Peter Hohendahl, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of German Studies and professor of comparative literature, was celebrated April 29-30 at the conference "Literature and Criticism in the Public Sphere" at the A.D. White House, in honor of his retirement.

Anette Schwarz, chair of German studies, called the conference "a great mix of serious intellectual exchanges and warm personal tributes to a great scholar who has changed the field of German studies and defined the vision and mission of the German studies department."

In her remarks, Leslie Adelson, director of Cornell's Institute for German Cultural Studies (IGCS), noted the IGCS owes its existence to the "generous intellectual vision" of Hohendahl, who served as its founding director from 1992 to 2007.

"Peter has been astonishingly good at inspiring people from many countries -- over several decades of meticulous scholarship, devoted teaching, editorial initiative and professional mentoring -- into the interdisciplinary field of German studies as it bears on the humanities," she said.

Adelson also quoted Max Pensky, professor of philosophy at Binghamton University, who called Hohendahl "one of the most influential German literary critics of his generation. Remarkably, he is also considered one of the foremost theorists and historians of critical theory in a broadly international field of scholarship." Pensky described Hohendahl's work as a combination of "pellucid analysis, capacious scholarship and intellectual generosity."

Adelson announced that thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor, IGCS has established the Peter Uwe Hohendahl Graduate Essay Prize in Critical Theory. She quoted the donor as saying that the prize signals "that critical theory and critical historical inquiry are fundamental to engaged encounter with our times."

The conference featured lectures by colleagues at Cornell as well as Hohendahl's former doctoral advisees, including the 2011 president of the Modern Language Association, Russell Berman of Stanford University, who gave the keynote address.

Many of the speakers emphasized Hohendahl's exemplary teaching and mentoring. Perhaps the most creative salute to Hohendahl was a group sing-a-long of a harbor shanty from his hometown of Hamburg, accompanied by students on accordion, violin and guitar.

A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's coveted Prize for Humanists, Hohendahl is the author of numerous books in English and German. His areas of expertise include 18th- to 20th-century German literature; intellectual history; literary and social theory; and comparative literature.

In his speech at the end of the conference, Hohendahl said that he'd made a conscious decision to stay in German studies in the U.S.; because of the many intellectual opportunities the American higher education system has given him, he feels a great sense of gratitude.

The numerous sponsors of the conference are a testament to the impact his decision has had on the university: the College of Arts and Sciences, Departments of Comparative Literature, German Studies, Government, History and Philosophy; Institute for German Cultural Studies; Heinrich and Alice Schneider Memorial Lecture Funds; Society for the Humanities; Bowmar Chair; Institute for European Studies; and the Max Kade Foundation.

Linda B. Glaser is a staff writer for the College of Arts and Sciences.