Amerikabild(er) des Reiseberichterstatters und Reiseschriftstellers A.E. Johann

Abstract

A.E. Johann (1901-1996), relying on his experience of over sixty years of travelling around the world, left behind a wealth of literary and journalist material, in which he often addresses topics and issues related to the United States of America. This paper’s objective is to analyze the reflections and observations of this writer and journalist included in the travel report from the period of the Weimar Republic and entitled America. Untergang am Überfluß (1932) as compared with his later creative output of a more autobiographical nature and developed between 1989 to 1992 (Dies wilde Jahrhundert, 1989; Schön war die Welt. Erinnerungen an die großen Reisen, 1992). Thus, continuity and change in his perception and image of America will be investigated; moreover, at attempt will be made to answer the question to what extent this perception and image have evolved throughout six decades (or one should rather ask why this image hardly changes with the passage of time and the emergence of new circumstances). This once very popular writer, whose books were sold in high volume, for many years could not enjoy the attention and focus of literary scholars. Accordingly, this paper aims to expand the knowledge about him and boost the discussion on German (anti-) Americanism.