When lion feuchtwanger left germany in 1933 for a trip to the uk and the us, he didnt think that he would never return to his home country. Meanwhile feuchtwanger was completing the first antinazi novel written by a german writer in exile, the oppermanns, portraying the malevolent pressure exerted on the germanjewish oppermann family from november 9, 1932 to the summer of 1933. We now know that as bad as what feuchtwanger thought the nazi state would be, it was far worse. Its hero is the artist francisco goyaand his fabulous affair with gayetana, duchess of alba, is the bright central thread of its rich tapestry. Lion feuchtwangers name was number six on the alphabetic list. Through the book the reader can not only understand what this people feel and why they live how they do. Lion feuchtwanger 18841958, german novelist and dramatist of jewish origin. A prominent figure in the literary world of weimar germany, he influenced contemporaries including playwright bertolt brech t feuchtwang er s judaism and fierce criticism of the nazi party, years before it assumed power, ensured that he would be a target of government. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Lion feuchtwanger has 73 books on goodreads with 15740 ratings. Feuchtwangers novel is a moving story of a jewish families in 1930s germany who are divided in their views about how to respond to both the actual physical and economic threats from the. The celebrated germanjewish writer lion feuchtwanger 18841958 was an incomparable master of the historical novel, applying his distinctive technique of projecting critical contemporary themes onto exceptional individuals and complex historical scenery from times long gone. Lion feuchtwanger was a germanjewish novelist and playwright.
No single historical or fictional work has more tellingly or insightfully depicted. I thought that lion feuchtwangers 1934 novel, the oppermanns was quite good. The past and future meet in the saga of the oppermanns, for three generations a family commercially well established in berlin. Feuchtwangers book details a series of events that place between november 1932 and the late summer of 1933. I read this book several years ago for a comparative literature class in college and it remains to be one of my favorite books. Download audiobooks written by lion feuchtwanger to your device. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. In this real masterpiece lion feuchtwanger has incredibly successfully showed the very nature of jews and their religion. Lion feuchtwanger, ruth gruber contributor, james cleugh translator 4. New life for a prescient novel about nazism the new. It was called the oppermanns, and it was written in 1933 by a german exile named lion feuchtwanger. A prominent figure in the literary world of weimar germany, he influenced contemporaries including playwright bertolt brecht feuchtwangers fierce criticism of the nazi partyyears before it assumed power and being jewish ensured that he would be a target of governmentsponsored. This is the hour by lion feuchtwanger follows his fictionalised path to understanding and to a new way of painting in the years around 1800, when he lived his infatuation for the duchess of alba and rose to be first court painter of king charles iv.
Leon feuchtwanger article about leon feuchtwanger by the. Lion feuchtwanger project gutenberg selfpublishing. At berlin and munich universities he studied philosophy, literature, and ancient and modern languages and also developed a working interest in theater. First published in 1934, this novel tells the compelling story of a remarkable german jewish family confronted by hitlers rise to power. Lion feuchtwanger 7 july 1884 21 december 1958 was a germanjewish novelist and playwright. He was involved in the fate of spain at a turning point in his countrys history. Written by lion feuchtwanger, audiobook narrated by magnus roosmann. Suss is portrayed as arrogant and at the same time obsequious allowing himself to be insulted over and over again by the coarse duke and his courtiers. Lion feuchtwanger article about lion feuchtwanger by the. At the beginning of 1933, lion feuchtwanger was probably his. Goya, one of the immortals of art, was also a fallible mortal. When adolf hitler came to power in 1933, feuchtwanger was targeted for arrest and he fled to france. Lion feuchtwanger was born on july 7, 1884, in munich, germany, the son of a wealthy jewish industrialist.
Three generations of this wellestablished berlin family face discrimination, deceit, betrayal, and a tragedy that history has proved to. Lion feuchtwanger was born on july 7, 1884, in munich, germany, the. Oppermanns by lion feuchtwanger 2001, paperback for sale. Fairleigh dickinson university press, 1975 authors, german 392 pages. One sense the rumblings of the approaching cataclysm, which one and all they refuse to. A powerful novel of modern germany by far the most important book that has come out of that maelstrom.
Ill admit that part of the appeal of feuchtwangers book is that it deals with a chapter of. His masterwork, success, is one of the great novels of the 20th century. When hitler then became chancellor reichskanzler in 1933, feuchtwangers opinion changed considerably. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. With one of the largest book inventories in the world, find the book you are looking for. During that time, he published the novel the oppermanns. After 1945, people here in germany often claimed they didnt know anything about the concentration camps and. New york times first published in 1934 but fully imagining the future of germany over the ensuing years, the oppermanns tells the compelling story of a remarkable. Lion feuchtwanger german 7 july 1884 21 december 1958 was a germanjewish novelist and playwright.
The oppermanns consider themselves patriotic germans. Click to read more about the oppermanns by lion feuchtwanger. The oppermanns is a beautifully written and touching novel that was included in my reading for a class in the university of chicago basic program where we studied degenerate art during the third reich. Feuchtwanger studied philology at the universities of munich and berlin, receiving the degree of doctor of philosophy from the university of munich in 1907.
It is a compelling, poignant novel written in late 1933 about a prosperous jewish familys first year living in berlin under nazi rule. The oppermanns by lion feuchtwanger the childrens war. Feuchtwangers novel is a moving story of a jewish families in 1930s germany who are divided in their views about how to respond to both the actual physical and economic threats from the rising national socialist movement. Lion feuchtwangers majestic historical novel is set in turbulent spain of the napoleonic era. Lion feuchtwanger gustav oppermann, who runs a chain of furniture stores, and the other members of his jewish family face the terrifying rise of. Posted in books, german literature, literature, novel, readalong by caroline. A books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. While abroad, he said to people that hitler is over. Feuchtwanger paints the political and social history of time in great and impressive detail except that there is not a single date in the book. Audible provides the highest quality audio and narration.
Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. It has three parts, the past 1932, the present 1933, and the future 1934. Lion and marta feuchtwanger pose in front of a bookcase. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. In assimilated citizens like them, the emancipated jew in germany has become a fact. In book form, the oppermanns evolved from a proposal made in april 1933. A timely book, giving in vigorous, simple strokes the present problem against a background of a large family, jewish, but deeply rooted in german traditions, social, economic, intellectual, spiritual. The reichstag fire trial the second brown book of hitler terror, based on material collected by the world committee for the relief of victims of german fascism, with an introductory chapter by gd. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study.
The oppermanns by lion feuchtwanger, 9780786708802, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Lion feuchtwanger 18841958 lion feuchtwanger 18841958, a distinguished member of the postworld war i german literary scene lived and wrote in political exile for the last quartercentury of his life. Leon feuchtwanger project gutenberg selfpublishing. A prominent figure in the literary world of weimar germany, he influenced contemporaries including playwright bertolt brecht feuchtwangers fierce criticism of the nazi partyyears before it assumed powerensured that he would be a target of governmentsponsored persecution after adolf. His works were included among those burned in the may 10, 1933, nazi book burning. Raised in an orthodox family in munich that also maintained ties to german secular culture, feuchtwanger was exposed both to traditional jewish learning and modern secular thought from an early age. He starts to love them, to see their tragedy, destiny, future.
Written as hitler came to power, this book captured the confusion, fear and denial that. What an obscure german novel taught me about dictators politico. In book form, the oppermanns evolved from a proposal made in april 1933 by a representative of the british government that feuchtwanger write a screenplay depicting the recent events in germany. What an obscure german novel taught me about dictators. He later toured the soviet union and wrote a controversial book, moscow 1937 1938, which defended the stalinist purge trials. In a berlin inhabited by troops in brown shirts, however, the oppermanns have more to fear than an alien discomfort. Discover book depositorys huge selection of lion feuchtwanger books online. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.