Dieter Borchmeyer
Dieter Borchmeyer (born 3 May 1941 in Recklinghausen) is a German literary critic. Borchmeyer is Professor Emeritus of Modern German Literature (Neuere Deutsche Literatur) and Dramatic Theory (Theaterwissenschaft) at Heidelberg University, where he is currently Seniorprofessor. Borchmeyer is president of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.
Dieter Borchmeyer

Amrei-Marie · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Dieter Borchmeyer
- Born
- 3 May 1941
- Birthplace
- Recklinghausen
- Occupation
- Literary critic, Professor Emeritus of Modern German Literature and Dramatic Theory at Heidelberg University
- Nationality
- Germany
- Honours
- Karl-Vossler-Preis · honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier-III · Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in silver · Bavarian Order of Merit · Gold Goethe medal
- Languages
- German · English · French
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Dieter Borchmeyer (born 3 May 1941 in Recklinghausen) is a German literary critic. Borchmeyer is Professor Emeritus of Modern German Literature (Neuere Deutsche Literatur) and Dramatic Theory (Theaterwissenschaft) at Heidelberg University, where he is currently Seniorprofessor. Borchmeyer is president of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.
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wikidata · Q123475 · wikipedia · Dieter Borchmeyer
In this article
Biography
Biography
His principal fields are German literature from the 18th to the 20th century and music theatre. He has published on Goethe, Schiller, Mozart and Richard Wagner.
The recorded working language is German, English and French. Places of work recorded in the authority are Heidelberg. Employment is recorded with Heidelberg University. Positions recorded include chairperson. Distinctions recorded are Karl-Vossler-Preis, honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier-III, Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in silver and Bavarian Order of Merit.

Dieter Borchmeyer stellt auf der Leipziger Buchmesse sein Buch "Was ist deutsch?" vor
Amrei-Marie
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Dieter Borchmeyer • Born — 3 May 1941 • Birthplace — Recklinghausen • Occupation — Literary critic, Professor Emeritus of Modern German Literature and Dramatic Theory at Heidelberg University
Life
Life
Borchmeyer began his study of German studies and Catholic Theology in 1961 at LMU Munich. After obtaining his doctorate in 1970, he taught from 1972 until 1979 at a Munich Gymnasium and simultaneously carried out teaching duties at the German Department of LMU Munich. After his Habilitation in 1979, he taught at the University of Erlangen and the University of Würzburg. In 1982, he was appointed to the Professorship of Dramatic Theory at LMU Munich. Since 1988, he is Professor of Modern German Literature (Neuere Deutsche Literatur) and Dramatic Theory (Theaterwissenschaft) at Heidelberg University. In connection with the invitation to the pianist and musicologist Siegfried Mauser, who had been convicted by law, Borchmeyer was met with fierce criticism in the context of a planned event on the Heidelberg lectures on cultural theory.
Works (selection)
Works (selection)
I. Books • Tragödie und Öffentlichkeit. Schillers Dramaturgie im Zusammenhang seiner ästhetisch-politischen Theorie und die rhetorische Tradition. München 1973 (Wilhelm Fink) • Höfische Gesellschaft und Französische Revolution bei Goethe. Adeliges und bürgerliches Wertsystem im Urteil der Weimarer Klassik. Athenäum Verlag Kronberg/Ts. 1977 • Das Theater Richard Wagners. Idee – Dichtung – Wirkung. Stuttgart 1982 (Reclam) • Richard Wagner – Theory and Theatre. Oxford 1991 (Oxford University Press) • Weimarer Klassik. Portrait einer Epoche. Weinheim 1994. Bearb. Neuaufl. 1998 (Beltz / Athenäum) • „Des Grauens Süße“. Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. München 1997 (Hanser). Neuauflage: Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. Darf nur heimlich lösen mein Haar. München 2003 (Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag) • Goethe. Der Zeitbürger. München 1999 (Hanser) • Richard Wagner. Ahasvers Wandlungen. Frankfurt a.M. 2002 (Insel) • Macht und Melancholie. Schillers Wallenstein. Überarbeitete Neuauflage mit einem Geleitwort v. Raymond Klibansky. Neckargemünd und Wien 2003 (Edition Mnemosyne) • Drama and the World of Richard Wagner. Princeton University Press 2003 • Goethe (DuMont Schnellkurs). Köln 2005 • Mozart oder die Entdeckung der Liebe. Frankfurt a.M. 2005 (Insel) • Nietzsche, Cosima, Wagner; Porträt einer Freundschaft. Frankfurt 2008 (Insel) II. Editions • Richard Wagner: Dichtungen und Schriften. Jubiläumsausgabe in 10 Bänden. Hrsg. [und kommentiert] von D.B. Frankfurt a.M. 1983 (Insel) • Goethe: Dramen 1765–1775. Unter Mitarbeit von Peter Huber hrsg. [und kommentiert] von D.B. In. Goethe: Sämtliche Werke. Briefe, Tagebücher und Gespräche. I. Abt. Bd. 4. Frankfurt a.M. 1985 • Moderne Literatur in Grundbegriffen. Hrsg. von D.B. und Viktor Zmegac. Königstein/Ts. 1987 (Athenäum). Zweite, neubearbeitete Auflage, Tübingen 1994 (Niemeyer) • Goethe: Dramen 1776–1790. Unter Mitarbeit von Peter Huber hrsg. [und kommentiert] von D.B. In: Goethe: Sämtliche Werke. Briefe, Tagebücher und Gespräche. I.Abt. Bd.5. Frankfurt a.M. 1988 (Deutscher Klassiker Verlag) • Goethe: Werke. 6 Bde. Winkler Weltliteratur Dünndruck Ausgabe [neu hrsg., mit Geleitwort und Nachworten versehen von D.B.] München 1992 (Artemis & Winkler) • Goethe: Dramen 1791–1832. Hrsg. v. D.B. und Peter Huber. In: In: Goethe: Sämtliche Werke. Briefe, Tagebücher und Gespräche. I.Abt. Bd. 6. Frankfurt a.M. 1993 (Deutscher Klassiker Verlag) • Nietzsche und Wagner. Stationen einer epochalen Begegnung. 2 Bde. Hrsg. von D. B. und Jörg Salaquarda. Frankfurt a.M. 1994 (Insel) • Richard Wagner. Der Ring des Nibelungen. Ansichten des Mythos. Hrsg. v. Udo Bermbach und D.B.. Stuttgart 1995 (Metzler) • Franz Wilhelm Beidler: Cosima Wagner. Ein Porträt. Richard Wagners erster Enkel: Ausgewählte Schriften und Briefwechsel mit Thomas Mann. Hrsg., komm. u. mit einem biographischen Essay v. D.B. 3. Aufl. Würzburg 2011 (Königshausen & Neumann) • Richard Wagner und die Juden. Hrsg. v. D.B., Ami Maayani u. Susanne Vill. Stuttgart/Weimar 2000 • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Faust. Sämtliche Dichtungen. Mit einem Nachwort von D.B.. Düsseldorf u. Zürich 2003 (Artemis & Winkler)) • Der Ernstfall. Martin Walsers „Tod eines Kritikers“. Hrsg. v. D.B. / Helmuth Kiesel. Hamburg 2003. • Mozarts Opern. Das Handbuch. Hrsg. von D.B. u. Gernot Gruber. 2 Teilbände. Laaber 2007 (Laaber) • III. Festschrift • Getauft auf Musik. Hrsg. v. Udo Bermbach und Hans Rudolf Vaget (mit Auswahlbibliographie). Würzburg 2006 (Königshausen und Neumann).
Career and activity
Career and activity
He was employed by Heidelberg University. Recorded position is chairperson. He belonged to Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts and Franco-German Cultural Council. He worked at Heidelberg.
Identity
Identity
Dieter Borchmeyer is recorded as having received Karl-Vossler-Preis, honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier-III and Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in silver.
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Dieter Borchmeyer received Karl-Vossler-Preis, honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier-III, Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in silver, Bavarian Order of Merit and Gold Goethe medal.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,375 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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