Kleist

Heinrich von Kleist lived through the political and social turmoil that prevailed in Germany at the turn of the 19th century. Despite coming from an aristocratic background, he himself experienced unstable living conditions throughout his life. Constant experience of crisis inspired him to develop ideas and visions for life characterised by social reformist thinking and literary experiments.
This richly illustrated catalogue, published to commemorate Kleist Memorial Year 2011, is based on a sound historic foundation and focuses on the surprising modernity of Kleist from a contemporary perspective. It highlights the connection between crisis, criticism and reformist ideas, and also includes a comparison with life at the turn of the 21st century.