Identity in the discourse of German literature before the XIII century: philosophical and cultural contexts

Issues of ethnicity and identity are more relevant for Germany today than ever before due to the consequences of the migration policy of the ruling CDU party as well as the migration crisis in Europe. The purpose of this study is analyzing the formation of German identity through the available today literature. In order to understand how we can answer the question of what a German’s identity is today, it’s necessary to trace the development of German identity in diachronicity. The novelty of this study lies in the analysis of German literature up to the XIII century in a cultural and philosophical context. This analysis is the basis for further research into the problem of identity formation in Germany. As a result of comparing the topics covered in literature from the beginning of writing in Germany to the XIII century with such historical factors as fragmentation and assimilation, the author concludes that by the XIII century we can talk about the formation of German virtues, which could form the basis of German identity.