Wallenstein's camp

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Data
Title: Wallenstein's camp
Genus: A dramatic poem
Original language: German
Author: Friedrich Schiller
Publishing year: 1798
Premiere: October 12, 1798
Place of premiere: Weimar Court Theater , Weimar
Place and time of the action: In front of the city of Pilsen in Bohemia
people
  • from a Terzky carbine regiment:
    • Constable
    • trumpeter
  • Constable
  • Snipers
  • Two Holkish mounted hunters
  • Butler dragoons
  • Arquebusiers from the Tiefenbach Regiment
  • Cuirassier from a Walloon regiment
  • Cuirassier from a Lombard regiment
  • Croatians
  • Uhlans
  • recruit
  • Citizen
  • Farmer
  • Peasant boy
  • Capuchin
  • Soldier Schoolmaster
  • Sutler
  • An attendant
  • Soldier boys
  • Hoboists

Wallenstein's camp is the first part of Friedrich Schiller's Wallenstein trilogy , the drama about the decline of the famous general Wallenstein . A general introduction and a brief summary of the entire trilogy can be found in the corresponding article.

“Wallenstein's Camp” introduces the following two parts. In contrast to the other parts, it consists of only one act and a prologue , which relates to the entire trilogy. This part of the drama is written in rhyme, unlike the others. The rhyme form is justified in the prologue with the fact that it “plays over the gloomy image of truth into the cheerful realm of art”, that is, it takes the terror away from the theater of war. The characters in the main story are often mentioned, but do not yet appear themselves. Instead, the first part takes place among the simple soldiers from "Wallenstein's camp" in Pilsen and reflects their attitudes and moods. Enter a peasant and a monk . The drama takes place in the winter of 1634, 16 years after the beginning of the Thirty Years' War .

prolog

In the prologue it is announced, instead of telling from the bourgeois world, of a “higher arena”, because only “the great object can excite the deep foundation of humanity”. It is also said that art can create understanding for a person's bad deeds, which are often only a result of fate. Wallenstein is characterized as brave to cocky. He fell victim to his insatiable ambition. The time and place of the action are outlined (see above), it is also announced that the drama does not begin with Wallenstein himself, but with his soldiers in order to make the general's situation understandable.

action

At the beginning of the actual drama, a farmer and his son enter the camp of Wallenstein's soldiers. The farmer criticizes the soldiers for greedily gutting the common people. In addition, there is no noticeable difference between the various warring parties. Now he wants to gain something from the soldiers by gambling with marked dice.

Two soldiers, the sergeant and the trumpeter , are talking disparagingly about an emperor's envoy who has just arrived. They suspect that the emperor wanted to depose their general Wallenstein, since he had become very powerful in the meantime. The soldiers emphasize, however, that they would remain loyal to him in any case. Wallenstein is praised for his commitment to the army. A sniper cheats meanwhile, a Croat , who also belongs to the army, in a barter. It is reported that Wallenstein receives a visit from his wife, the Duchess , and his daughter Thekla . A hunter of the troops meets a trader whom he knows from other battles. She tells him how many different armies she has worked with so far. In the meantime she has even had a son who goes to field school. In the following conversations among several soldiers, it is mentioned how many different regions the soldiers come from. Sometimes they changed masters more often during the war. However, they say that Wallenstein managed to unite the various ethnic groups in one army. The soldiers praise the fact that their general does not respect the soldiers' faith and that they grant them a lot of freedom as long as they do not violate orders - in contrast to other military leaders, some of whom would strictly ensure that religious rules are observed.

The hunter talks to a constable about Wallenstein's secret of success. Supernatural powers are said to help him win his battles. It also mentions that he tries to read the stars to make his decisions.

A new recruit arrives at the camp. His father follows him and asks him to come back to the family. The son has to continue running the family business, and he leaves his bride alone. The soldiers make fun of all objections. The sergeant tells the recruit von Buttler , head of a regiment, who, despite having little background, has made it to a respected post. Together with a sutler's wife , the soldiers begin to dance.

As the soldiers are celebrating, a Capuchin appears. He railed against the godless life of the soldiers and accused them of devastating the country. The monk also mentions that Wallenstein is very sensitive to noise. It was only when he criticized Wallenstein and even called him a “devil conjurer” that some soldiers wanted to attack him. Only a few Croatian soldiers hold back the others and allow the Capuchin to escape.

In the meantime, the farmer has been exposed as a cheat by his fellow players. Some want to hang him for it. Someone expresses sympathy for the fraud as the farmers were ruined in the war. Most soldiers don't care and they talk disparagingly about him. But then two cuirassiers appear and let the farmer go. The others speak respectfully of the cuirassiers and tell that after the death of their regiment commander Pappenheim they chose Max Piccolomini as their successor without authorization, which normally soldiers are not allowed to do. Wallenstein would particularly appreciate this regiment. The cuirassiers report furiously that the emperor will order part of the troops to be sent in support of Spanish allies. The troops are angry about having to leave Wallenstein. They only served the emperor out of love for him. The sergeant suspects that the emperor was trying to split the troops in order to get rid of them more easily since he no longer needs them. The soldiers want to defend themselves against the imperial order, but only if Wallenstein agrees. They decide to ask Max Piccolomini to get Wallenstein not to obey orders. The soldiers emphasize that they want war to continue. While the peasants would suffer in war, they would have a good and exciting life; Roles that would be the other way around in peacetime. Opinions are divided about the emperor, but everyone agrees that they want to continue serving Wallenstein. In a final choir they praise the freedom and adventure of soldier life.

Representations

Web links

Wikisource: Prologue to Wallenstein's camp  - sources and full texts