"Within the English-speaking world, no work of the German High Middle Ages is better known than the Nibelungenlied, which has stirred the imagination of artists and readers far beyond its land of origin. Its international influence extends from literature to music, art, and film, to politics and propaganda, psychology, archeology, and military history. Now for the first time, all references to the vast Nibelungen tradition have been catalogued in this comprehensive encyclopedia containing nearly 1,200 entries by 60 distinguished scholars from around the world. Readers will find illuminating passages on a wide variety of topics, including literary and extra-literary references, characters and place names, significant motifs and concepts, historical background, and cultural reception through the centuries. This monumental work is an invaluable guide to a fascinating, age-old tradition."--BOOK JACKET.