A landlord's morning

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A landlord's morning .
Anno 1898: Illustration to the story by Teodor V. Chomiński (born 1856)

The morning of a landowner , also The morning of the landlord ( Russian Утро помещика , Utro pomeschtschika ), is a story by Lev Tolstoy , which was written from 1852 to 1856 and was published in the December 1856 issue of the St. Petersburg Otetschestwennye Sapiski . Josef Habbel brought Hanni Brentano's translation to the German-language book market in 1912 in Regensburg .

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Prince Dmitri Nikolajitsch Nekhludov, "a tall, stately 19-year-old man with lush ... hair, shining black eyes, fresh complexion and red lips", gave up his university studies after the third year of study. Mitja, as the prince is called by his almost 50-year-old aunt, Countess Belorezkaya, would from now on prefer to look after the well-being of his seven hundred serf farmers on site and thinks that he does not need a university degree. The aunt thinks nothing of the nephew's lofty plans and teaches the boy that the poverty of some farmers is an inevitable evil. Mitja could please let go of his noble, generous, but foolish plans and graduate from university.

More than a year has passed since then. Mitja has dealt extensively with agricultural matters on his estate; is no longer a novice in the unfamiliar subject. In agreement with the local council, he supports those in need among his farmers. So on a sunny Sunday in June, after his morning coffee, he sets off with a wad of money in his pocket. There are three poor farmers in his notebook.

The good-natured and carefree Ivan Tschurissjonok, around 50 years old, asks for poles to support his dilapidated house. The inspection of the building, which is leaning against old age, shows that only demolition is possible. The landlord has had houses built outside on the new farm and suggests Churissjonok move. The farmer cannot part with the house of his forefathers and wants to stay in the middle of the village. Mitja goes. He doesn't want to force anyone.

Juchwanka Mudrjony, who is slim and childless in his 30s and whose mother has ceded the business, wants to sell one of his horses because he has no money. The landlord knows and does not hold back the truth. Instead of driving the dung into the field, Mudrjony sits in the pub on weekdays. Mudrjony allows his mother to be beaten by her own daughter-in-law and not get bread. Mitja gives her mother money for bread and leaves.

The on dropsy sufferer widower Dawydka Bely asks for grain. In summer the patient lies wrapped up on the stove. The parents are now doing the hard work. Belys around the 50-year-old sprightly mother unpacks. Davydka, this idler, had beaten his pregnant wife to death. The toddler died. Davydka, meanwhile got up and down from the stove, prostrates herself with her mother in front of the landlord. Mitja doesn't like that and recommends that the mother remarry her son. The mother has a bride up her sleeve - the ordinary Wassjutka. But the girl doesn't like. According to the lord's wish, someone else should be sought. The Lord will ransom them if necessary. For now he gives the requested grain.

Finally, the landlord treats himself to a visit to the brand new home of the rich farmer Dutlow. This old beekeeper has three sons. The youngest son Ilja earns good money in the trucking business. The Dutlows think nothing of the landlord's plan to set up farms together. Ilya in particular interrupts the landlord's lecture on the financing of his agricultural projects with raving about orders - all summer long! There is talk of transporting goods with three troikas to Kiev , Kursk and Moscow . The elderly beekeeper Dutlow denies his wealth; lies that he doesn't even have twenty rubles.

Mitja's old servant notices her young master's depression at home and grumbles: “The farmers let you do what they want so that no one has any more respect. Is such a gentleman acting? ”Mitja dreams of Ilya's trips across the country. “How beautiful!” The prince envies his subordinates of the same age.

German-language editions

  • A landlord's morning. German by Gisela Drohla . Pp. 153-219 in: Gisela Drohla (Ed.): Leo N. Tolstoj. All the stories. Second volume. Insel, Frankfurt am Main 1961 (2nd edition of the edition in eight volumes 1982)
  • A landlord's morning. From the Russian. Translation by Hermann Asemissen . Pp. 100-161 in: Lew Nikolajewitsch Tolstoi. Early narratives. 459 pages, Verlag Philipp Reclam jun. Leipzig 1986 ( RUB 735, 3rd edition, licensor: Rütten and Loening, Berlin)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Edition used, p. 103, 11. Zvu
  2. ↑ Edition used, p. 158, 9. Zvu
  3. ↑ Russian Бурнашева Н.В.