Introduction: The plurality of Premodern German studies

Abstract

AbstractWhat is German studies for a historical period in which Germany did not exist? This introduction to the special issue on Premodern German Studies advocates for a more inclusive definition of German and a more diverse practice of German studies. Between 800 and 1800, Central Europe was marked by shifting political boundaries, cultural‐religious plurality, linguistic transformations, imperial expansions and contractions, and missionary colonization with its accompanying forms of violence. The contributions in this volume challenge two related preconceptions: that relevant material from majority German‐speaking regions is exclusively in German; and that the regions from which material relevant for German studies originates are solely those where German was or is widely spoken. This issue also seeks to show how premodern studies can support the important work of scholar activists by examining the plurality of time periods, regions, cultures, languages, literatures, and identities encompassed by the expansive field of premodern German studies.