The Echo of Die Blechtrommel in Europe presents an overview and analysis of the critical reception of Günter Grass’s classic novel throughout Europe. Starting from the reviews on its first publication in Germany in 1959, it follows the reception of its translations in Poland, Italy, the UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Finland and Sweden. Press reviews for the general public form the main object of research in this volume.
The articles reveal the different roles played by religious, political and ideological matters in the reception of the novel in the respective European countries. The articles, written by specialists from the countries under study, also reveal national differences and resemblances in the institutions of literary life in Europe.