The History of German Literature on Film

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This book tells the story of German-language literature on film, beginning with pioneering motion picture adaptations of Faust in 1897 and early debates focused on high art as mass culture. It explores, analyzes and contextualizes the so-called golden age of silent cinema in the 1920s, the impact of sound on adaptation practices, the abuse of literary heritage by Nazi filmmakers, and traces the role of German-language literature in exile and postwar films, across ideological boundaries in divided Germany, in New German Cinema, and in remakes and movies for cinema as well as television and streaming services in the 21st century. Having provided the narrative core to thousands of films since the late 19th century, many of German cinemas most influential masterpieces were inspired by canonical texts, popular plays, and even childrens literature. Not being restricted to German adaptations, however, this book also traces the role of literature originally written in German in international film productions, which sheds light on the interrelation between cinema and key historical events. It outlines how processes of adaptation are shaped by global catastrophes and the emergence of nations, by materialist conditions, liberal economies and capitalist imperatives, political agendas, the mobility of individuals, and sometimes by the desire to create reflective surfaces and, perhaps, even art. Commercial cinemas adaptation practices have foregrounded economic interest, but numerous filmmakers throughout cinema history have turned to German-language literature not simply to entertain, but as a creative contribution to the public sphere, marking adaptation practice, at least potentially, as a form of active citizenship.

Reviews

Christiane Schnfeld's detailed, informative, and exciting study deals with the productive relationships between German literature and film from the beginnings of film through the early 2020s. Many film productions are necessarily intertwined with their historical context, which they reflect and influence through attempts at manipulation, as with National Socialism or through criticism of the shortcomings in other times and systems. Traditions come into view that would have been forgottenif it weren't for books like this one. Thus, this film history contributes greatly to our cultural memory. * Stefan Neuhaus, Professor of German Literature, University of Koblenz, Germany *
In elegantly crafted and eloquent prose, Christiane Schnfeld brings to life a history of German film adaptation spanning 130 years and ranging across film industries the length and breadth of Europe. The book expertly surveys existing work in film and literary history, while bringing fresh insights from extensive new research. This volume will be a point of scholarly reference for decades to come. * Erica Carter, Professor of German and Film, Kings College London, UK *
A magisterial survey and analysis of filmic adaptations of German literature in German film and television. Schnfelds book opens a window on the ability of film to reflect and reflect on shifting cultural understandings of canonical (and less canonical) German literary texts over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Essential reading for all those interested in the history of film German or otherwise. * Bill Niven, Emeritus Professor of Contemporary German History, Nottingham Trent University, UK *
A most welcome and highly useful addition to scholarly literature on German cinema, Christiane Schnfelds rich comprehensive history of adaptations based on German-language literary works takes the reader on a remarkable journey from the beginnings of cinema to productions of the present day. While spanning all of the essential epochs in a nations film legacy, her synoptic study remains resolutely sensitive to adaptations of German works made around the globe as well as contemporary transnational and international productions. Her coverage, as one might expect, includes careful discussion of seminal auteurs and art films, but also grants equal attention to popular cinema in its various countenances, be they works in a variety of generic veins, childrens films, Hollywood productions made by exiled directors, or more recent exercises in transmediation. At once acute in her formal analyses and sharply aware of socio-historical determinants and the conditions under which adaptations come into being, Schnfeld has written a major work, indeed the most significant study to date on German film and literature. * Eric Rentschler, Arthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University, USA *

Author Bio

Christiane Schnfeld is Associate Professor and Head of German Studies at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland. Her research on German-language literature and cinema focuses on a wide range of cultural representations and sheds light on their significance for the public sphere. Among her publications are books and articles on literary and visual cultures from the 19th to the 21st century.