The anthologist does not live who can compile a collection of short stories and avoid loud protests for his omissions. In the field of the German short story the choice is so wide that an inclusion of all favorites would make a volume of encyclopedic bulk. This anthology puts forth a comprehensive group of short novels and tales, selected primarily because they are representative of the main currents of German literature and those great national figures-Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Hauptmann, Thomas Mann, Zweig and others-who made it the world’s heritage.