To those born later

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The poem To Posterity of Bertolt Brecht is one of the most important texts of the German exile literature . It belongs to the cycle of Svendborg poems . To the later born was written between 1934 and 1938. The poem is the only one from Brecht's work that has been read by the author himself. It was published in The New World Stage , Paris on June 15, 1939 .

The middle movement of the cantata of the same name by the Austrian composer Gottfried von Eine is the setting of Brecht's poem. The second and third sections were set to music by Hanns Eisler .

content

It is a political poem in which the author defines his position as a poet in exile and expresses himself both on the current situation (the "dark times" of National Socialism) as well as on the past and future (the actual message "to those born afterwards") .

The poem is divided into three large sections, numbered with Roman numerals. These large parts in turn contain five or four stanzas. Originally, each of these sections was also a separate poem. The language is emphatically sober, rhymeless and rhythmically freely designed. Section I is consistently in the present tense, II in the past tense and III predominantly in the future tense. This indicates the times mentioned above, which are covered in the relevant section.

The first part of the poem is framed by the statement: “Really, I live in dark times!” (In lines 1 and 30). Lines 6–8 are followed by the famous quote to which numerous later authors have referred:

What kind of times are those when
talking about trees is almost a crime
Because it includes silence about so many crimes!

The poet in exile turns against those who keep silent about the “crimes” of National Socialism by sticking to the traditional themes of poetry, e. B. the natural seal. For Brecht “the innocent word has become foolish” (line 2); poetry has lost its innocence and must look for new, topical issues and a new language that is appropriate to its time and does not evade the threat of dictatorship and oppression.

In Section II, Brecht looks back on a “time of turmoil” (line 33) and “of disorder” (line 31). Specifically, he alludes to the fighting against the National Socialists in Berlin during the Weimar Republic . The four stanzas close with the refrain: "This is how my time passed / That was given to me on earth". The lyrical ego complains here that it was not possible to stifle the burgeoning nationalism in order to dry up the “swamp” (line 43).

In section III, the pronouns "you" and "we" appear right at the beginning. For the first time the "born later" are addressed. Behind the "we" hides the exile poets who revolted against "injustice" (line 63) but could not prevent it. Full of "anger" (line 67) they could "not be friendly themselves" (line 70). The author asks for "forbearance" (last line). He closes the poem with a vision of a future world which, in the Brechtian understanding, is determined by solidarity, socialism and peace.

From a cantata

The hymn cantata An die Nachgeborben (Op. 42) by Gottfried von Eine is named after Brecht's poem . The work for mezzo-soprano, baritone, choir and orchestra was commissioned to mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of the UN and was premiered on October 24, 1975 in New York. Cast for the premiere: Julia Hamari , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Wiener Symphoniker (conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini ), Temple University choir . The composer dedicated the cantata to Friedrich Dürrenmatt and his wife Lotti.

Sentence sequence

The cantata has seven movements , the fourth movement is the setting of Brecht's poem.

  1. Psalm 90
  2. Choir song from Antigone (Sophocles - Friedrich Hölderlin)
  3. Go down, beautiful sun (Friedrich Hölderlin)
  4. To those born after II (Bertolt Brecht)
  5. To Diotima (Friedrich Hölderlin), interlude
  6. Choir song from Oedipus on Kolonos (Sophocles - Buschor)
  7. Psalm 121

expenditure

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. On CD e.g. E.g .: Aurora No. 8 "To the born ones", BARBArossa Musikverlag (Sony) 2002
  2. a b ein.org