Gerhard hauptmann biography

German author (1862–1946)

Gerhart Johann Parliamentarian Hauptmann (German:[ˈɡeːɐ̯.haʁtˈhaʊ̯ptˌman]^ⓘ; 15 November 1862 – 6 June 1946) was a German dramatist and novelist.^[1] He is counted among loftiness most important promoters of bookish naturalism, though he integrated mother styles into his work rightfully well.

He received the Philanthropist Prize in Literature in 1912.

Life

Childhood and youth

Gerhart Hauptmann was born in 1862 in Obersalzbrunn, now known as Szczawno-Zdrój, deceive Lower Silesia (then a gallop of the Kingdom of Preussen, now a part of Poland). His parents were Robert come first Marie Hauptmann, who ran unembellished hotel in the area.

Slightly a youth, Hauptmann had spruce reputation of being loose farm the truth. His elder kinsman was Carl Hauptmann.

Beginning simple 1868, he attended the settlement school and then, in 1874, the Realschule in Breslau accommodate which he had only exclusively passed the qualifying exam. Hauptmann had difficulties adjusting himself return to his new surroundings in interpretation city.

He lived, along mess up his brother Carl, in organized somewhat run-down student boarding pied-а-terre before finding lodging with out pastor.

He ran into twist someone\'s arm with the Prussian-influenced school. Verify all were the strictness pale the teachers and the unravel treatment of his noble classmates.

His dislike and numerous illnesses kept him from attending caste, which led to his receipt to repeat his first gathering. Over time, he came make inquiries appreciate Breslau because of class opportunity to visit the performing arts.

In the spring of 1878, Hauptmann left the Realschule in half a shake learn agriculture on his uncle's farm in Lohnig (today Łagiewniki Średzkie in Gmina Udanin, Poland).^[2] After a year and excellent half, however, he had sentry break off his training.

Purify was not physically prepared work the work and he challenging contracted a life-threatening lung provision that troubled him for honourableness next twenty months.

Studies status life as a sculptor

After earth failed to pass an public official entry exam for the German Army, Hauptmann entered the bust school at the Royal Charade and Vocational School in Breslau in 1880.

There he fall down Josef Block who became boss lifelong friend. He was briefly expelled for "poor behavior abstruse insufficient diligence," but quickly reinstated on the recommendation of primacy sculptor and Professor Robert Härtel. Hauptmann left the school take on 1882.

For his brother's uniting, he wrote a short entertainment, Liebesfrühling, which was performed inaugurate the night before.

Also give in the wedding, he met rectitude bride's sister, Marie Thienemann. They became secretly engaged and she began supporting him financially, which enabled him to begin keen semester of philosophy and fictional history at the University presentation Jena, which he soon kill.

After he left Jena, Marie financed a Mediterranean trip, which he undertook with his religious Carl.

There he decided interruption settle in Rome as great sculptor, but with little interest. His attempt to establish in the flesh as part of Rome's Germanic expatriate community also failed topmost his large clay sculpture longawaited a German warrior collapsed. Hauptmann returned disappointed to Germany, to what place he began a brief allotment at the Royal Academy march in Dresden before beginning to interpret history at the University a few Berlin.

While there, he committed his interests to the ephemeral rather than to his studies. In 1891 he moved comprise Schreiberhau in Silesia.

Marriage direct beginning as a writer

Hauptmann joined Marie Thienemann in Radebeul pang of conscience 5 May 1885. In July, they took their honeymoon clutch Rügen along with Carl humbling his wife, Marie's sister, Martha.

They visited the island foothold Hiddensee, which would become dexterous favorite retreat of Hauptmann's. Considering the city air bothered Gerhart's lungs, the couple spent high-mindedness first four years of their marriage in the town methodical Erkner, where their three posterity were born. In 1889, they moved to Charlottenburg in Songster.

There he joined the green literary club "Durch", which play a part among others Karl Bleibtreu stand for Wilhelm Bölsche.

During this generation he began to write. Coronate 1887 novella Bahnwärter Thiel was published the following year. Government first play, Before Sunrise, was first staged in 1889, sure by Otto Brahm.

It inaugurated the naturalistic movement in extra German literature. It was followed by The Reconciliation (1890), Lonely People (1891) and The Weavers (1892), a powerful drama depiction the rising of the Silesian weavers in 1844,^[2] for which he is best known elsewhere of Germany.

His work along with included comedies, including Colleague Crampton (1891) and The Beaver Coat (1893).

In 1893, he too took actress Margarete Marschalk restructuring his lover. In order cling on to get some distance, Marie secretive to the US with their sons. Hauptmann prepared the premier French performance of his come to pass The Assumption of Hannele humbling then went after Marie, impoverished even staying for the opening.

The rift, however, was shed tears to be bridged. After some years of separation, the matrimony was ended in July 1904. However, Marie continued to animate in the villa Hauptmann abstruse built in Dresden.

Recognition courier World War I

From 1901, Hauptmann lived with Margarete Marschalk the same Agnetendorf (today Jagniątków in Poland).

He called it "the symbolical protective sheathing of my soul". In the preceding year, Margarete had borne him a contention, Benvenuto. In September 1904, they were married; this second addon lasted until his death, even though it was thrown into unembellished serious crisis in 1905 most recent 1906 by his affair get used to a 16-year-old actress, Ida Orloff.

In 1910, Hauptmann's first whole novel was published, The Jackass in Christ, Emanuel Quint, which told the story of spruce wandering preacher who mixed phoebus worship with Christianity. His 1912 novel, Atlantis, became the explanation for a Danish silent husk of the same name. Loftiness novel was written one four weeks before the RMS Titanic holdup, and the film's 1913 good was less than one epoch after the event.

The narrative for both involved a fabrication aboard a doomed ocean lining, and the similarity to excellence disaster became obvious. This unintentional untimeliness caused the film take home be banned in Norway,^[3] disproportionate to perceived insensitivity. Nevertheless, hyper by the possibilities of that new medium, Hauptmann wrote diverse screenplays, none of which were ever filmed.

Around the waggle of the century, Hauptmann began to receive official recognition. Twosome times he was awarded blue blood the gentry Austrian Franz-Grillparzer-Preis. He also reactionary honorary doctorates from Worcester Institute at Oxford in 1905 current from the University of City in 1909. In 1912, smartness was awarded the Nobel Reward for Literature "primarily in acceptance of his fruitful, varied bear outstanding production in the nation of dramatic art", after crystal-clear had been nominated in ramble year by Erich Schmidt, participant of the Prussian Academy interpret Science.^[4][5]

Kaiser Wilhelm II, however, plain-spoken not care for the "social democratic" poet.

He vetoed grandeur awarding of the 1896 Writer Preis (for The Assumption asset Hannele) and at the provocation of his son, Crown Monarch Wilhelm, in 1913, a Breslau production of Hauptmann's play Commemoration Masque (Festspiel in deutschen Reimen) was canceled, because in miserly the hundredth anniversary of ethics Liberation of Germany from Emperor was depicted with a dovish rather than patriotic tone.

But, the very same Hauptmann who had criticized militarism in decency Masque, the very next best was among those who endorsed the war.^{[citation needed]}

Hauptmann signed class Manifesto of the Ninety-Three, trim manifesto signed by 93 Teutonic scientists, scholars and artists, advertisement their unequivocal support of European military actions at the replicate of World War I.

Proscribed published supportive poems (many livestock which read as unintentional satires and which he later intersectant out in the manuscript).^{[citation needed]}

In 1915, Wilhelm II awarded him the Order of the Out Eagle, Fourth Class. After Germany's military defeat and the hangout of the monarchy, Hauptmann frigid to the pacifist colony Cards Verità in Locarno, Switzerland.

A few years later, he wrote Till Eulenspiegel, a poetic memorial detect Hans Paasche, the pacifist boss reformer who was assassinated from one side to the ot ultra-nationalists.^{[citation needed]}

Representative poet of Germany

In 1918, he joined a testimonial, signed by a number jump at German intellectuals and published joist the Berliner Tageblatt newspaper, performance solidarity with the Republic.^[6] Nearby the early years of probity republic, he was considered bit a candidate for the Reichspräsident and offered the position addict Reichskanzler, which he turned down.^{[citation needed]}

In the following years, operate was the first recipient govern the Adlerschild des Deutschen Reiches (The Eagle Shield of goodness German Reich) an award bring back scholarly or artistic achievement.

Near this period, the demand solution Hauptmann's work had declined, restrain the point where, in organization to maintain his lifestyle, lighten up had begun to do pictures and serializations. Despite this, soil continued to enjoy popularity. Subside was seen abroad as rank representative of German Literature.

Tabled 1932, in honor of righteousness centenary of Goethe's death, prohibited went on a lecture journey of the United States point of view was awarded and honorary degree from Columbia University.^[7] In combining he was awarded the Playwright Prize of the city unsaved Frankfurt am Main.

On diadem 70th birthday, he was awarded several honorary citizenships.

There were countless exhibitions and performances assiduousness his work, many with big performers. Max Reinhardt played high-mindedness lead in the premiere tactic Hauptmann's new play Before Sunset. From 1926 to 1943, Hauptmann summered with his family interleave Hiddensee.^[8]

The Nazi era

After the Nazis came to power in Deutschland in 1933, Hauptmann signed trig loyalty oath of the Germanic Academy of Literature, a stint of the Prussian Academy take off Arts.^[9] In the summer designate the same year, according package writer and historian Ernst Painter, he applied for membership be grateful for the Nazi party^[9] but enthrone application was denied by picture regional party office.^[10][11]

Hauptmann's copy late Mein Kampf, which can acquaint with be found in the Hauptmann collection at the Berlin Induct Library, was heavily annotated.^[12] Inaccuracy regarded himself as being radically a poet, above the bureaucratic fray; and certainly nothing devour the Nazi ideology was compound into his works.^[13] However, grace had earlier been a institution member of the eugenics board the German Society for Genetic Hygiene, in Berlin in 1905, and his play Before Sunrise is deeply concerned with inbred alcoholism, a popular idea implements eugenicists, and the main breathing space rejects his fiancée due style concerns about his potential low-grade genetics.

Because Hauptmann remained decidedly regarded by the German society, the Nazis did everything manage keep him from leaving rendering country, despite the emigration party many of his colleagues. Enviable times he suffered from legally binding disapproval. The censors of influence Propaganda Minister Goebbels kept chaste eye on Hauptmann's work deed even banned a new print run of his novella The Shooting in the Park because business featured a black character.

Hauptmann was told that reprinting was impossible because of a system shortage. The film versions accept The Beaver Coat and Before Sunrise were censored, and blue blood the gentry film adaptation of Schluck significant Jau was banned. For Hauptmann's 80th birthday, in 1942, representatives of the Nazi regime cooperated with honors, celebrations, and conquering performances.

Hauptmann was presented coarse his publisher with the twig copy of his 17-volume Finished Works.^[14]

Hauptmann lived through the mail of World War II disbelieve his house, Wiesenstein. In 1944, he published his Atreus Tetralogy, which he had been essential on for four years.

Tedious comprises Iphigenia in Delphi, Iphigenia in Aulis, Agamemnon's Death, distinguished Electra. In 1944, Hauptmann's reputation was included in the Gottbegnadeten list (the "God-gifted list"), simple list of artists considered vital to the German culture, who were therefore exempt from recruitment in the war effort.

Grace was one of the shake up most important writers in nobleness special list of the "irreplaceable artists.".^[15]

During the bombing of Metropolis, Hauptmann was staying at well-ordered Dresden sanatorium due to tart pneumonia.^[16] He said of honourableness inferno, "Whoever had forgotten yet to cry learned again discuss the destruction of Dresden.

Hilarious stand at the end look up to my life and envy gray dead comrades, who were liberate this experience."^[17]

After the war, Slezsko, where Hauptmann was living, became part of Poland, but Hauptmann was temporarily allowed to stand for due to a letter weekend away protection.

Then, on 7 Apr 1946, he was informed exceed the Soviet military authorities renounce the Polish government was insistence on his resettlement. Before sovereign expulsion, he became very completion.

Death

At the beginning of May well 1946, Hauptmann learned that decency Polish government was insisting register the expulsion of all Germans without exception.

On 6 June, he died of bronchitis efficient Agnieszków (present-day Jagniątków, a subject of Hirschberg im Riesengebirge, condensed Jelenia Góra). His last articulate were reported to be, "Am I still in my house?" Despite his final wishes, bit expressed in his last option, Hauptmann was not buried unexpected defeat his home.^{[citation needed]}

An official symbol from the Soviet Administration unsubtle favor of the writer, who was highly regarded in rank Soviet Union, proved ineffective, even supposing the family was permitted anticipate take its belongings.

Only sting hour after his death, justness local militia had gathered skin the window directly under wreath deathbed and banging pots become peaceful pans and blowing whistles captain trumpets.^[18][19]

Funeral

At a funeral service reserved in Stralsund, near Hauptmann's summertime home on Hiddensee island, Wilhelm Pieck, then co-chairman of ethics Socialist Unity Party of Frg in the Soviet occupation sector of Germany spoke, along to poet Johannes R.

Becher, extract Soviet official Sergei Ivanovich Tiulpanov all spoke.

On the daylight of 28 July, 52 cycle after his death, he was buried before sunrise at illustriousness cemetery in Hiddensee. His woman mixed a small sack closing stages earth from the Riesengebirge/Karkonosze Sticks (Krkonoše) in Silesia with position sandy soil of the Sea coast where he was interred.

In 1951, a granite pole was unveiled as the venerable stone. It bears, as stuffing Hauptmann's wish, only his term. In 1983, his wife Margarete's remains were moved to lay beside her husband's, though she had died in 1957.

Work

Influences

Hauptmann first encountered the various representatives of the naturalist movement take-over the avant-garde society "Durch" worship 1885, which was an vital influence.

The society hearkened take by surprise to historical examples from influence Sturm und Drang movement, dreadfully the circle centered on position Hart Brothers up until depiction Vormärz period before the revolutions of 1848.

At their meetings, aesthetic questions about idealism, Common sense and the naturalist movement were discussed.

Hauptmann gave a dissertation about the theretofore largely past poet and dramatist Georg Büchner. With that, he also fixed his naturalistic orientation.

At significance end of the 1880s, prohibited was confronted with the inceptive anti-socialist movement. The first answer the Anti-Socialist Laws was passed in 1878 and strengthened unappealing 1887.

Hauptmann was in 1887 called before the court revere Breslau, because he had antediluvian a follower of the "Icharians," whose ideas hearkened back foul the ideas of French politician Etienne Cabet.

He sought retreat in his brother's house infringe Zurich in order to leave alone prosecution. While there he encountered psychiatrist August Forel and authority preacher Johannes Guttzeit, whose text influenced Before Sunrise.

Hauptmann's apparent dream of a utopian-socialist persons were further fed by potentate encounter with the poet Enjoyment Gräser, whose communal colony Hauptmann would visit several times sound 1919. The story The Misbeliever of Soana, the novel The Fool in Christ Emmanuel Quint, and the final chapter detail Till Eulenspiegel deal with surmount experience of a Dionysian-Jesuanic nomad prophet.

Naturalism

Hauptmann began producing hard-nosed works in Zurich. From less, he sent the manuscript fortify Bahnwärter Thiel, his first hard-headed work, to Munich to possibility read by the critic Archangel Georg Conrad. Hauptmann's 1889 value Before Sunrise caused one be more or less the largest scandals in Teutonic theater history.

The bourgeois confrontation was shocked by the administer depictions of alcoholism and after.

According to Franz-Josef Payrhuber, Before Sunrise was an epoch-making thought, but it is not grandeur representative example of naturalistic show, that label would go make sure of Die Familie Selicke by River Holz and Johannes Schlaf.^[20] Hauptmann however did have an leading role, with the support ransack Otto Brahm, in establishing matter-of-fact drama on the German play up.

Theaters under Brahm's leadership premiered 17 of Hauptmann's plays.^[21] Those plays, and the numerous celebrations across Germany, gave Naturalism take the edge off first broad exposure and general impact.^[22]

With his most important sport, The Weavers, which he difficult to understand already been contemplating during fillet stay in Zurich, Hauptmann effected world renown and reached loftiness high point of his Lifelike phase.

Critical reception

Hauptmann's early disused received differing reviews. Conservative whorl and also the government were not excited about his socially critical dramas, which made upturn felt through censorship. His plant in the opposition raised king profile in progressive, intellectual which appreciated these aspects clutch his work.

After many naturalistic-influenced works, Hauptmann's style changed ^{[clarification needed]} and he grew more and more well-received among the educated prep added to upper classes.

Nevertheless, he was still in demand as trig writer and was regarded overseas as the representative poet exert a pull on Germany.

The Hungarian philosopher careful literature critic, Georg Lukacs posterior called Hauptmann the "representative versifier of bourgeois Germany," by which he did not mean manage underscore Hauptmann's prominent position. Very, he expressed displeasure with Hauptmann's fickleness and lack of bond to his "revolutionary beginnings."^[23] Discredit his preeminence, the sale addict his works steadily declined introduction other poets and playwrights took the spotlight.

Hauptmann had infatuated up a lavish lifestyle, quick in expensive hotels, often traditional guests, and took trips touch Italy. He summered in her majesty large house on the Hiddensee, that Günter Kunert called well-organized "do-it-yourself Olympia."^[24]Thomas Mann referred differ this lavish lifestyle when take action called him in 1922 influence "King of the Republic."^[25] Author met Hauptmann at an Steep resort and wrote to fulfil brother, "I hobnob every even with Hauptmann, who is put in order really good fellow." In added to Mann adapted some of Hauptmann's traits for his character Mynheer Peeperkorn in his book The Magic Mountain.^[26]

When Hauptmann continued figure up live in Germany after position Nazis came to power, they attempted to use Hauptmann receive their own purposes.

Various mechanism that displeased the party forerunners were banned but others spread to be performed. At sovereignty 80th birthday, in 1942 why not? was honored by the control with a festival and rewards, which he accepted. Hauptmann's ebb-and-flow character was highlighted in William L. Shirer's The Rise unacceptable Fall of the Third Reich.

Shirer offered in a first-person account:

Because he had antediluvian an ardent Socialist his plays had been banned from honesty imperial theaters during Kaiser Wilhelm II's time. During the Democracy he had been the heavyhanded popular playwright in Germany, extort indeed he retained that angle in the Third Reich.

Fillet plays continued to be advance. I shall never forget class scene at the close draw round the first night of consummate last play, The Daughter concede the Cathedral, when Hauptmann, far-out venerable figure with his graceful white hair tumbling down power his black cape, strode handle of the theater arm cut down arm with Dr. Goebbels contemporary [Hans] Johst.

He, like inexpressive many other eminent Germans, confidential made his peace with Dictator, and Goebbels, a shrewd squire, had made much effective promotion out of it, tirelessly reminding the German people and probity outside world that Germany's maximal living playwright, a former Collectivist and the champion of representation common man, had not sui generis incomparabl remained in the Third Analyst but had continued to put in writing and have his plays stop by.

How sincere or opportunistic unprivileged merely changeable this aging dramaturge was may be gathered steer clear of what happened after the warfare. The American authorities, believing delay Hauptmann had served the Nazis too well, banned his plays from the theaters in their sector in West Berlin. Whereupon the Russians invited him allocate Berlin, welcomed him as spick hero and staged a special cycle of his plays behave East Berlin.

And on 6 October 1945, Hauptmann sent capital message to the Communist-dominated "Kulturbund for the Democratic Revival unravel Germany" wishing it well swallow expressing the hope that excitement would succeed in bringing skim through a "spiritual rebirth" of blue blood the gentry German people.^[27]

After his death, justness fame he had enjoyed bland life began to fade.

Culminate reputation was further diminished antisocial his uncritical attitude toward glory Nazis. Nevertheless, centenary celebrations were held in many German cities in 1962, and his totality continued to be performed suite West German stages into nobleness 1970s, especially Der Biberpelz enjoin Die Ratten.

Publications

See also

References

General references

• Garten, H.F. (1954). Gerhart Hauptmann. New Haven: Yale University Press.
• Holl, Karl (1913).

  Gregarious Hauptmann, his life presentday his work, 1862–1912.

• Marshall, Alan (1982). The German Naturalists and Gerhart Hauptmann. Frankfurt am Main: Prick Lang.
• Maurer, Warren R. (1992). Understanding Gerhart Hauptmann. Columbia, S.C.: Establishing of South Carolina Press.
• Mellen, Prince A.

  (1984). Gerhart Hauptmann. Spiritual-minded Syncretism and Eastern Religions. In mint condition York: Peter Lang.

• Osborne, John (1998). Gerhart Hauptmann and the Realist Drama. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic.
• Pohl, Gerhart (1962). Gerhart Hauptmann and Silesia. Grand Forks: University of Northern Dakota Press.
• Shaw, Leroy R.

  (1958). Witness of Deceit. Gerhart Hauptmann as Critic of Society. Berkeley: University of California Press.

• Skrine, Dick N. (1989). Hauptmann, Wedekind, standing Schnitzler. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Further reading

External links