Goethes Lebenskrise nach seiner Rückkehr aus Italien

A lecture by: Prof. Jochen Golz

There are many indications that Goethe experienced a life crisis after his return from Italy. In Weimar, he was confronted with the cramped conditions in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, with an uninspiring intellectual environment and, above all, with the revolution in the neighboring country, which, according to a letter to Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, was also a revolution for him. Nevertheless, Goethe's maxim "Remember to live" also guided him during this time. As a politician, he switched from real to cultural politics, as an author he drew an artistic balance from his southern experiences, which admittedly met with a divided response. It was only through his friendship with Schiller that his artistry received fresh impetus. The lecture will bring these exciting years to life through Goethe's correspondence.