Darkman letters

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Memorial for the writers of the dark men in Erfurt

The obscurantists letters ( Latin Epistolae obscurorum virorum ) were one with satirical intent widespread series of fake Latin letters dating from 1515, with which German humanists the scholastic subjected to ridicule, which was then at the universities was still widespread, and denounced the dissolute life of the clergy . The prints are assigned to Peter Schöffer's workshop .

background

The reason for the letters of the dark men was the dispute between the Cologne Dominicans and the Hebraist Johannes Reuchlin over the question of whether or not Jewish writings, especially the Talmud , should be burned. Johannes Pfefferkorn , a Jew who converted to Christianity, advocated the ban and cremation , while Reuchlin pleaded for the preservation of the scriptures. The dispute between Pfefferkorn and Reuchlin began in 1511 and took place largely in the form of writings and counter-writings; Reuchlin responded to Pfefferkorn's hand mirror with his eye mirror . The dispute escalated because large parts of the then educated elite in Germany and beyond Germany sided with one of the two sides, with Pfefferkorn v. a. the Dominicans and scholastic theologians stood, including Ortwin Gratius , the inquisitor Jakob van Hoogstraten, and the University of Paris ; Reuchlin, on the other hand, was supported by some of Germany's most renowned humanists, above all Ulrich von Hutten , Crotus Rubeanus , Mutianus Rufus , Helius Eobanus Hessus and others, from whose midst came some letters that Reuchlin wrote in 1514 (with a foreword by his great-nephew Philipp Melanchthon ) clarorum virorum epistolae ("letters from famous men") (the Latin word clarus means both "bright" and "excellent, famous").

This title was followed by the epistolae obscurorum virorum ("dark man's letters"), which were published anonymously at the beginning of October 1515 and in an extended version in 1516, printed by Heinrich Gran in Hagenau, Alsace . They contained 41 letters in the first volume, to which 7 additional letters were added in an appendix (2nd edition 1516); a second collection with 62 letters followed in 1517. The main author of the first part is the Crotus Rubeanus , who belonged to the Erfurt humanist circle around Mutianus Rufus. The second part is mainly attributed to Ulrich von Hutten, and to a lesser extent to Hermann von dem Busche in Leipzig .

content

Front page

The work contains fictitious letters which allegedly a number of Dominicans, including from Erfurt, Leipzig and other German cities, mainly to Gratius and ask him for advice, and assure him of their solidarity in the matter with Reuchlin. The form and content of the letters are designed in such a way that they act as a self-exposure of those involved. A mistaken kitchen Latin prevails , and in a scholastic manner, seemingly absurd etymologies of Latin terms are used today.

“The late scholastic clergy are portrayed as ignorant, lazy to think, orthodox and zealous, as philistine-satiated and intent on sensual enjoyment; their method consists primarily of quoting (the Bible, Aristotle , textbooks and handbooks and, typically , Ovid's Ars amatoria ). "

- Volker Riedel : Reception of antiquity in German literature from Renaissance humanism to the present day. An introduction.

You are self-righteous towards Reuchlin and his followers, who lack the necessary theological qualifications. In order to attack the clergy, love affairs and feasts are also discussed in detail. The baccalaureate shows themselves to be particularly humble and devoted to their superiors, while at the same time the further course of the Reuchlin affair is being followed with concern, which is not proceeding to the satisfaction of the Dominicans; but one consoles oneself with the fact that if even the Pope should decide for Reuchlin, one can counter this with a council if necessary.

The University of Vienna appears as a humanistic stronghold: "There are more Reuchlinists here than at any other university"; then Joachim Vadian , the then rector (in the winter semester 1516/17), Georg Tannstetter , Johannes Cuspinian and others are listed.

reception

In 1520 Pope Leo X forbade the further distribution of the "dark man letters". Some of the parodied Dominicans did not recognize the satirical character of the work and instead agreed with the exaggerated positions. More moderate humanists such as Erasmus von Rotterdam and Thomas More praised the witty wit of the work, but did not take over the polarization of the parties, which was intensified by Hutten's text elements. Martin Luther , who wanted to preserve the seriousness of anti-Roman criticism, could not gain much from satire and called the unknown author a "buffoon". Initially, Reuchlin himself, Erasmus and Ulrich von Hutten were assumed to be the authors, although Reuchlin and Hutten denied their authorship at an early stage. Since Franz Wilhelm Kampschulte (1862) and David Friedrich Strauss , Crotus Rubeanus has been the main author of the dark man's letters. The first translation into German appeared in 1875.

expenditure

  • [Latin.] [Volume I] Epistolae obscvrorvm virorvm ad venerabi | lem virum Magistrum Ortuinum Gratium Dauentriensem | Coloniae Agrippinae bonas litteras docentem: | varijs et locis et temporibus missae: | ac demum in volume | coactae. | In Uenetia imprint in impressoria Aldi Minutij: Anno quo su = | pra etiam cauisatum est vt in alijs / ne quis audeat post | nos impressare per decennium per illustris = | simum principem Uene | tianorum. | [Imprint fictitious; d. i. Hagenau: Heinrich Gran, shortly before October 19, 1515; First edition, anonymous].
  • [lat.] [Volume II] Epistole Obscurorum virorum ad Magistrum Ortuinum | Gratium Dauentriensem Colonie latinas litteras pro | fitentem non illae quidem veteres et prius visae: sed et nouae et illis prioribus | Elegantia argutijs lepore ac venustate longe superiores. | Ad Lectorem. | Risum Heraclitae est: vasti ridere parati | Arida mutarunt pectora Stoiciae | Da mihi tristem animum: fetales obijce luctus | Dispeream nisi mox omnia Risus erunted. | Exerce pulmonem. | Imprint Romanae Curie. | [Imprint fictitious; d. i. Cologne: Heinrich von Neuss, spring 1517 at the latest (before April 27); First edition, anonymous].
  • [lat.] Epistolae obscurorum virorum. Dialogus ex obscurorum virorum salibus cribratus. Adversariorum scripta. Defensio Ioannis Pepericorni contra famosas et criminales obscurorum virorum epistolas. Ortuini Gratii lamentationes obscurorum virorum. Uno volumine comprehensa [Editio minor]. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner 1869 (iv, 448; 373; 32 p.)
  • [lat.] Aloys Bömer (Ed.): Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum (series: Stachelschriften. Older series, 1–2 vols; vol. I: introduction; vol. II: text). R. Weissbach: Heidelberg 1924. Reprint: Scientia: Aalen 1978 (2 volumes in 1 volume). ISBN 978-3-511-00873-4 (authoritative edition of the letters).
  • [Latin-German] Epistolae obscurorum virorum [letters I, 1; II, 9; II, 26]. In: Hedwig Heger (Ed.): Late Middle Ages, Humanism, Reformation. Texts and testimonials, 2nd volume: The heyday of humanism and the Reformation, C. H. Beck: Munich 1978 (= Die deutsche Literatur, Texte and testimonies, 2), pp. 156–174.
  • [Latin, with pupil comm.] Franz Wachinger: Prose and poetry of the Renaissance (Ratio. Latin texts related to learning objectives, Vol. 39 / 1–2). C. C. Buchner: Bamberg 2001; Text volume: pp. 14-17: Epist. I, 21 (abridged), Epist. II, 48; Commentary volume: pp. 15–19. - 3-7661-5869-4 & 3-7661-5889-9.
Sebastian Giebenrath reads from the dark man's letters

Translations

  • Translations with a scientific-philological orientation:
    • [Latin-German: letters I, 1; II, 9; II, 26]. In: Hedwig Heger (Ed.): Late Middle Ages, Humanism, Reformation (see above).
    • [Letters I, 4; II, 53; II, 58-60] letters to dark men . In: Winfried Trillitzsch (Hrsg./Übers.): Der deutsche Renaissancehumanismus. Outline and selection (Reclam's Universal Library 900). Reclam: Leipzig 1981, pp. 441-449.
    • Karl Riha (Ed.): Dark men letters. To Magister Ortuin Gratius from Deventer (Insel-Taschenbuch 1297). Island: Frankfurt a. M. 1991. ISBN 3-458-32997-8 .
  • Translations by authors with a völkisch and National Socialist orientation who from 1885 onwards produced frequent new editions and translations of the letters in relevant publishers or who used the popular title for their own products:
    • Wilhelm Binder (Hrsg./Übers.): Letters from the dark men.
      • Subtitle: To Magister Ortuin Gratius from Deventer, Professor of Fine Sciences in Cologne . Rübling; Stuttgart 1876; Paul Stötzner again: Gera 1898; again Seifert, Köstritz 1904 (claims: "Translated into German for the first time").
      • Complete edition. Translated by Wilhelm Binder [1904]. Revised, annotated and afterword by Peter Amelung. Winkler: Munich 1964.
    • Verlag CB Griesbach: Gera 1885 (claimed "1st translation into German"). Subtitle: Epistolae obscurorum virorum. To Magister Ortuin Gratius from Deventer (reprint of this edition by Melchior: Wolfenbüttel o. J. [2007]).
    • Egbert Meinert: New letters from dark men. 1st and 2nd episode from spring 1914; 3rd episode ... 1920/21. Subtitle: New epistolae obscurorum virorum. First edition. Karl Rohm : Lorch 1922.
    • Kurt Eggers , Translator & Selection: “Obscure Letters.” Ulrich von Hutten, Crotus Rubeanus and others. From the monk's Latin. Blackheads: Leipzig 1939.
    • Joseph Otto Plassmann , editor and translator: Letters from dark men to Magister Ortvinus Gratius from Deventer, professor of fine arts in Cologne. Translated from kitchen Latin by Jodocum Plassmann, master of liberal arts and humble, albeit unworthy doctor of philosophy. First to third thousand, Nordland-Verlag 1940; Nordland & Ahnenerbe -Stiftung-Verlag again in 1941.

literature

  • Friedrich Wilhelm Bautz :  Crotus Rubeanus. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 1, Bautz, Hamm 1975. 2nd, unchanged edition Hamm 1990, ISBN 3-88309-013-1 , Sp. 1168–1169.  ( Article / beginning of article in the Internet archive ) (on Johannes Jäger with information on the background to the dark men’s letters )
  • Reinhard Paul Becker : A War of Fools: The Letters of Obscure Men. A Study of the Satire and the Satirized (New York University Ottendorfer Series NF, ed. V. Volkmar Sander, Vol. 12). Peter Lang: Bern 1981 (190 pages).
  • Willehad Paul Eckert : High and late Middle Ages - Catholic humanism. In: Karl Heinrich Rengstorf  / Siegfried von Kortzfleisch (ed.): Church and synagogue. Handbook on the history of Christians and Jews. Presentation and sources (2 vols.). Klett: Stuttgart 1968 (= reprint dtv: Munich 1988), Vol. I, 210–306, there 278–283 (note: pp. 303–305).
  • Karl-Heinz Gerschmann : Antiqui-Novi-Moderni in the Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum. In: Archive for Conceptual History 11, 1967, 23–36, online .
  • Karl-Heinz Gerschmann: When dark men write letters. In: Neophilologus 81, 1997, pp. 89-103.
  • Joachim Gruber : Texts of a turning point: The Epistolae obscurorum virorum. In: Suggestion 41 (1995), pp. 154-168.
  • R. Hahn: Hutten's part in the Epistolae obscurorum virorum. In: Pirckheimer-Jahrbuch 4 (1988), pp. 79-111.
  • Günter Hess: German-Latin fools guild. Studies on the relationship between vernacular and latinism in satirical literature of the 16th century (Munich texts and studies on medieval literature, 41). C. H. Beck: Munich 1971.
  • Erich Meuthen : The Epistolae obscurorum virorum. In: Walter Brandmüller u. a. (Ed.): Ecclesia militans. Festschrift for Remigius Bäumer . Schöningh: Paderborn 1988, Vol. 2, pp. 53-80.
  • Josef Swoboda: News from a turning point In: 'Magazin' No. 1 (2004), 4–26; online (PDF; 260 kB).
  • Franz Josef Worstbrock : Art. Dark man letters . In: Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche , 3rd edition (LThK³), Vol. 3 (1995), Col. 402.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Helga Schnabel-Schüle : Reformation. Historical and cultural studies manual. Metzler, Heidelberg 2017, ISBN 978-3-476-02593-7 , p. 107.
  2. ^ Volker Riedel: Reception of antiquity in German literature from Renaissance humanism to the present. An introduction. J. B. Metzler: Stuttgart / Weimar 2000, p. 44.
  3. Jump up ↑ Dark Men Letters , Vol. 2, Letter No. 30. Quoted from Franz Graf-Stuhlhofer : Humanism between Court and University. Georg Tannstetter (Collimitius) and his scientific environment in Vienna in the early 16th century. Vienna 1996, p. 94.
  4. ↑ See also Oskar Panizza : German theses against the Pope and his dark men. [1894] With a preface by MG Conrad . New edition (selection from the “666 theses and quotations”). Nordland-Verlag , Berlin 1940.