Phantoms of War in Contemporary German Literature, Films and Discourse offers an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of fundamental shifts in German cultural memory. Focusing on the resurgence of family stories in fiction, autobiography and in film, this study challenges the institutional boundaries of Germany's memory culture that have guided and arguably limited German identity debates. Essays on contemporary German literature are complemented by explorations of heritage films and museum discourse. Together these essays put forward a compelling theory of family narratives and a critical evaluation of generational discourse.

'An ambitious and theoretically well-grounded book that represents an important contribution to contemporary German studies. In approaching German literature and film from a transgenerational perspective, Fuchs considerably enriches our understanding.' Bill Niven, Professor of Contemporary German Studies, Nottingham Trent University, UK

'Offers perspectives on some of the most talked-about questions in German Studies today: transgenerational dialogue, postmemory, German wartime suffering, trauma, and the search for a viable German tradition. It is energetically written and will inspire colleagues and students alike.' Karen Leeder (New College Oxford) in Modern Language Review

'Anne Fuchs exemplifies German Studies ... at its best and is a welcome addition to the expansive field of cultural memory. This book contributes significantly to our understanding of the most recent cultural responses to Germany's Nazi past and the continuous shaping of contemporary German national identities." Christiane Schönfeld, (NUI, Galway) in Monatshefte

Listed as a CHOICE Outstanding Title in 2009

Autorentext
ANNE FUCHS is Professor of Modern German Literature and Culture at University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland. She is author of Die Schmerzensspuren der Geschichte: Zur Poetik der Erinnerung in W. G. Sebalds Prosa (2004) and co-editor (with Mary Cosgrove and Georg Grote) of German Memory Contests (2006).

Inhalt
Introduction: Family Narratives between Vernacular and Official Memory Generational Conflict and Masculinity in Väterliteratur by Christoph Meckel, Uwe Timm, Dagmar Leupold and Ulla Hahn Family Narratives and Postmemory: Günter Grass's Im Krebsgang , Tanja Dückers's Himmelskörper and Marcel Beyer's Spione Heimat and Territory in Thomas Medicus's In den Augen meines Großvaters and Stephan Wackwitz's Ein unsichtbares Land Narrating Resistance to the Third Reich: Museum Discourse, Autobiography, Fiction and Film Hitler Youth Autobiographies: Günter Grass's Beim Häuten der Zwiebel and Joachim Fest's Ich nicht Epilogue: Germany's Threshold Culture