Preface

PREFACE With this volume of the Women in German Yearbook we proudly announce our new publication agreement with the University of Nebraska Press. Working out the particulars of our contract has been an occasion for us to reflect on the fact that WIG has history. For readers new to the yearbook and to refresh the memories of others, the Coalition of Women in German was founded in the mid-1970s by feminist Germanists meeting informally at national and regional conferences, which were then devoted almost exclusively to traditional scholarship on canonical literature. The abundance of sessions on German women writers and feminist criticism at conferences such as the American Association of Teachers of German, German Studies Associaton, and the Modern Language Association today is just one measure of our success. From its modest beginnings as an informal network of perhaps fifty active members, WIG has become the voice for feminist Germanistik in the USA with a 1991 membership of over 550. Our Yearbook, of course, is vital to that voice. Published since 1985, each issue has sought to expand the definition and boundaries of a feminist analysis of German literature and culture. Signing a new contract presented us with an opportunity to make both external and internal changes. Not only have we chosen a new cover design in a different color, but we have also altered the title slightly to reflect more accurately our commitment to feminist studies within Germanistik. With this issue we have also initiated what we expect to be a continuing policy of publishing review essays. Further, in an effort to respond to concerns about the language of publication voiced during the lively discussion at the 1990 WIG Conference, we have decided to continue accepting articles in either English or German, and to provide English summaries. In addition to the articles selected from those submitted for blind review—and these will remain the core of each yearbook—we have decided to devote a segment of certain volumes to a special focus. The choice of focus for the present volume emerged from recent German history and the 1990 WIG Conference program, which included presentations by writers and critics from the GDR. Looking toward the future, we invite contributions from readers on several fronts. As always, of course, we are looking for feminist articles on any aspect of German literary, cultural, and language study. In viiiWomen in German Yearbook 7 addition, we would like to receive suggestions for review essays and the special focus section. Some possible topics we have considered are the connections between literature and history, the importance of a postmodern aesthetic, the literary/sociological/cultural understanding of motherhood, and issues of translation; we also expect that future WIG conferences may present us with ideas for these sections of the Yearbook. Finally, to open the discussion on issues of ongoing concern to feminist scholars to as many WIG members as possible, we plan to add one more feature to future volumes, a section for readers' comments on articles published in the yearbook or on topics of general interest. Comments should be limited to about 1,000 words, and authors whose work is addressed will be invited to reply. Do let us hear from you! The articles in the first section of the present volume, examining women writers from the seventeenth century to the present, demonstrate not only the breadth, but also the originality of the scholarship being undertaken by feminists in our field. Myra Love's article on the affirmation of the paranormal in the writings of Christa Wolf is a contribution that we expect to be as controversial as it will be vital for future Wolf scholarship. Monika Shaft's analysis of the mother figures in selected works of Ingeborg Drewitz, building on the recent theories of Sara Ruddick and Margaret Homans, is the first to address the contradiction between Drewitz's reputation as a "conservative" writer and her "progressive" representations of mothering. Expanding her earlier work on women writers in the Baroque Age, Ute Brandes investigates women's influence on a developing bourgeois public sphere before the Age of Reason, a contribution sure to have an influence on future scholarship. Kay Goodman makes available in...