The history of German literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day is described. The main attention is paid to the change in literary trends, a detailed description of the aesthetics of Baroque and Classicism, masterpieces of the Enlightenment and Romanticism is given, and the main stages in the formation of realistic prose are revealed. Separate chapters are devoted to the works of Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Heinrich and Thomas Mann, as well as the achievements of modern German writers - Böll, Grass, Süskind. Intended for students preparing to become German language teachers and translators, as well as anyone interested in foreign literature.< /p>