"German writers in the late 18th century were the first to uphold a prickly, literary nationalism, in reaction to the then dominance and prestige of French literature."
- Pankaj MishraGerman writers started promoting their own distinctive literary style as a means of defining their national identity in the latter half of the 18th century. The overwhelming influence and adoration for French literature that dominated European culture at the time served as a major catalyst for this …