The moment I meet a ghost, it would bring back countless years of memories. I am actually that demonic beast that everyone fears, but in reality, that isn't the case ...

This is the first full-length study in almost ninety years on the German ghost story as a literary form. In-depth examinations of eight of the most outstanding tales in German literature reveal many common characteristics which establish this form as a genre. Arresting new interpretations of the works emerge, offering a rationale for the value of generic determination in literary appreciation.