Paul Celan and Martin Heidegger: An Unresolved Conversation, 1951-1970

Paul Celan and Martin Heidegger are two of the most important and influential thinkers of the 20th century. Celan, a Romanian-born Jewish poet, survived the Holocaust and wrote some of the most powerful and moving poems about the experience. Heidegger, a German philosopher, was a leading figure in the existentialist movement and his work has had a profound impact on philosophy, literature, and art.

Paul Celan and Martin Heidegger: An Unresolved Conversation, 1951–1970

by James K. Lyon

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2474 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	356 pages
Paperback	:	354 pages
Item Weight	:	1.04 pounds
Dimensions	:	6 x 0.8 x 9 inches

FREE

The two men met in 1951 and began a correspondence that lasted until Celan's death in 1970. Their relationship was complex and often strained, but it was also marked by mutual respect and admiration.

In this book, I explore the relationship between Celan and Heidegger in depth. I draw on their correspondence, as well as on other sources, to provide a nuanced and insightful account of their intellectual and personal relationship.

Chapter 1: The Early Years

Celan and Heidegger first met in 1951, when Celan was a young poet living in Paris and Heidegger was a professor at the University of Freiburg. Celan had long been an admirer of Heidegger's work, and he was eager to meet the man he considered to be one of the greatest philosophers of all time.

Their first meeting was brief, but it was the beginning of a long and complex relationship. Celan and Heidegger corresponded regularly, and they met several times over the next few years.

Chapter 2: The Holocaust

The Holocaust was a watershed moment in the relationship between Celan and Heidegger. Celan, a Jew, had lost his parents and other family members in the Nazi death camps. Heidegger, a German, had been a member of the Nazi party for a time.

After the war, Celan struggled to come to terms with the Holocaust. He wrote some of his most powerful poems about the experience, including "Death Fugue," which is considered one of the greatest poems of the 20th century.

Heidegger, on the other hand, remained silent about the Holocaust for many years. He eventually apologized for his involvement with the Nazi party, but he never fully addressed the issue of his silence about the Holocaust.

Chapter 3: The Later Years

The relationship between Celan and Heidegger continued to be strained in the years after the war. Celan was critical of Heidegger's silence about the Holocaust, and he felt that Heidegger had not fully come to terms with his own involvement with the Nazi party.

Despite their differences, Celan and Heidegger continued to correspond until Celan's death in 1970. Their correspondence is a valuable resource for understanding the complex relationship between two of the most important thinkers of the 20th century.

The relationship between Paul Celan and Martin Heidegger was one of the most important and complex intellectual relationships of the 20th century. Their correspondence is a valuable resource for understanding the two men's thinking, and it provides a unique glimpse into the intellectual and personal challenges of the post-Holocaust era.

Paul Celan and Martin Heidegger: An Unresolved Conversation, 1951–1970

by James K. Lyon

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2474 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	356 pages
Paperback	:	354 pages
Item Weight	:	1.04 pounds
Dimensions	:	6 x 0.8 x 9 inches

FREE