Introductions to works by German authors who first published after World War II invariably include two terms closely associated with the beginnings of post-war West Germany. The first of these, the so-called “Stunde Null” [Zero Hour], is a reference to a perceived cultural and literary discontinuity when the reign of National Socialism ended on 8 May 1945, and a new political world emerged that would divide Germany for nearly half a century. The second term is “Kahlschlag” [clearing of the thickets], describing an attempt to write literature deliberately free of National Socialist rhetoric and ideology. Both terms reveal how essential it was for Germans to distance themselves and post-war German literature and culture from the National Socialist regime. But post-war German…
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Citation: Mundt, Hannelore G.. "Wanderer, kommst du nach Spa…". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 October 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=16214, accessed 21 November 2024.]
