Das Rolandslied

Das Rolandslied, edited by the philologist Emil Winkler and published by C. Winter in 1919, emerged from the scholarly tradition of Romance philology in the early twentieth century. This edition serves as a critical study of the medieval French epic, the Chanson de Roland, reflecting the rigorous academic interest in Old French linguistics and literature that characterized European universities of the era. By re-examining the text in the aftermath of the First World War, Winkler provided students and researchers with a refined look at the foundational narrative of the Carolingian cycle.

The editorial design of the volume adheres to the functionalist aesthetic common to academic German presses of the post-war period, prioritizing readability and scholarly annotation over ornamentation. C. Winter, a publisher well-regarded for its contributions to linguistics and humanities, sought to ensure that Winkler’s critical apparatus—which explores the rhythmic structure and thematic evolution of the epic—was presented with clarity. The work was received primarily within professional academic circles as a reliable pedagogical tool for understanding the evolution of the epic form and the linguistic transitions from Old French.