Emil Cioran in Germania: L’influenza di Ludwig Klages

This article examines Ludwig Klages’ influence on Emil Cioran’s work. Drawing on the theories of Harold Bloom, Roland Barthes, Gilles Deleuze, and Julia Kristeva, it argues that Cioran did not merely imitate the authors he read, contrary to Lucian Blaga’s claim in a 1959 essay, published posthumously in 1962, titled Farsa originalitãþii. In this essay, Blaga asserted that Cioran had copied the ideas, works, and style of his mentors—particularly Nietzsche, Klages, and Spengler— without adding anything original to his own writing. However, a detailed analysis of Cioran’s texts shows the opposite: intertextual passages that allowed him to craft a literary corpus rich in cultural and multicultural elements, while remaining deeply original. German philosophy, especially Klages’ ideas, undeniably shaped Cioran’s thinking, as shown by scholarly analyses. Still, this influence did not stop Cioran from expressing his unique reflections. The textual dialogue in his works links diverse writings, where the transformation and the reworking of sources not only highlight the variety of materials used, but also suggest a dynamic, evolving thought process. This process reflects the vitality and constant evolution of Cioran’s ideas.