Scholars nowadays regard nations as changeable constructs in the force-field of politics and culture, and therefore also of literature, and the beginnings of German national consciousness are now dated later than was the case for a long time hitherto. The new insights have far-reaching consequences and are highly relevant today. This is the starting point for the present monograph, which enquires into the literary construction of (pre-)national identity from the perspective of German Studies and subjects current modes of interpretation to critical scrutiny.