For quite some time, Stefan George and his circle have attracted considerable attention. The main focus is generally on the persons who belonged to his circle their individual background, political convictions and sexual preferences. But what does all that have to do with the creation of poetry in the Stefan George circle? The author shows that both aspects are associated with a comprehensive concept of imitation. Via stylistic imitation in writing poems, Stefan George's aim was to educate his followers to imitate him in the field of ethics and thus to indirectly influence the education of the whole nation.

Gunilla Eschenbach, Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach.