For many weeks the terrorist attacks of 9 11 dominated the newspapers which covered the
consequences with an unprecedented immediateness. This study looks at diverging representations
of 9 11 in U.S. and German newspapers ( New York Times Washington Post Frankfurter Allgemeine
Zeitung Süddeutsche Zeitung ) and explores effects on its possible readerships. The impact of
the attacks forms of heroism the enactment of leadership various demonstrations of
patriotism and grief as well as the textual and visual presentation of the attacks are analyzed
in detail. These intermedial representations reaffirm or contest U.S. American grand
narratives. While the German newspapers tend to focus on information and analysis the U.S.
papers tend to strengthen shattered U.S. American identity constructions. The study is based on
nearly 2 000 newspaper articles and documents the wide scope of topics prevalent in the post-9
11 newspaper coverage.
