Dr Y. Delhey (Yvonne)

Dr. Yvonne Delhey is Assistant Professor of German Literature and Culture.
She obtained her PhD from the University of Amsterdam in 2002 with a thesis about Reform Socialism and Literature in the GDR ('Schwarze Orchideen und andere blaue Blumen', Würzburg 2004). East German literature is still one of her research interests; currently addressing the literary and filmic work of Helga Schütz (b. 1937).

Her research interest focuses - within the context of modern German culture - on autobiographical and autofictive texts. It is engaged with a constructivist approach of cultural practices and explores how individual and collective identities are represented in contemporary and historical discourses.

On a separate track, out of that field evolved a different focus, persiflage on Hitler (e.g. 'Hipster Hitler' (2012) or 'Adolf. Äch bin wieder da!' (1998)). At first sight that interest might seem far-fetched, but it has had its origins in the exceptionally popular novel 'Er ist wieder da' (2012) by Timur Vermes, which is dominated by Hitler as I-narrator. See: 'Hitler Goes Pop' (2021) and 'Geschichte als intermediales Narrativ. Hitler und das kollektive Gedächtnis' (2020).

Her teaching expertise in the field of German as a Foreign Language and intercultural learning has been proven in various projects, also as programme coordinator in international European context.

Her current teaching and research deal with the perception, construction and delineation of otherness in discursive processes of identity-formation, especially in texts considered as migrant narratives resp. narratives addressing and representing experiences of escape, displacement and migration. She is involved in a European group of academic teachers and lecturers in the field of German as a Foreign Language where these issues are discussed. First results will be presented at the XV. IVG-Congress in 2025 in Graz (A).