Give Us This Day Our Daily Siberia
Imaginary Geography as German Pop Culture
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Siberia is an enduring element of German pop culture: The novels of Edwin Erich Dwinger, Ferdinand Ossendowski or Heinz G. Konsalik influenced the 20th century as much as the first German television series “So weit die Füße tragen” (As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me) or Gerd Ruge’s reportage. The images depicted here frequently utilise stereotypes established in the Siberian travelogues of the late 17th century and in the publications of German scientists in the 18th century. In doing so, the stereotype is not only a “flat picture”, but fulfils a communicative function between mediation and overcoming trauma.
(Osteuropa 5/2007, pp. 201–214)