Reflecting on Postwar Germany Through Literature

Heinz-Uwe Haus, professor emeritus in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Delaware, contributed to European intellectual discourse this summer by publishing a review of Guenther Rüther’s new book Stories written down for the next generation: “Let us quietly learn to live again. The Liberation—Germany 1945/46” (BZPB, Bonn 2025, 356 pp.). Rüther’s narrative captures everyday realities of life in the final months of the Second World War and the immediate post-World War II period.

Haus highlighted how Rüther’s approach reveals both despair and hope in occupied and destroyed Germany, in the East and West, creating an authentic panorama of experience. In his analysis, Haus underscored the importance of remembering Nazi crimes, noting that if memory fades, “a source of German democracy will dry up.” His work links theatre and cultural studies to historical reflection, encouraging critical thinking about how societies process collective trauma and rebuild democratic values.

Examining Globalization and Cultural Identity

Haus continued his engagement with European intellectual life through his essay “European Community of Experience and National Cultural Identity – Facts” in Symposium (The Romanian Institute of Orthodox Theology and Spirituality, Vol. XXXII, Nr. 1, New York) published in August. The piece examines how globalization presents two opposing forces: one that seeks to erase cultural differences and another that emphasizes diversity in cultural, social and economic development across regions.

Haus argues that addressing this tension requires deeper historical and anthropological research into cultural similarities and differences. He emphasizes that education should be understood as an intercultural, pan-European task, essential for navigating the complexities of an interconnected world. His essay invites scholars, educators and cultural leaders to consider how Europe can balance unity and diversity in a rapidly changing global context.

Impact and Departmental Significance

Haus’s scholarship reflects the University’s mission to foster global understanding and interdisciplinary dialogue. By publishing critical reflections on memory, identity and cultural development, he expands the influence of the Department of Theatre and Dance beyond performance to include cultural and historical analysis. Without such work, key conversations about how societies remember trauma and adapt to globalization would lose depth and historical grounding. His contributions support the College of Arts and Sciences’ strategic goal of advancing global perspectives in scholarship and teaching, ensuring that the humanities remain central to understanding complex cultural dynamics today.