Der lesende Blick zurück

This study explores Bernard von Brentano’s work in exile against the background of his political transformation. Initially close to the KPD, he later was accused of rapprochement with the Nazi regime. In fact, his oeuvre, written in Switzerland, is characterized by profound patriotism. Yet, the author of this study shows, how the connection between reading and writing literature functions as the key to understanding Brentano’s approach to Germany and democracy. For the first time, Brentano’s non-fictional work is taken into account, expressing his thorough engagement with history and historiography. This engagement provides an answer to one of his novel’s main themes, namely the problem of ‘historical forgetfulness’ in the Weimar Republic.