The title of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel Die Wahlverwandschaften (1809, "Elective Affinities," 1854) has time and again been cited with a view to evoking, in the imaginary presence of the poet and natural philosopher, an ideal relationship between Germans and Jews. The unparalleled affinity of German-speaking Jews for the representative of Weimar Classicism manifested itself, for instance…
Elective Affinities(4,439 words)
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Berg, Nicolas and Dunkhase, Jan Eike, “Elective Affinities”, in: Encyclopedia of Jewish History and Culture Online, Original German Language Edition: Enzyklopädie Jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur. Im Auftrag der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig herausgegeben von Dan Diner. © J.B. Metzler, Stuttgart/Springer-Verlag GmbH Deutschland 2011–2017. Consulted online on 06 December 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2468-8894_ejhc_COM_0985>
First published online: 2017
First print edition: 20180401
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