Goethe

Goethe (1749-1832) sought to promote what he dubbed Weltliteratur by translating works from Greek, Latin, Spanish, French and English. His literary interests were not limited, however, to the European. His West-Östlicher Divan introduced the use of Persian motifs into German poetry, and sparked much interest in Hafez, who had recently been translated into Persian by the Austrian orientalist and diplomat, Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall (1774-1856).

The benefit of translations and studies of the thought and literature of other peoples was for the language and culture of the source as well as the target. German cuture benefited from Carlyle's study of Schiller as much as did English culture, for example, just as German studies of Byron and Shakespeare focused on aspects of these figures that had been missed by the English. Goethe encouraged literary salons and journals in Weimar to realize the Enlightenment ideals of tolerance and mutual understanding that could bring peace:

Diese Zeitschriften, wie sie nach und nach ein größeres Publikum gewinnen, werden zu einer gehofften allgemeinen Weltliteratur auf das Wirksamste beitragen; nur wiederholen wir, daß nicht die Rede sein könne, die Nationen sollen überein denken, sondern sie sollen nur einander gewahr werden, sich begreifen und, wenn sie sich wechselseitig nicht lieben mögen, sich einander wenigstens dulden lernen.

These journals, as they gradually attract a wider public, will be very effective in contributing towards a general world literature; but, we must reeat, that it is out of the question that nations should think alike, they should only become aware of each other, understand each other and, if they cannot love each other, should at least tolerate each other.

The quotation and translation are from H. J. Hahn, German thought and culture (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995), 86.