German POWs, Der Ruf, and the Genesis of Group 47

The Political Journey of Alfred Andersch and Hans Werner Richter

Aaron D. Horton

This work explores the experiences of Hans Werner Richter and Alfred Andersch, authors who served in the German army during World War II, were captured by U.S. forces, and enlisted into a secret program to promote American democracy to their fellow POWs while imprisoned in the United States. Upon repatriation, they brought their experiences with the POW publication Der Ruf back to Germany, where they founded a periodical of the same name. Having grown disillusioned with the American occupation, the authors’ stark criticisms of U.S. policies led to their dismissal from the second Der Ruf after only fifteen issues. This study attempts to understand their journey from acceptance and endorsement of American democratic ideals to disappointment and opposition to U.S. occupation policies. This transition played a crucial role in the foundation of the most influential West German literary circle: Group 47, organized a few months after the authors’ dismissal.

University Press Copublishing Division / Fairleigh Dickinson University Press

Pages: 212 • Trim: 6½ x 9¼

978-1-61147-616-3 • Hardback • December 2013 • $105.00 • (£81.00)

978-1-61147-617-0 • eBook • December 2013 • $99.50 • (£77.00)

Subjects: History / Military / World War II, History / United States / 20th Century, History / Modern / 20th Century, History / Holocaust, History / Europe / Germany, Literary Criticism / European / German

German POWs, Der Ruf, and the Genesis of Group 47

The Political Journey of Alfred Andersch and Hans Werner Richter

Hardback

eBook

Summary

This work explores the experiences of Hans Werner Richter and Alfred Andersch, authors who served in the German army during World War II, were captured by U.S. forces, and enlisted into a secret program to promote American democracy to their fellow POWs while imprisoned in the United States. Upon repatriation, they brought their experiences with the POW publication Der Ruf back to Germany, where they founded a periodical of the same name. Having grown disillusioned with the American occupation, the authors’ stark criticisms of U.S. policies led to their dismissal from the second Der Ruf after only fifteen issues. This study attempts to understand their journey from acceptance and endorsement of American democratic ideals to disappointment and opposition to U.S. occupation policies. This transition played a crucial role in the foundation of the most influential West German literary circle: Group 47, organized a few months after the authors’ dismissal.

Details

University Press Copublishing Division / Fairleigh Dickinson University Press

Pages: 212 • Trim: 6½ x 9¼

978-1-61147-616-3 • Hardback • December 2013 • $105.00 • (£81.00)

978-1-61147-617-0 • eBook • December 2013 • $99.50 • (£77.00)

Subjects: History / Military / World War II, History / United States / 20th Century, History / Modern / 20th Century, History / Holocaust, History / Europe / Germany, Literary Criticism / European / German

Author

Aaron D. Horton is assistant professor of history at Alabama State University.

Table of Contents

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: GERMAN PRISONERS OF WAR IN THE UNITED STATES DURING WORLD WAR II: AN OVERVIEW

CHAPTER 2: ALFRED ANDERSCH AND HANS WERNER RICHTER

CHAPTER 3: DER RUF: THE CALL GOES OUT

CHAPTER 4: OCCUPATION, OPTIMISM, AND OPPOSITION: ANDERSCH, RICHTER, AND THE SECOND VERSION OF DER RUF

CHAPTER 5: GROUP 47 AND BEYOND: AN EXTENDED EPILOGUE

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR