German-East Asian Encounters and Entanglements: Affinity in Culture and Politics Since 1945 [Hardcover]

This volume surveys transnational encounters and entanglements between Germany and East Asia since 1945, a period that has witnessed unprecedented global connections between the two regions. It examines their sociopolitical and cultural connections through a variety of media. Since 1945, cultural flow between Germany and East Asia has increasingly become bidirectional, spurred by East Asian economies unprecedented growth. In exploring their dynamic and evolving relations, this volume emphasizes how they have negotiated their differences and have frequently cooperated toward common goals in meeting the challenges of the contemporary world. Given their long-standing historical differences, their post-1945 relations reveal a surprisingly high degree of affinity in many areas. To show how they have deeply shaped each others views, this volume presents 12 chapters by scholars from the fields of history, sinology, sociology, literature, music, and film. Topics include cultural topics, such as German and Swiss writers on East Asia (Enzensberg, Muschg, and Kreitz), Japanese writer on Germany (Tezuka and Tawada), German commemorative culture in Korea, Beethoven in China, metal music in Germany and Japan, diary films on Japan (Wenders), as well as sociopolitical topics, such as Sino East German diplomacy, Germans and Korean democracy, and Japanes and Korean communities in Germany.

1 Historical Survey, Historiography, and Organization 1

JOANNE MIYANG CHO

Political and Social Connections since 1945 23

2 A Bridge from Beijing to Berlin: Diplomatic and Trade Cooperation in SinoEast German Relations, 19491955 25

CHRISTINA T ILL

3 The Contribution of West German Christian Churches tothe Democratization of Korea in the 1970s and 1980s 50

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