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What do you teach at Ca’ Foscari? What are your main research interests? 
My name is Claus Zittel. I come from Germany and I teach German literature - I am particularly interested in the boundary between literature and philosophy and therefore in literary and philosophical aesthetics. I am very interested in early modern literature and culture, but also in Nietzsche and modern literature. My passion is the classics, but I also love rediscovering forgotten authors and editing their works.

Tell us about your academic path.
My academic career has not been linear, as I have been active in different disciplines and countries. For many years I taught philosophy in Germany and German literature in Poland, while I did research at the Institute of Art History in Florence, had research stays in the United States, several visiting professorships in China and Italy, until I was lucky enough to direct an interdisciplinary research centre in Stuttgart and now in Venice.

 What is the aspect of your research you are most passionate about?
The universe of literature is infinite and unfathomable.

What does teaching and researching mean to you?
My idea is still to combine both, namely present the latest research through teaching, but also get ideas for research through teaching.

What would you say to young people starting their university career?
Don't think about credit points or finishing your studies as fast as possible, but pursue your passions, immerse yourself in the subject and don't worry about subject boundaries. Read whatever you want, but read, read, read...