Maximilian Kathan (Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies) in conversation with Sinan Barış Yaşar (HGGS)

What is the impact of nationalism and antisemitism in the late Habsburg Monarchy?How did Karl Emil Franzos and Nathan Birnbaum contribute to the (re)construction of Jewish identity?What roles do language and literature play in defining national identity?

In this episode, Maximilian Kathan from Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies discusses his research on Jewish identity constructions within the Habsburg Monarchy, focusing on the interplay of history, literature, and Jewish studies. He explores the impact of nationalism and antisemitism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Habsburg Monarchy, in light of the diverse perspectives of Jewish writers Karl Emil Franzos and Nathan Birnbaum. The conversation delves into the complexities of identity, language, and cultural tensions in a rapidly changing empire, as well as the methodological challenges faced in historical literary studies.

Timeline

00:00 Intro

00:24 Introducing Maximilian Kathan and His Research Topics

03:12 Interdisciplinary Approaches in Historical Research

05:04 Exploring the late Habsburg Monarchy: A Time of Change

06:42 Comparative Analysis of Jewish Writers: Franzos and Birnbaum

14:43 Nationalism and Its Impact on the Habsburg Empire

20:17 Relationship between Language and National Identity in the Habsburg Empire

21:11 Antisemitism and Its Effects on Jewish Writers

23:58 Cultural Tensions: The Dichotomy of East and West

26:07 Methodological Challenges in Historical Research

29:44 Recommended Works of Franzos and Birnbaum

31:52 Personal Reflections and Future Plans

34:20 Outro

Keywords

Jewish identity, Habsburg monarchy, nationalism, antisemitism, literary analysis, interdisciplinary research, historical context, cultural tensions, language, Jewish studies