The manual examines the key problems of the literary process in German-speaking countries and their relationship with the social situation in a given era. Its goal is to acquaint students studying German philology with the main representatives of German-language literature and their work, describe their contribution to the development of European literature and culture, and also show the role of literature as the guardian of the creative heritage, the picture of the world of German speakers. In addition to lecture material, this manual contains questions for discussion at seminars, as well as tasks for students’ independent work. For teachers of universities and specialized schools with in-depth study of the German language.