معرفی
Uwe Hentschel serves as Associate Professor of Modern German and Comparative Literature at the Faculty of Philosophy, Chemnitz University of Technology. Affiliated with TU Chemnitz since 1993 and holding an associate professorship (apl. Prof.) since 2008, he specializes in 18th and 19th-century German literary history with particular expertise in travel literature, Swiss imagery (Philhelvetism), and regional literary studies. He concurrently holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Berlin Goethe Society.
His academic foundation includes:
- Born 1960 in Zwickau
- German Studies and Literary Science studies at Leipzig University
- PhD (1990) on travel literature at the end of the 18th century
- Habilitation (1999) on 'Mythos Schweiz. Zum deutschen literarischen Philhelvetismus zwischen 1700 und 1850'
- Senior Assistant position (2000)
Hentschel's research centers on cultural and literary history of the Enlightenment and Romantic eras, examining travel writing's role in shaping regional identities, national consciousness, and cross-cultural perceptions. His work explores intersections between geography, literature, and identity formation, with special attention to erotic literature, epistolary culture, and publishing history. He investigates how travel narratives constructed cultural landscapes of regions like Switzerland, the Ore Mountains, Mecklenburg, and Lausitz, revealing evolving German self-perceptions through encounters with foreign spaces.
His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly engagement with travel literature across two centuries. Recent works focus on regional identity construction through historical travel accounts, examining how 18th and 19th-century writers documented cultural landscapes of Mecklenburg, Pomerania, and Lausitz. This research reveals travel writing's function in documenting cultural transitions, regional particularities, and evolving national consciousness within German-speaking territories.
Scientific recognition includes:
- Long-term editorial collaboration on 'Entstehung von Goethes Werken in Dokumenten' project
- DFG-funded research on Stefan Heym's 'Ahasver Chronotopos'
- Organizational leadership for academic conferences including 'memento Stalingrad'
Hentschel actively supervises graduate research and contributes to academic governance through the Berlin Goethe Society. His editorial work spans numerous publication series including 'Studien zur Imagologie- und Reiseliteraturforschung' (8 volumes). He maintains significant involvement in research teams focused on Goethe studies and German travel literature historiography.
His scholarly activities extend to project leadership in document-based literary research and conference organization, maintaining active participation in national and international academic networks centered on 18th and 19th-century German literature.
