Self-fashioning and self-imaging were some of Thomas Mann's most persistent pursuits in his life and work. Even though he rejected the idea of writing an autobiography several times he engaged in extensive essayistic portraits of others whom he regarded in terms of elective affinities. The choice of his 'counterparts', or rather objects of quasi-biographical investigation, amounted to an actual programme of self-representation, including surprises, like his essay "Brother Hitler" and his late eulogy on G.B. Shaw. This lecture will discuss a few striking examples of Thomas Mann's essayistic art of portraiture and examine its rhetorical and intellectual strategy.

The lecture will be held in German.

Die MLC Vorträge finden in diesem Semester aufgrund der Schutzmaßnahmen zur Eindämmung der Covid-19-Pandemie als virtuelle Vorträge über Zoom statt. Zuhörerinnen und Zuhörer sind herzlich willkommen.  Zur Anmeldung für eine Online-Lecture wenden Sie sich bitte an Karena Weduwen (karena.weduwen[at]uni-koeln.de).