The aim in writing this essay was an attempt to clarify certain aspects of Sternheim's novel, Europa. With the exception of Wolfgang Wendler's book on Sternheim, Weltvorstellung und Kunstprinzipien, which only deals with his novel in a general spasmodic way, there has been a surprising and regrettable lack of research on Europa. Researchers have tended in the past to focus their attention on Sternheim's plays to the detriment of a systematic study of his proseworks. One aspect of Sternheim's

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... rt stories, articles etc., has, however, received much critical attention. Several critics have discussed Sternheirn's idiosyncratic style, his use of language and its Expressionist features. I have chosen deliberately to omit the linguistic and stylistic aspects of Europa in this essay in favour of a more detailed study of its themes wherein the real value and interest of the work lies.