Austrian Literature 1938-1945

The aim of the submitted research project Österreichische Literatur 1938-1945 will be the publication of an encyclopedic reference work that, as the result of basic research in literary studies, represents the first systematic attempt to provide comprehensive documentation of the literary life of Austria during the Nazi era. From its methodological approach, it is intended to make the literary events that took place within the official system of the Third Reich as promoted, or at least tolerated, by the decision-makers in the cultural industry more accessible, without resorting to limiting, biased attempts to define a canon. Materials will be presented for the analysis and interpretation of the genesis and effects of these events and institutions. For this reason, the study is based on a functional understanding of literature and has taken key institutional elements of the literary communication system into consideration: authors and their works (including radio and film writers), scholars of German studies, the decision-makers of cultural policy (promotion/censure, literary awards), literary associations, publishing houses and theaters, anthologies and periodicals. The total control of all public creative and media activities in the year 1938 through the Third Reich dictatorship rarely provides good sources for the testing of this method. Our systematic research of the phase between 1938 and 1945 intends to create the most comprehensive description possible of the institutions within the literary system and the integration of authors. Apart from printed material in files pertaining to individuals, we primarily scrutinized the contents of the Bundesarchiv Berlin (former BDC) and what is known as the "Gauakten" or District Files for this purpose (the vast majority of personal information related to authors was provided by the authors themselves). The most important archival basis for the description of the institutions are files from the Bundesarchiv Koblenz (now in the Bundesarchiv Berlin) and the Municipal and Provincial Archives of Vienna. In the survey of material, some of the events that transpired before and after the critical Nazi years were systematically included in order to draw attention to continuities and breaks. Especially significant were literary awards and honors, which illustrate the integration of writers in the various governments from the monarchy up through the Second Republic. For this reason, we have included all such prizes that are known. The first attempt to list all literary organizations in Austria and all German-language anthologies, in which Austrian texts were included, covers the period between 1933 and 1945. The subsequent period has been documented not only through literary awards and honors, but also through the inclusion of the so-called "Gauakten" in the Archiv der Republik (Österreichisches Staatsarchiv). In order to explore the institutional factors of the literary sub-system in German-speaking regions, a new kind of handbook was created in accordance with this methodological approach, a combination of encyclopedia of persons and specialized dictionary, which should be combined in a network to form a whole. Another factor that led to this format was the division of Austria by the Nazis into seven divisions (Gaue) subject directly to the German government. The handbooks have thus been structured as follows: Part I: Encyclopedia of Persons is divided into several volumes based on the administrative Gaue at the time. The first volume on Styria is already published by Böhlau. The alphabetically-ordered author entries will be preceded by a literary and historical introduction and an organizational diagram of the literary-political associations of the individual divisions as well as an overview of institutions in the Gau. A list of abbreviations and a list of sources will be included at the end of each volume. The volumes devoted to individual authors will be cross-referenced with the second part. Part II: Institutions in Austria will focus on literary organizations, German studies / folk culture, literary awards, promotion and censure (1933-1945), publishers, theaters, German-language anthologies (1833-1945) and periodical publications, and include a list of abbreviations as well as a list of sources.

The projects aim is an encyclopedic reference work in several volumes that, as the result of basic research in literary studies, represents the first systematic attempt to provide comprehensive documentation of the literary life of Austria during the Nazi era (1938-1945). From its methodological approach, it is intended to make the literary events that took place within the official system of the Third Reich as promoted, or at least tolerated, by the decision-makers in the cultural industry more accessible, without resorting to limiting, biased attempts to define a canon. Materials will be presented for the analysis and interpretation of the genesis and effects of these events and institutions. For this reason, the study is based on a functional understanding of literature and has taken key institutional elements of the literary communication system into consideration: authors and their works (including radio and film writers), scholars of German studies, the decision-makers of cultural policy (promotion/censure, literary awards), literary associations, publishing houses and theaters, anthologies and periodicals. The total control of all public creative and media activities in the year 1938 through the Third Reich dictatorship rarely provides good sources for the testing of this method. Our systematic research of the phase between 1938 and 1945 intends to create the most comprehensive description possible of the institutions within the literary system and the integration of authors. In the survey of material, some of the events that transpired before and after the critical Nazi years were systematically included in order to draw attention to continuities and breaks. Especially significant were literary awards and honors, which illustrate the integration of writers in the various governments from the monarchy up through the Second Republic. For this reason, we have included all such prizes that are known. The first attempt to list all literary organizations in Austria and all German-language anthologies, in which Austrian texts were included, covers the period between 1933 and 1945. In order to explore the institutional factors of the literary sub-system in German-speaking regions, a new kind of handbook was created in accordance with this methodological approach, a combination of encyclopedia of persons and specialized dictionary, which should be combined in a network to form a whole. Another factor that led to this format was the division of Austria by the Nazis into seven divisions subject directly to the German government. The handbooks have thus been structured as follows:Part I: Encyclopedia of Persons is divided into several volumes based on the administrative divisions (Gaue) at the time. The first volume will focus on Styria. The alphabetically-ordered author entries will be preceded by a literary and historical introduction and an organizational diagram of the literary-political associations of the individual divisions as well as an overview of institutions in the Gau. A list of abbreviations and a list of sources will be included at the end of each volume. The volumes devoted to individual authors will be cross-referenced with the second part.Part II: Institutions in Austria will focus on literary organizations, German studies / folk culture, literary awards, promotion and censure (1933-1945), publishers, theaters,