Germany's First Comics Professorship Puts Barbara Yelin at the Helm
Germany is set to establish its first professorship dedicated to the art of comics. The new role at Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design will be led by award-winning artist Barbara Yelin. Funding for the position comes from the Bernhold Leisinger Foundation, marking a significant step for comic research in the country.
The professorship aims to strengthen both comic research and artistic production in the German-speaking world. It will focus on contemporary comics in all forms, from visual storytelling to documentary projects. The department also plans to explore how comics can serve as mediators in academic and cultural discussions.
Barbara Yelin, known for her acclaimed graphic novels, will head the new chair. Her work *Emmy Arbel: The Color of Memory*, based on conversations with a Holocaust survivor, has earned multiple awards. Another of her notable books, *Irmina*, examines life under the Third Reich through a deeply personal lens. Beyond her artistic contributions, Yelin actively builds networks within the comics community. She co-founded *How Are You Living? Artists Against Antisemitism, Hate, and Racism*, an initiative promoting solidarity among creators. The new department will encourage collaboration between artists and scholars, fostering a space where practice and research develop side by side. The creation of this professorship reflects a growing recognition of comics as a serious medium in Germany. While countries like France and Belgium have long treated comics as a scholarly discipline, German academia has been slower to embrace them. Recent developments, such as a 2020s dissertation at the University of Hamburg on comics as educational media and research by scholars like Daniel Stein, signal a shift in perception.
The new professorship at Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design will provide a dedicated space for comic art and scholarship. With Barbara Yelin at the helm, the department is expected to elevate the medium's role in cultural and academic conversations. The initiative also highlights the increasing importance of comics in addressing historical and social themes.
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