The editing of texts is a central function of philology. Besides large complete editions, nowadays there is a call for user-oriented critical historical editions of individual works from more recent German literary history, and these can also include editions of correspondence, diaries or other text-types and corpora. The criterion for inclusion in the Exempla critica is not so much whether a text belongs to the canon, but rather the exemplary nature of the text in terms of its tradition, genesis, materiality, mediality, or edition history. The series presents texts in a historical-critical form, whereby innovative editing methods and forms of presentation can also be used. The historical-authentic text is at the center of all editions, supplemented by a documentation of its history of creation, printing, and reception, as well as any additional contextual information.
