Umschreiben

The edition Lieber Chef … (2016), published by Antaios Verlag, contains transcriptions of Armin Mohler’s letters as well as ›paraphrases‹ of Ernst Jünger’s letters. The article analyzes how the ›paraphrases‹ rewrite Jünger’s letters, which are stored in the Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach, in a way that suits the New Right politically. Through this practice of rewriting, the New Right’s narrative, according to which Ernst Jünger would stand on their political side today, gains coherence. A look at Jünger’s original letters is instructive, however, because it can show not only which techniques of appropriation this narrative requires, but also where – and how – Jünger actually aligns himself with the discourses of the New Right.