Die Deplatzierten dieser Erde. Flüchtlinge als literarisches Phänomen

Abstract

How is the German contemporary literature narrating displacement? How does it present refugees? Are forced or prohibited intercultural encounters in Germany dealt with in these literary works? In what kind of space is the plot taking place? Is the literary figure of a refugee more of a world citizen or a stateless person? What do the protagonists expect from Europe? What price are they willing to pay to get out of hell and reach the awaited European paradise or penetrate the walls of the fortress Europe? This paper deals with these questions through the analysis of the novels »Havarie« (Kröger 2015), »Gehen, ging, gegangen« (Erpenbeck 2015) and »Ohrfeige« (Khider 2016). Also a number of philosophical and theoretical writings on the same topic are being highlighted. Title: The misplaced people of the earth. Refugees as a literary phenomenon