From the life of Hödlmoser

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From the life of Hödlmoser is a Styrian novel by Reinhard P. Gruber , published in 1973 by Residenzverlag Salzburg and reprinted in 1999 by Verlag Droschl (Graz and Vienna). The work is a high point of anti- homeland literature , a detailed and sarcastic account of people in the country and their problems. Gruber wrote the story from the point of view of his hero, but in the third person. This enables both distancing and a better insight into all situations. The quintessence of the work can be found on page 6:

“Styria falls apart out of chance, Austria out of necessity. the resistance of the parts enables the instability of the whole. the whole only exists as an unstable whole. Styria, that is resistance. Austria, that is instability. "

main characters

  • Franz Josef Hödlmoser: 38-year-old Styrian who served a 10-year prison sentence after the murder of his father and now spends his life as a farmer
  • Fani: Marries Hödlmoser and runs a farm with him (Hödlmoserhof), with her he fathered Schurl
  • Schurl: Is brought up by his parents in a very relaxed way, which later has an impact on his life

content

The novel From Hödlmoser's life begins with a general introduction about Styria. You can find out how to deal with a Styrian, what preferences they have, and you also get a satirical "instruction manual" for the anthropological classification of Styria and its inhabitants into Feldsteirer, Waldsteirer, River Styrian, Bach Styrian, Bergstyrian, Mountain Styrian and Alpine Styrian. A description of Styrian cultural assets such as B. given the Styrian suit and yodelling .

The story begins when farmer Hödlmoser gets up in the morning. Here Reinhard P. Gruber characterizes the main character with his own statements and habits. Hödlmoser is 38 years old, lives on the hill of Kumpitz near Fohnsdorf, is a farmer, has a penchant for alcohol and loves to fight. He also likes to mess with others verbally. When one day he was sitting at the regulars' table with his drinking buddies and they were once again complaining about Hödlmoser's single existence, the beautiful Fani Hinterleitner passed by with her cows. After Hödlmoser impregnated her in the forest, they get married and Fani gives birth to her first son, named Schurl.

One day Hödlmoser goes poaching. Hödlmoser currently does not have a hunting license because he killed his father (although, as it is said, he should get his hunting license back soon, since he did not shoot his father, he "only" stabbed him). He shoots a big buck, but is caught by a district forester who, in turn, has killed a hare in a foreign hunting ground outside of shooting times. The two agree to remain silent. Another time Hödlmoser meets his half-brother, the young Franzbauer, while looking for mushrooms in the forest. Hödlmoser wants to shoot him too, but then thinks about it because he is of the opinion that a brother should not be shot. Hödlmoser's unconventional views are spun in the book: his friend Rudolf Esterl kills his own son and the only thing that upsets Hödlmoser is that he paid this person a beer. He also finds it more frightening that Mr. Esterl tore the legs off more than a hundred mice when he killed his own son.

In the course of the story, Hödlmoser goes on a pilgrimage with his son Schurl, goes to a wedding in Weistrach / Lower Austria, where Schurl makes his first attempts to get close to a relative, and goes to a funeral with him. Schurl is now twelve years old and Hödlmoser would like to buy him a new bike, called a Puch special . Schurl gets it for his thirteenth birthday and drives very quickly down the mountain on which Hödlmoser's property is located. The father follows him and Schurl, who looks around at him, hits a tree trunk with his head. Hödlmoser takes the bike with his dead son and pushes it to Kumpitz, the next town. Hödlmoser is imprisoned again.

Fani is pregnant again and Hödlmoser wants a new Schurl. While Fani stays at home, Hödlmoser goes "abroad", known as Vienna. There he would like to speak to the Federal Chancellor, but only comes to the mayor. He insults and slaps him and is locked up again. After his discharge, he goes to the regulars' table as usual. Everything seems to be the same as before, but then a friend tells him that his wife is having a relationship with another man. After causing a bloodbath in the inn, he races home and finds his wife in bed with Gufler Pepi. Hödlmoser recognizes his illegitimate son in Pepi, hesitates to kill him, and he stabs him. Fani tries to shoot Pepi, but Pepi cuts her pregnant belly open and slits his own throat. Now the entire Hödlmosers family has died out, and Kumpitz remains as it is.

style

Gruber uses a largely consistent lower case in this novel . The content is divided into numerous chapters, mostly only a few lines to pages long, which are usually accompanied by a "stage direction" for the respective scene. The chapters have names such as “Styrian Aggressive History” and are self-contained parts. The chapters show the course of action, with the stage directions illuminating individual elements not shown in the chapters or only parts of the chapters or depicting Hödlmoser's and other people's thoughts. While the language of the chapters is direct, simple and authentic, the stage directions contain many foreign words (especially in direct speech), more complex sentence structures and more intellectual satire.

Web links