Colloquium on German Philhellenism, December 15th 2012

On 15 December 2012, Helen co-organised a colloquium on ‘German Philhellenism’ at the Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge. The proceedings of the event have since been published in the journal Publications of the English Goethe Society.

The event formed part of the Faculty’s regular series of Classical Reception Discussion Group’ seminars and colloquia, sponsored by the X-Caucus, which focuses on interdisciplinary aspects of the Classics.

The timetable can be found below.

CLASSICAL RECEPTION DISCUSSION GROUP – ONE-DAY COLLOQUIUM ON ‘GERMAN PHILHELLENISM’

Saturday 15th December 2012, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge (Room G.21)

This interdisciplinary colloquium aims to explore what we mean by “German philhellenism”, its boundaries, and its relevance and importance for various disciplines, including Classics/Classical Reception, German history, Germanistik, and English literature and history.

The day will include a number of 20-40-minute papers intended to spark in-depth discussion, which will be initiated by a response from one of the other speakers. The colloquium will conclude with a panel discussion and summing-up.

REGISTRATION (10.30-11am)

11.00 – Introduction

11.15 – Prof. Simon Goldhill (Cambridge: Classics/CRASSH) – ‘The End of It All: tragedy and idealist criticism’ (response by Clare Foster).

12.00 – Dr. Katherine Harloe (Reading: Classics) – ‘Philhellenism and Enlightenment(s): thinking about the early history of German philhellenism’ (response by Damian Valdez).

13.00 – LUNCH BREAK

14.00 – Dr. Damian Valdez (Cambridge: History) – ‘The ideal and pathos of male friendship in German philhellenism’ (response by Katherine Harloe).

15.00 – Dr. Stefano Evangelista (Oxford: English) – ‘From Hellenism to Art for Art’s Sake: Anglo-German Cultural Traffic in the Nineteenth Century’ (response by Simon Goldhill).

15.45 – TEA BREAK

16.00 – Dr. Helen Roche (Cambridge: Classics/History) – ‘Problematising German philhellenism in the twentieth century and beyond: some informal reflections’.

16.15 – Panel Discussion, chaired by Clare Foster (Cambridge: Classics).

17.00 – Summing-up; end of Colloquium.