Title: Colonial fantasies
First published: 1997
Description: Since Germany became a colonial power relatively late, postcolonial theorists and histories of colonialism have thus far paid little attention to it. Uncovering Germany's colonial legacy and imagination, Susanne Zantop reveals the significance of colonial fantasies - a kind of colonialism without colonies - in the formation of German national identity.

Through readings of historical, anthropological, literary, and popular texts, Zantop explores imaginary colonial encounters of "Germans" with "natives" in late-eighteenth- and early-nineteenth-century literature, and shows how these colonial fantasies acted as a rehearsal for actual colonial ventures in Africa, South America, and the Pacific.
Subjects: History, German literature, History and criticism, Imperialism, Family in literature, National characteristics, German, in literature, Colonies in literature, Nationalism, Nationalism in literature, Military history in literature, Foreign relations, German literature, history and criticism, 19th century, German literature, history and criticism, 18th century, Nationalism, germany, National characteristics in literature, Families in literature
Places: Germany
Time periods: 19th century, 18th century, 1789-1900