German Memorials, Motifs, and Meanings offers a unique cultural history of German memorialization. The book focuses not on a single, isolated era, but rather on enduring memorial motifs—enchanted stones, magical trees, raised fists, stone circles, and similar evocative symbols derived from myth, folklore, Christianity, national iconography, and post-Holocaust imagery. It thus takes a long-duration perspective, sweeping across the centuries to explore abiding themes such as death, rebirth, and redemption; violence and reconciliation; and sacrifice, identity, and community. Along with a consideration of the historical and social circumstances of each memorial and its motifs, author Jennifer Hansen-Glucklich answers the questions of why and how these cultural markers survive the passage of time and how they endure amidst cultural, social, and political upheavals that include the rise and fall of empires, catastrophes of war and occupation, and genesis of new national identities. She uniquely focuses on lesser-known or unknown memorials found either in smaller German cities or tucked away in villages and hamlets.  

These memorials tell colorful, often ambiguous and problematic stories in contrast to the vaunted monuments of Germany’s post-WWII era, such as Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Through vivid descriptions and deep analysis of the narratives and aesthetics of key monuments and motifs, Hansen-Glucklich details the remarkable story of German memorial culture from medieval times to the present day. 

JENNIFER HANSEN-GLUCKLICH is associate professor of German at University of Mary Washington. She is author of Holocaust Memory Reframed: Museums and the Challenges of Representation. Her peer-reviewed articles, essays, and reviews have appeared in edited collections and journals such as Seminar: A Journal of Germanic Studies, Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, and a/b: Auto/Biography Studies. 

“Most studies of memorial traditions in Germany begin with the late 18th or, more frequently, the 19th centuries. Hansen-Glucklich demonstrates that these traditions in Germany, right into the 21st century, have roots that date back to pre-Christian, early Christian, and medieval times. A fascinating read full of interesting analysis.”—Bill Niven, author of Facing the Nazi Past: United Germany and the Legacy of the Third Reich  

“German Memorials, Motifs, and Meanings makes unique and significant contributions. Its broad historical sweep is innovative and will be valuable for scholars and students in the fields of German History and Cultural Studies, Memory Studies, and Art History. The book is informative and elucidates complex concepts without jargon, and it will certainly also engage general readers interested in European culture and society.”—Jonathan Skolnik, author of Jewish Pasts, German Fictions: History, Memory, and Minority Culture in Germany, 1824-1955

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