Kongeniale Konjunktur der Konjektur?

Abstract

The article reassesses Carl von Kraus’s practice of editing medieval German poetry. Although Kraus has often been criticized for his extensive use of conjectural emendation and his confidence in reconstructing the original text, his work deserves a more differentiated evaluation. By examining examples from his critical editions of Walther von der Vogelweide, Des Minnesangs Frühling , and the Deutsche Liederdichter des 13. Jahrhunderts , the study contrasts Kraus’s philological methods with the practices of modern manuscript-oriented editing. While highlighting the methodological weaknesses of some of Kraus’s highly interpretive interventions, it also demonstrates the value of his meticulous philological reasoning, his concern for poetic form, and his remarkable editorial transparency. The article concludes that contemporary editors should avoid both excessive conjectural reconstruction and uncritical adherence to manuscript transmission, suggesting instead a balanced, reflective editorial practice that acknowledges uncertainty while engaging critically with textual problems.