The German periodical “Merkur. Deutsche Zeitschrift für europäisches Denken” has been published since 1947. “Merkur” has played a crucial part in shaping the intellectual landscape of Germany, as well as of Europe. It was founded in the French occupational zone (Baden-Baden). The tension of the political confrontation between East and West has left its mark on its shape. The journal has regularly published translations from nearly all European, American and Asian literatures, adding ample commentary and paratexts.
The paper is devoted to the dynamics of the translations from the East European literatures published by “Merkur”. The analysis focuses on the following factors: (1) research potential of the editorial archive and social factors of circulation of literary texts, (2) political-cultural potential of the journal, (3) „Merkur’s” space in the transnational field, (4) economic and programmatic role of the cooperating periodicals, (5) functions of mediators and translators in the framework of politicised import of East European literature.
Słowa kluczowe: journal studies, literary transfer, circulation of literature, literary translations in periodicals