Erich Kästner and the Enlightenment. Historical and systematic perspectives

Erich Kästner has dealt with historical elucidation at various times in his career. He also saw himself as an educator from a systematic point of view. Names such as Lessing, Kant, Rousseau, Möser, Wieland or the young Goethe are always present for the publicist, storyteller, children's book author and poet Kästner. Thus Fabian might remain difficult to understand without the reflection of Labude's habilitation on Lessing. Kästner's dissertation on Frederick II and the German Enlightenment is also a still largely untapped source in terms of the author's knowledge of this "Age of Enlightenment". Although Kästner himself liked to joke about the "limits of the Enlightenment", he stuck to his concepts.

With lectures, talks, a reading and a concert, the conference will discuss the self-proclaimed "great-grandson of the German Enlightenment" and his ethical emotionalism.

Heades by: Sven Hanuschek and Gideon Stiening

You can find the programme here. Please register via anmeldung@ijb.de until February 21.

A conference of the LMU in cooperation with the society of friends, Förderverein Erich Kästner Forschung e.V., and the Foundation International Youth Library.

© Photos: Stiftung Internationale Jugendbibliothek