A LITERARY CHRONICLER: EGON ERWIN KISCH'S DISCOVERIES IN MEXICO

Abstract

This article examines Discoveries in Mexico by Egon Erwin Kisch as a key work in the genre of literary chronicle and in German-language exile literature in Mexico during the twentieth century. Through a historical-literary and comparative approach, the authors analyze Kisch’s practice as a “master of literary reportage,” emphasizing his ability to combine journalistic, narrative, and fictional strategies in representing Mexican social, cultural, and historical realities. The study situates the book within the context of antifascist exile, highlighting Mexico’s role as a space of political and intellectual refuge and the importance of editorial and cultural networks that enabled the production and circulation of these texts. It also explores Kisch’s position within the German literary tradition on Mexico, stressing his effort to avoid exoticizing and Eurocentric perspectives in favor of a critical and empathetic engagement with the host culture. Through the analysis of emblematic chronicles—addressing maize, ancient pyramids, Jewish exile, the Habsburg empire, and the birth of the Paricutín volcano—the article demonstrates how Kisch intertwines reflections on colonialism, modernity, mass media, and historical memory. The article concludes that Discoveries in Mexico is a seminal work due to both its literary quality and its anticipation of social and cultural issues that would later shape modern Mexican chronicle writing.