Who is -German-? What defines -Germanness-? These questions about national identity have continued to confound both Germans and foreign observers in light of Germany s complex history: its changing borders between 1871 and 1989 make even a geographic definition of the nation complex, let alone allowing for a clear definition of the national character. Questions about German identity continue to play out not only in political discussions but also in visual cultural forms.
This essay collection examines the multi-faceted nature of German identity through the lens of myriad forms of visual...

The Doppelganger - the double, twin, mirror image or alter ego of someone else - is an ancient and universal theme that can be traced at least as far back as Greek and Roman mythology, but is particularly associated with two areas of study: psychology, and German literature and culture since the Romantic movement. Although German language literature has been a nexus for writing on the Doppelganger, there is a paucity of scholarly work treating a broader selection of cultural products from the German-speaking world. The essays in this volume explore the phenomenon of the double...