From Arthur to Tolkien to ‘Star Trek’ A lecture series at TU Braunschweig highlights the history of fantastic literature

Stories of magic and sorcery, mythical creatures and alternative worlds have been told since the beginning of time. But how has our relationship with the fantastic changed over the course of history? This question is the focus of the lecture series ‘Phantastische Welten’ (Fantastic Worlds) at Technische Universität Braunschweig. The 13 lectures cover a wide range of topics from the Middle Ages to the present day: from the legendary Arthurian novels to the classic fantasy of the 19th and 20th centuries and on to the modern fantasy and science fiction universes.

“Imagination is indispensable for every art – whether poetry, visual arts, music,” says Professor Andrea Schindler from the Institute of German Studies at TU Braunschweig, who organised the lecture series. “It allows us to be transported to other worlds, worlds that turn our knowledge of the world and the laws of nature we know on their heads.” Door knockers come to life, figures can be read out of books, dragons and centaurs populate the regions, time runs differently or gravity obeys different rules. “For the protagonists, this doesn’t have to be anything special. If they belong in these worlds, then all of this is perfectly normal for them. And perhaps the ‘infinite vastness’ into which science fiction takes us is not as fantastic as it seems,” says Professor Schindler.

From the marvellous to the inexplicable

The development of fantasy shows a remarkable change: while in the Middle Ages the ‘marvellous’ mainly referred to things that simply amazed people, in the 19th and 20th centuries the inexplicable found its way into literature. Today, it is often grand, mythically charged world views that dominate fantasy literature. But science fiction is not necessarily as far removed from reality as it seems at first glance. Many of its former visions of the future have now become part of our everyday lives.

The lecture series brings together experts from TU Braunschweig and renowned guests, and also involves students. For example, student Alexander Darsow will talk about ‘From the Harz Mountains to the Sorcerer. The Wild Hunt through Time’. Other topics include ‘Phantasms as a Mirror of the World’, the world creations of J.R.R. Tolkien, fantastic wars, gender in ‘Star Trek’ and virtual worlds in youth literature and media.

Collaboration with schoolchildren

In addition, the collaboration with teacher Robert Hain from the Verein der Freunde der Weltliteratur (Association of Friends of World Literature) made it possible to involve students from the Braunschweig Integrated Comprehensive School ‘Franzsches Feld’ in the series. After projects with a seventh grade, the current lecture series now offers the opportunity to cooperate with the advanced placement course ‘Art and Literature’ of the school’s advanced placement programme. On 24 June, the students will report on the transformation of the dragon painting.

Lecture Series: Fantastic Worlds

From 15 April to 15 July 2025, every Tuesday, 6:45 p.m.
Haus der Wissenschaft, Lecture Hall PK 11.1, Pockelsstraße 11
All dates can be found here.

Admission is free.