German studies conference first of series

Nineteen overseas scholars have converged on Dunedin for the biggest international German studies conference to be staged in the city in the past 20 years.

It is also the first of a series of conferences being held throughout the world to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the death of Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811), a major 19th century German dramatist, poet and short story writer.

The Kleist Prize, a prestigious prize for German literature, is named after him.

Kleist's plays were not performed successfully during his lifetime, but he is now regarded as one of the most important German dramatists.

Forty people will attend the three-day "international symposium", which starts today.

Overseas participants include six scholars from the United States, three each from the United Kingdom and Germany, and two from South Africa.

The symposium was preceded yesterday by a student colloquium on Kleist, conducted via international teleconference, and involving senior Otago students and graduate students at Ohio State University, in the United States.

The symposium is hosted by the Otago University department of languages and cultures.

 

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