His early work centered on the influence of Rilke on music but later focused on the works of Goethe (especially Faust), Hesse, Kafka, Mann, Brecht. More recently he has helped to understand the influence of Protestantism on Germany directly after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
His research initially focused on the influence of Rilke on music, later expanding to include works by Goethe (especially Faust), Hesse, Kafka, Mann, and Brecht. More recently, he has contributed to understanding the influence of Protestantism on Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall.