German Women Writers of the Twentieth Century

Book excerpt: German Women Writers of the Twentieth Century is an anthology of German women writers of the twentieth century and includes English translations of their German-language short stories. These short stories provide an insight into their creators' literary achievement and give some impression of the great variety and scope of their work. Comprised of 16 chapters, this volume begins with a short story by Ricarda Huch (1864-1947) entitled "Love," followed by another story entitled "The Wife of Pilate," by Gertrud von Le Fort (1876-1971). The remaining chapters present short stories by Elisabeth Langgässer (1899-1950), Anna Seghers (1900- ), Marie Luise Kaschnitz (1901-1974), Luise Rinser (1911- ), Ilse Aichinger (1921- ), Barbara König (1925- ), Ingeborg Bachmann (1926-1973), Christa Reinig (1926- ), Christa Wolf (1929- ), Gabriele Wohmann (1932- ), Helga Novak (1935- ), Gisela Elsner (1937- ), Elisabeth Meylan (1937- ), and Angelika Mechtel (1943- ). This monograph will be of interest to students, scholars, and authors who wish to know more about German literature in general and the work of German women writers in particular.