Carmen Wulf

Mädchenliteratur und weibliche Sozialisation is an extensive, informative and readable overview of German girls' fiction from about 1918 to about 1950. The only issue I have with the author's general analysis is that I feel Carmen Wulf at times rather misinterprets or at least fails to recognise the inherent dangers present in some, if not many girls' books written and published in the 1930s and early 40s (during The Third Reich). German girls' literature from that period often seems on the surface to break the bonds of conservatism in that there are ample opportunities for girls to find jobs and break away from the dictates of marriage, family etc. However, on closer reading and analysis, these books are often just as conservative, if not more dictatorial and restrictive than previously, for the girls are advised, and sometimes even seemingly ordered to simply exchange one family, one father figure for another, namely to dedicate themselves to the ideals of Nazism, and to have the Nazi Party (with Hitler as the supreme father figure) become their new families, their new leaders. Carmen Wulf does at times fail to notice this, and (in my opinion) falsely suggests some 1930s girls series/books to be emancipatory, when they are in reality nothing of the sort. However, the book is very informative and interesting and is an indispensable primary and secondary source. It is written in German though, and to my knowledge, no English translation exists.… (meer)