabus.

     At the end of each section, an Auswahlliteratur lists other works relevant to the featured writers, suggests material of interest for further study of a particular theme, or the social, religious, historical and cultural questions raised by the authors, including those pertaining to the former GDR, Yiddish literature, Israel, and Russian emigration to Germany. The selected bibliographies may also be used as a foundation for research papers or presentations.

Anregungen

     Each literary work is preceded by three questions intended to encourage the readers’ interaction with the text and to discover its meaning and significance. Although these questions serve as advance organizers and facilitate the ‘while reading’ process, they might also be used as a springboard for discussion and interpretive writing assignments.

Wortschatz

     Students in literature classes prefer using authentic texts rather than edited versions. Therefore the material in this volume is in its original format. At the same time, unfamiliar vocabulary is one of the greatest stumbling blocks to fluent reading. Nevertheless, constant paging to the back of the book where a selected vocabulary list might be found causes student readers to expect that all words unknown to them will be listed. To that end, the following measures have been taken: