notably "Rip van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" – are based on German folktales. Within Germany, the nationalistic aspect was further emphasized during the National Socialist era. Folklore studies, Volkskunde, were co-opted as a political tool, to seek out traditional customs to support the idea of historical continuity with a Germanic culture. Anti-Semitic folklore such as the blood libel legend was also emphasized. See also Continental Germanic mythology German Legends References External links Johann Karl August Musäus Projekt Gutenberg DE (in German) German Fairy Tales and Folklore Collected by Fairytales (in English)