The goose man

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Jakob Wassermann
* 1873 † 1934

The Gänsemännchen is an artist novel by Jakob Wassermann , written from July 1912 to July 1914 and published in 1915 by S. Fischer Verlag Berlin. A number in round brackets indicates the page in the source.

The Goose Man Fountain in Nuremberg

The novel is set in northern Bavaria from 1849 to 1909 - mainly in Nuremberg and Franconia . The works of the composer Daniel Nothphia are met with incomprehension and rejection, especially among the mercantile Nürnbergers.

When Daniel gets married, he realizes that Lenore, the sister of the bride Gertrud, is the right one. Some Nuremberg citizens, who mean the beggar musician (197) Daniel ill, suspect a triangular relationship and mockingly associate it with the bronze goose man . It depicts a farmer who is standing at the Nuremberg fruit market with two geese under his arms.

In addition, Daniel's cousin, the ugly Philippine, wants to own the cousin .

action

The headings of the sub-chapters are years and are understood as the beginning of the respective period (e.g. action from 1849).

1849

On a day in August 1859 Daniel was born as the son of the weaver Gottfried Notthracht in Eschenbach near Ansbach . The new machine looms from America are gaining ground in Germany , and the father's weaving mill is going downhill. But Gottfried Notthracht has made provisions for his son Daniel. He secretly saved three thousand thalers in Reichsscheine . Without his wife's knowledge, he hands the money over to his brother-in-law Jason Philipp Schimmelweis in Nuremberg. When the father dies in the early seventies, the mother is amazed. There is no money.

The legacy sneak

Schimmelweis hides the unexpected wealth of his wife Therese and uses the money to become a bookseller in Nuremberg. The uncle doesn't think about helping the widow and half-orphan Daniel in Eschenbach. The teachers at the Ansbacher Gymnasium do not enjoy Daniel. Only the cantor Spindler (19) gave Daniel the most thorough teaching of counterpoint and harmony for three years . According to the will of his uncle and his mother, Daniel started an apprenticeship after high school in order to learn a respectable profession. But all attempts at entry into the middle-class professional world fail. Daniel knocks on the door of music professor Döderlein in Nuremberg. The boy has saved up hard and wants to become a student of the professor. Daniel is treated condescendingly and rejected. The mother has no understanding for Daniel's career aspiration. Daniel turns away from her inside. Daniel's unstoppable decline in Nuremberg begins. But, he was a god when the sound bubbled out of him.

Philippine listens

Schimmelweis misplaced the receipt for the three thousand thalers. Therese finds the paper by chance and reproaches her husband. Schimmelweis has a plan. He wants to marry Daniel off to his daughter Philippine. Daniel's cousin has a big head and ugly features . Therese is immobilized by this patent solution, because whoever gets Philippine has the main prize. Philippine in the next room is in the picture. The father's loud statement about her future reached her ear.

Gertrud and Lenore

Daniel has to sell his only treasure, the score of Bach's B minor Mass . When he was blown around by the icy wind, in front of the Egydienkriche [St. Egidien] listens to the organ playing inside, he is picked up by Inspector Jordan and is allowed to warm up in his apartment. Daniel meets Jordan's children Gertrud, Lenore and Benno. Father Jordan is an inspector at the labor insurance company of the Prudentia company and, with the approval of his boss Alfons Diruf, has placed his children Lenore and Benno at the company as a clerk.

1882

Dr. Benda helps

Daniel is starving, but he is lucky in bad luck. The natural scientist Dr. Benda becomes his friend. Dr. Benda's academic career is unsuccessful. Benda's landlord, Mr Carovius, a petty bourgeois with unleashed instincts, ... a rebel with a conservative attitude (68), follows this development with malice. Benda helps Daniel by arranging piano lessons for him with middle-class families in Nuremberg. Daniel makes an enemy of Mr. Carovius by not greeting the landlord lost in thought on the stairs.

Lenore Jordan has something for Daniel and after work goes to see him repeatedly at the three Rüdiger sisters, where he sublet. Dr. Benda feels drawn to Lenore and realizes: Daniel doesn't even notice that Lenore likes him. Daniel brings Benda and Lenore to his orchestral work Vineta on the piano of the three Rüdiger sisters. The composer simply replaces the missing instruments with his crowed voice . The eerie energy of the expression prevents it from looking weird. The scientist cannot understand the composition and the girl is amazed.

Dr. Benda goes to London and is sent by the English as a researcher into the interior of Africa.

Meanwhile, Lenore's father was given notice of his post in Nuremberg. The boss Alfons Diruf approaches Lenore immorally. Lenore breaks free and quits.

On New Year's Eve, when Daniel comes home, he persuades the young, unspoilt Meta Steinhäger, maid of the three Rüdiger sisters, to have sex .

The legacy sneak overflows

The Nuremberg Social Democrats have not gone unnoticed that their bookseller Schimmelweis also sucked the Nuremberg proletariat on behalf of Prudentia. After Schimmelweis was accused of enrichment by his own comrades, he quickly approached the liberals . Their leader (137) Siegmund von Auffenberg is pleased, but initially recommends restraint.

Gertrud submits

Professor Döderlein conducts the public rehearsal for Daniel's orchestral work. When Beethoven is also performed during the performance , there is a scandal . Daniel prevents the bumbling Döderlein from conducting further. The response from the Nuremberg Orchestra Association is not long in coming. Daniel no longer appears to be eligible for funding. After all, the evening leaves an indelible impression on Daniel. He had given the Jordans tickets as a present. Daniel feels that his fate is chained to Gertrude (149), that he was able to transform and renew a soul (157). After this evening, Gertrud's face always shows devotion, willingness, and submissiveness (168). Daniel is moved to say that Lenore loves him too. But he quickly forgets about Lenore.

Lenore acts

Eberhard von Auffenberg loves Lenore. He gets the passport from her. Lenore dreads marriage. Meta Steinhäger is pregnant from Daniel's embrace on that wild, fermenting New Year's Eve (334). The three sisters Rüdiger in their inhuman squeamishness , expedite Meta from the house. The eloquent Lenore places the pregnant woman with Daniel's mother in Eschenbach. Eva Steinhäger was born in Eschenbach. Meta finds a man in Dinkelsbühl , emigrates with him and Marianne Notthracht has her granddaughter Eva all to herself. Because Daniel doesn't know anything about this. With a traveling opera (180) he tours as Kapellmeister through Franconia and the neighboring German countries. The ensemble fears Daniel's severity, his gaze of icy disdain (182). Daniel enchants his orchestra so much that it obeys him like a single instrument (186). After a performance in Ansbach, he meets his teacher, the cantor Spindler.

1886

Franconian nobility

In the vicinity of Bad Kissingen Daniel and his orchestra are engaged by the art-loving Mr. von Erfft. During this stay on the Gut der Erffts estate, Daniel believes he can see features of Lenore in Silvia, the daughter of the house. Silvia's mother, von Erfft's wife, introduces Daniel to the acquaintance of her sister, the Nuremberg baroness Clotilde von Auffenberg.

Daniel the savior

Daniel returns to Nuremberg and marries Gertrud. The composer realizes too late that Lenore is the woman he loves. Yet in Gertrud he has found a woman who is close to his musical creations. Daniel can even read from Gertrude's silent, infallible reactions whether a new composition might be of any use.

On Daniel's wedding night, Philippine, whom Daniel claims as a man, drives through the streets in an unconscious frenzy (201). After the wedding, Daniel spends much more free time with Lenore than with his wife. Daniel embraces Lenore and kisses her on the mouth. Lenore falls for Daniel (268). Philippine, in her mega- evil malice, does not give up her plan to get Daniel under her control (253). First, she gets to know Lenore. Philippine soon had the opportunity to sneak Gertrud's tolerance as well.

Benno withholds three thousand seven hundred marks (245) from the Prudentia and runs away . The Prudentia boss Diruf demands the money back from the Jordan family within twenty-four hours. The family Daniel married into is at a loss. Philippine shows the way out. With her crowing voice , Philippine betrays her father, who years ago withheld those three thousand thalers from Daniel. Daniel goes to Schimmelweis and confronts him. Schimmelweis lost his social democratic clientele after his change of heart (255), and so things went downhill for him . Philippine is present. Schimmelweis guesses the daughter's betrayal. Philippine receives a clenched fist in the face from her own father . But Therese has a remorse, howls hysterically and gives Daniel the money. Diruf's request is met. From then on Philippine makes herself useful in the household of the pregnant Gertrud, who cannot afford a maid. Daniel avoids the frame (290) as he scolds Philippine.

Daniel, the conductor

Eberhard von Auffenberg had fallen out with his despotic father and left the house. In the pursuit of economic independence, Eberhard got involved with Mr. Carovius and went into debt. Carovius had sniffed through Eberhard's papers and found out about his love for Lenore. Carovius wants to own Lenore (273). He wants to approach the beautiful young girl through Daniel. There is an opportunity to do so. Daniel has finally received the position of Kapellmeister at the theater (276). The letter of recommendation from Frau von Erfft gave him access to the rococo hall of the Baroness von Auffenberg. His cycle of sixteen songs will be given there. Carovius begs and receives a printed card from Daniel that evening . After this performance, Daniel receives applause. Behind the scenes there is talk of cat music , of a conspiracy against good taste (298).

Daniel the goose man

The people of Nuremberg know Schimmelweis all too well and do not want to believe that he really should have replaced the money that was embezzled.

The long walks of Daniel and Lenore are not hidden from the citizens. The people can't stand him (290), says Philippine of her cousin. An unfathomable hatred of the musician arises. This culminates in a bad joke by Mr. Carovius, who compares Daniel with the bronze goose man at the Nuremberg fruit market. The geese under the male's arms are said to be the sisters Gertrud and Lenore.

Philippine, now almost indispensable in Gertrude's household, takes the offensive. Gertrud doesn’t have to put up with Daniel’s sticking together for hours with Lenore , she tells the pregnant woman. A discussion takes place between the couple. Daniel cannot turn away from Lenore. Gertrud wants to tolerate this, even wants to help the lovers (309).

Gertrude, the sister of the speech, it alleges that teach Daniel basis (314).

Daniel and Lenore visit his mother in Eschenbach. He is astonished to face his 4-year-old daughter Eva, a child of the most delicate beauty (317). When Daniel hears Eva's story, Lenore rises in his respect.

1889

Gertrude's end

While Gertrud gives birth to a girl (323) after much pain , Lenore comes even closer to her lover: Daniel, dearest, kiss me to death (321), she wishes.

Daniel makes a distracted impression on the people of Nuremberg. More and more patrons are turning away from him. Councilor Kirschner, who helped Daniel financially in his greatest need, demands her money back. Philippine, who for years had cunningly put small amounts aside from her parents' household, scrapes them together, lends the music maker (364) Daniel the required sum at a moderate rate of interest and jokes: But now you must never treat me like a mangy cat (347).

The young mother Gertrud has to watch in despair as the love between Lenore and Daniel grows stronger. She wants to throw herself from the Vestnerturm completely out of her mind . When she is held back, she tries to overdose on sleeping pills and fails at the pharmacist. Gertrud hangs herself in the attic of her house. Philippine searches with the candlestick, finds the dead woman, sets fire to the house and disappears. Inspector Jordan discovers his dead daughter.

Daniel and Lenore

Philippine can trick the authorities into believing she did not start the fire. She leaves her parents' house and works as a maid for Daniel. She does not ask for wages. Daniel doesn't understand Philippines' mysterious loyalty. At the theater he loses his position as conductor through a careless word and now composes for the big chest at home . The composer has not spoken to Lenore since Gertrude's suicide. She waits in vain for a word from him. When she can no longer earn the family's livelihood through paperwork, her baron Eberhard von Auffenberg, who has returned to Nuremberg, helps her without her knowledge. Eberhard still loves Lenore. The baron gets the marriage plan out of his head because his financier Carovius is not liquid. His illusions are completely destroyed when Carovius chats to him about Lenore's relationship with Daniel, which is well known in the city.

Daniel's reconciliation with Lenore is a matter of time. The couple sleep together and Lenore becomes pregnant. Daniel marries Lenore. Despite this turning point, Daniel and Eberhard reluctantly get closer.

Lenore steals the string quartet in B flat minor from the large chest. It is causing a sensation among connoisseurs in Berlin and Leipzig. Daniel is angry. In his opinion, the immature work goes back into the chest.

Lenore bleeds to death giving birth to a dead boy.

Eberhard

Eberhard von Auffenberg wants to get engaged to his cousin Silvia von Erfft. The bridal couple visits Daniel repeatedly, and Eberhard helps Daniel over the loss of Lenore; shows the widower the withered flowers, picked and tied by Lenore's hands , which Eberhard had bought. Silvia manages that Eberhard is reconciled with her father. The liberal Siegmund von Auffenberg makes the son Eberhard head of the house (436), converts and goes to the Dominicans .

1893

Daniel's travel years

Daniel's mother Marianne, who stayed with Daniel in Nuremberg after Lenore's death, asked the couple Eberhard and Sylvia to help their son. Sylvia turns to her mother. Agathe von Erfft managed to get Daniel under contract for years from the renowned Mainz publishing house Philander und Sons. Daniel organizes a collection of medieval church music (451) and travels as an editor through the relevant libraries in Central Europe and Northern Italy.

Daniel visits his mother in Eschenbach. Eva has disappeared. The beautiful child was probably kidnapped by a tightrope walk company (487). Despite official inquiries, Daniel's daughter is never seen again. Daniel's mother Marianne dies.

Dorothea

Margaret Carovius married the music professor Döderlein against her brother's wishes. Dorothea Döderlein emerged from the marriage. Dorothea's mother was in the mental hospital after Erlangen brought Service. When Mr. Carovius wanted to collect money from Baroness Clotilde von Auffenberg that he had lent her son Eberhard, he saw his niece making music with the Baroness. The art-loving uncle impressed the young girl with the prospect of appointing her as his heir if she should perfect her violin playing to his satisfaction. Professor Doederlein, who needed money, was prepared, in anticipation of the enormous sum , to declare the dispute with his brother-in-law barred and encouraged his daughter to play the violin. Mr Carovius swims in delight when Dorothea's capricious game is mentioned by the critics in the newspapers. Professor Döderlein patronizingly accepts congratulations . He fears that Dorothea will forfeit the great inheritance through carelessness . Döderlein begins to doubt the daughter's artistic talent .

1898

Daniel meets Dorothea several times with Mr. Carovius in the apartment. He confesses to her that he still has an 11-year-old child in Eschenbach who has disappeared. On endless walks through the Nuremberg area, Daniel tells Dorothea, who is seventeen years his junior, about Gertrud's dullness , Gertrud's renunciation and how she was hanging on a sugar cord as a corpse (509). He also tells her about Lenore and Philippine. Dorothea feels a tingly desire for Daniel.

The Nuremberg church authorities pay Daniel as organist for the Egydienkriche. Some parishioners come to the service especially because of Daniel's game.

The mill owner Weißkopf asked Professor Döderlein for his daughter's hand. The professor promises the mill owner Dorothea and borrows a thousand marks from him . Dorothea does not like to marry the flour sack and marries Daniel even though he has warned her about himself, the problematic individual . Mr. Carovius disinherits Dorothea. The property of Mr. Carovius will be used for charitable purposes. Professor Döderlein settles the old differences with Daniel and collects fifteen hundred marks from the son-in-law . Soon Daniel will be afraid . The calm is over. His young wife lives lavishly, buys trinkets and regularly gets lost with guests in the house. Daniel's not very large fortune is squandered within a short time.

1901

Philippine

When Philippine finds out about Eva's existence, she scolds Daniel a slut who still has a banker and wants to scratch his eyes out (448). With Dorothea, Philippine is one heart and one soul within a short time (532).

Dorothea gives birth to Gottfried and neglects the child. Philippine cares for Gottfried. Dorothea gets involved with a young American and puts Philippine in the picture. Philippine gives Dorothea a love nest. Philippine leads Daniel to the place of adultery. Daniel fights with the American. Meanwhile, Philippine runs back to Daniel's house and sets fire to the chest with all of Daniel's music manuscripts. The life's work is completely destroyed. Old Inspector Jordan dies in the fire. Dorothea gathers her clothes out of the closet and flees, never to be seen again. In Nuremberg years will be rumored later that she was the mistress of a Bohemian landowner become and go for a walk on the Italian Riviera (604). Philippine also disappears into the crowd of excited people during the fire . Nobody saw her again.

Dr. Benda

Daniel's friend Dr. Benda, long lost, comes back to Nuremberg from the African bush. In long conversations, the tropical researcher confesses to his friend that he once loved Margaret Döderlein and that her husband, the professor, drove the woman insane.

After all, Daniel has a face. The goose man appears to him. Daniel realizes he did everything wrong. Women loved him. He did not return love, only lived his music.

Relieved of his offices in Nuremberg due to the scandal of the scandal - the brawl with the Englishman - Daniel goes back to his place of birth Eschenbach with young students.

1909

In August, the students in Eschenbach celebrate the fiftieth birthday of their master Daniel.

characters

Eschenbach, Ansbach and Nuremberg
Daniel Nothhaben, Protestant (461), composer.
Gottfried Nothhaben, Daniel's father.
Marianne Nothhaben, b. Höllriegel from Nuremberg. Daniel's mother.
Eva Steinhäger (179), Daniel's illegitimate daughter.
Agnes Nothhaben (324), daughter of Daniel and Gertrud.
Gottfried Nothannt (538), son of the couple Daniel and Dorothea.
Cantor Spindler, Daniel's music teacher.
Nuremberg
Gertrud Nothhaben, née Jordan. Daniel's first wife.
Lenore Nothhaben, née Jordan. Daniel's second wife.
Jordan, inspector at the Prudentia labor insurance company. Gertruds, Lenores and Benno's father.
Benno Jordan, Gertrud and Lenore's brother.
Dorothea Nothaid, née Döderlein. Daniel's third wife.
Andreas Döderlein , professor at the Nuremberg Music School . Dorothea's father.
Margaret Döderlein, b. Carovius, Dorothea's mother.
Mr. Carovius , Margaret's brother, Dorothea's uncle. Homeowner.
Philippine Schimmelweis (14), Daniel's cousin.
Jason Philipp Schimmelweis , Westphalian , social democratic bookseller in Nuremberg. Philippines father.
Therese Schimmelweis, Philippines mother.
Dr. Friedrich Benda (165), Daniel's friend. Natural scientist. Tenant in Carovius' house. Africa explorer on behalf of the British Crown.
Geometer Rüdiger, died in a landslide in Switzerland .
Albertine, Jasmine and Salome. Rüdiger's daughters and Daniel's landladies.
Meta Steinhäger, maid (172) with the three Rüdiger sisters. Eva's mother.
Baron Eberhard von Auffenberg.
Freiherr Siegmund von Auffenberg (83), leader of the Liberal Party (137). Eberhard's father.
Baroness Clotilde von Auffenberg (193), Eberhard's mother.
Emilie, wife of Rittmeister Count Ulrich (209). Eberhard's sister.
Alfons Diruf (91). Lenores, Bennos and Jordan's bosses at the workers' insurance company.
Councilor Kirschner (344).
Mill owner Weißkopf, music lover, woos Dorothea Döderlein (511).
Bad Kissingen
Mr. Sylvester von Erfft, landowner.
Mrs. Agathe von Erfft, Clotilde von Auffenberg's sister.
Silvia von Erfft, their daughter.

Compositions by Daniel Nothhaben

Daniel Nothannt's works

  • Vineta , orchestral work (103)
Criticism considers the composition to be less inventive and its instrumentation sick of a beginner's leanness (148).
Daniel describes his first two compositions as two unsuccessful works (166).
  • Setting to Goethe's Harzreise im Winter (187). The work was as rough as the bark of a tree, like anything that is made with the confidence of inward permanence (284).
  • Setting to Wandrer's Sturmlied after Goethe (587).
  • Cycle of sixteen songs (280) in the engraving published in Leipzig. Torn from the Nuremberg criticism, the songs are forgotten.
  • String Quartet in B minor (404).
  • Psalm (587).
  • Symphony in seven movements (472) with the opening motif in D minor - the Promethean (408).

Quotes

  • Nobody can turn back (168).
  • The dawn is overlooked only by the sleepers (193).
  • Truth is what nature commands and obedience to nature (295).
  • I live by my law. I have to where everyone should or may or may not. I have nothing in common with anyone who doesn't understand it (295).
  • A work that does not speak to people is as good as not created (406).
  • There are words that are like stains of dirt (505).
  • When you've had enough of something, you throw it away (507).
  • Some fate reaches its decisive point in happiness, some only in guilt (562).
  • First become human, then you can be a creator (595).

Arrangement for music theater

literature

source

  • Jakob Wassermann: The goose man . Field output . S. Fischer Verlag Berlin 1916. 606 pages

expenditure

  • Jakob Wassermann: The goose man . Verlag ars vivendi Cadolzburg 2004, ISBN 3-89716-508-2 . 544 pages

Secondary literature

  • Werner Ross : Weibsteufel und demonen , about Jakob Wassermann's Das Gänsemännchen in Marcel Reich-Ranicki (Ed.) Novels from yesterday - read today , Vol. I 1900–1918, pp. 238–244, S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt a. M. 1989, ISBN 3-10-062910-8
  • Margarita Pazi in: Gunter E. Grimm , Frank Rainer Max (Hrsg.): German poets. Life and work of German-speaking authors . Volume 7: From the beginning to the middle of the 20th century . Pp. 40-46. Stuttgart 1991, ISBN 3-15-008617-5
  • Rudolf Koester: Jakob Wassermann . Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-371-00384-1
  • Peter Sprengel: History of German-Language Literature 1900-1918 . Pp. 380-381. Munich 2004. ISBN 3-406-52178-9
  • Gero von Wilpert: Lexicon of world literature. German Authors A - Z . P. 651. Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-520-83704-8

Web links