ABSTRACT
Considering the wealth of cultural activity in contemporary Germany, the following accounts of literature, film, the theatre, the visual arts and popular music are bound to present an incomplete picture-incomplete not only because much has had to be excluded, but also because this chapter takes a somewhat narrow and traditional approach to culture. It provides a brief survey of some of the recent developments in the cultural sphere and introduces some of the recent debates. Its focus is largely on those works and figures that are widely regarded as influential —either as part of Germany’s commitment to creating a cultural identity for itself, or as part of an established mainstream. More avant-garde activities on the fringes, however, are not considered in any detail, nor is the process by which these impact on and feed into the established mainstream culture. These limitations should be borne in mind by readers of this chapter.
