Inciting Laughter: The Development of Jewish Humor in 19th Century German Culture

This volume analyzes the conflation of "Jewishness" and satiric humour arising in conjunction with the authors M.G. Saphir, Ludwig Borne and Heinrich Heine, whose wit inspired considerable public controversy in the period 1820-1850. It also traces the influence of the idea of Judenwitzon later conceptions of German literary and cultural history. Chase's inter-disciplinary approach, which combines detailed historical research, humour theory and textual interpretation, describes Judenwitz as both a negative stereotype and a positive authorial strategy. The result is the story of a discourse that offered Jewish writers an entry into the German mainstream at the same time as it programmed an antisemitic response. With its unique focus and methodology, "Inciting Laughter" offers new perspectives on questions of majority and minority identity in German culture.