Ulrich Becher: A Computer-Assisted Case Study of the Reception of an Exile

Ulrich Becher's publications have spanned fifty years, a career matched by few other Hitler exiles, for whom mere survival was a mark of distinction. Like most exile authors, Becher and his works stand outside the literary canon. Reception aesthetics, because it focuses on the audience and other social and cultural factors, provides a critical perspective that is especially informative in the study of lesser known authors. Computer-assisted statistical analysis makes possible the treatment of massive amounts of secondary material, thereby strengthening critical insights into the literary-historical process.