Valentin Wölflmaier

Valentin joined the department in 2026. He holds a B.A. in German Literature and Philosophy from Humboldt University of Berlin and an M.A. in Creative Writing and Editing from the University of Hildesheim. He has completed periods of study at the University of Cambridge, the Università degli Studi di Sassari, and Goethe University Frankfurt. His studies were supported by the Minerva-Kolleg and a Deutschlandstipendium.

His research focuses on German literature from the eighteenth century to the present. He also takes a broad interest in aesthetic and literary theory, particularly regarding literary form, the relationship between literature and knowledge, and the question of “contemporaneity” (Zeitgenossenschaft). Prior to Princeton, Valentin worked as a research assistant at the University of Hildesheim, focusing on the author Marianne Fritz and the Italian poet Amelia Rosselli.

His teaching experience includes leading a writing workshop at the University of Hildesheim, serving as a tutor at the Zurich University of the Arts, and facilitating reading circles at the community college level (Volkshochschule).

Alongside his academic pursuits, Valentin has worked as a cultural journalist and literary critic. He has contributed reviews of literature, poetry, and theater to various German media outlets, such as Deutschlandfunk and taz, and previously served as a full time reporter for the Berliner Zeitung.

He also writes and publishes his own literary texts. His work has been recognized with stage productions—such as at the Dramenlabor at Theater Münster in 2022—and various awards, including a 2023 Literature Work Grant from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture.