French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. B. Kilcher, Poetics and Politics of Wit in Heinrich Heine
Poetry and Poetics

Andreas B. Kilcher, Poetics and Politics of Wit in Heinrich Heine

Bilingual edition.

Translated by Guillaume Burnod.

Paris: L'Eclat, "Franz Hessel Lectures" series, 2014.

112 p.

EAN 9782841623419

6.00 EUR

Publisher's Description:

Before gaining its credentials through Freud's essay, Witz primarily referred to a critical, free, and "unfettered" spirit. It embodies the entire tradition of the Enlightenment and takes on a particular significance in the work of Heine, the most French of the German Romantics. In this essay, Andreas B. Kilcher examines its variations and highlights the 'revolutionary' potential of this concept in Heine, for whom there is no revolution that is not also a revolution of the mind and of language.

After studying in Basel and Jerusalem, Andreas B. Kilcher (b. 1963) has been a professor at the University of Zurich since 2008. He has published numerous works, including several monographs with Suhrkamp on Kafka, Max Frisch, and others. He is particularly interested in the relationship between literature and Jewish mysticism.

The Franz Hessel Lectures are a collaboration between the Department of German Studies at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University-Paris 3 and the Institute of German Studies and General Literature at Aachen University.

The Franz Hessel Lectures aim to examine the history and current state of Franco-German cultural relations in light of contemporary political, cultural, and social challenges in Europe and around the world. The series is named after Franz Hessel to commemorate a high point in the history of Franco-German cultural transfer, the significance of which endures to this day, and to remember the important role of German Jews in the continuous intensification and renewal of Franco-German relations since the French Revolution.
The Franz Hessel Lecture aims to examine the past and present of Franco-German cultural relations against the horizon of current political, cultural, and social challenges in Europe and the world. The Franz Hessel Lecture bears his name in memory of both a high point in the history of that cultural transfer, whose significance continues to this day, and the importance of German Jews in the constant renewal and intensification of Franco-German relations since the French Revolution.

Heine (1797–1856) stands at the crossroads of German Romanticism and a critical, politically engaged modernity. In German literary history, the concept of Witz (wit) evolved from a mere intellectual playfulness into a sharp instrument of critique. Kilcher places Heine's writing within this transition, showing how the poet used wit not just as a stylistic device, but as a political and philosophical weapon. By connecting the German Romantic tradition with the critical spirit of the French Enlightenment, Heine redefined the boundaries of literary expression, making language itself a site of intellectual liberation.

This bilingual volume, originating as a Franz Hessel Lecture, is highly valuable for scholars of comparative literature, German studies, and the history of ideas. It addresses crucial questions about the intersection of aesthetics and politics: how can humor and irony serve as tools for social critique? How did German-Jewish intellectuals shape the cultural dialogue between France and Germany? By exploring Heine's unique position as a cultural mediator, Kilcher's study offers deep insights into the transnational dynamics of European literature, making it an essential read for anyone interested in the revolutionary power of language.

2013 Lecture: Walter Benjamin Reads Marcel Proust by Daniel Weidner