一九世紀ドイツの東アジア像と帝国主義進出 : 絵入り新聞に映し出された世界認識

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Germany became a unified nation and followed the example of other Western European countries by taking the path of industrialization and capitalism. In time, Germany’s perspective and approach also came to be oriented toward the world outside its borders, and the country went on to expand its activities on a global level through the establishment of a modern navy and the acquisition of overseas colonies.
In what way did German society’s perspective of the non-occidental change because of its process of modernization? This paper considers Germany’s recognition of East Asia to exemplify the meaning of modernization and explores the changes in world view that accompanied German modernization from the country’s perspectives of East Asia and its approach toward the region.
In terms of specific methodology, this paper considers Leipziger Illustrirte Zeitung (Illustrated Leipzig News) that was popular in the late 19th century as historical materials. First, the manner in which this newspaper reported the establishment of the navy as a symbol of modernization is examined. Next, the strong interest evinced by the newspaper in the culture of China and Japan, which were regarded as backward countries, is evaluated. However, by the end of the 19th century, the main topic of news in the newspaper turned to the political situation in East Asia. The realities of Germany’s own approach to modernization and its shifts in worldview are disguised in its view of the external world of East Asia. In other words, the recognition of the self is found hidden in the perception of the other depicted by contemporary Germans.
Thus, this paper elucidates certain aspects of worldview reflected in the illustrated German newspaper by questioning the relationship between imperialism and 19th century Germany’s image of East Asia.