Eichendorff Society

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The Eichendorff Society was a literary society devoted to researching the life and work of the poet Joseph von Eichendorff as well as to romantic culture in general . The company was based in Ratingen .

history

The first associations for the care of the Eichendorff and romantic heritage date back to the beginning of the 19th century. On the initiative of the poet's grandson Karl Freiherr von Eichendorff , the then Czernowitz literature professor Wilhelm Kosch and the Gliwice Judicial Council and head of the Upper Silesian Museum Arthur Schiller, the first "German Eichendorff Society" was founded in Gleiwitz in 1913 on the occasion of Eichendorff's 125th birthday .

Organs of this society were

  • the "romantic yearbook Eichendorff calendar" (1910–1929 / 30) founded by Wilhelm Kosch in 1910 and edited by him,
  • the "news sheet of the German Eichendorff Society" (1914-1917) and one
  • Monthly supplement to the Neisser Zeitung: "Eichendorff sheets for literature, art and science".

Since Wilhelm Kosch struggled with the stagnation of the Gleiwitz Eichendorff Society, which was also caused by the war, he called in 1917 in Munich together with Erwein von Aretin , Mathäus Schiestl and Hans von Hammerstein for membership in the "German Eichendorff Association".

Organs of this union were:

  • furthermore: the "Eichendorff calendar" (until 1929/30),
  • the quarterly and temporary monthly “for all branches of culture” “Der Wächter.” (1918–1961), in which Eichendorff (1918–1925 / 26) a rubric “ Notices of the Eichendorff Association "filled,
  • 5 booklets "romantic flying leaves" with the title "Rübezahl" (1919).

In 1931 the teacher and editor Karl Schodrok (again with the participation of Karl Freiherr von Eichendorff) called the "Deutsche Eichendorff Foundation" into being in Neisse, which made its contributions to romanticism research until 1943

  • published in the romantic almanac "Aurora" published by Karl von Eichendorff and Adolf Dyroff since 1929 under the journalistic umbrella of the monthly "Der Oberschlesier" published by Karl Schodrok in Opole .

In 1952, the Eichendorff Foundation and the Eichendorff Association merged. The "Aurora" was subtitled "Eichendorff Almanach" and appeared again for the first time in 1953 after the war (edited by Karl Schodrok).

In 1969 the association was renamed "Eichendorff Society" and initially worked primarily in Würzburg .

The "Aurora" was continued as the "Yearbook of the Eichendorff Society" and developed through an increasing openness to the cultural and historical environment of Eichendorff's life and work and its extensive review section into one of the leading publication locations and organs of presentations on the classical-romantic period.

Other organs of the society were the "news sheet of the Eichendorff society" (13 episodes 1975-1987) and the "Apropos Eichendorff" contributions (7 episodes 1995-2004). From 1983 to mid-2008 the company was based in Ratingen- Hösel . Here, in the Upper Silesian State Museum, she maintained the business and research center with archive and library as well as an exhibition with exhibits on Eichendorff's life and work. The presidents of the society were the university professors Hermann Kunisch (1969–1975), Wolfgang Frühwald (1975–1976), Helmut Koopmann (1976–1984), Peter Horst Neumann (1984–2002), Gunnar Och (2002–2006), Ursula Regener (2006-2010).

The focus of the society's scientific activities was on the publication of the Aurora yearbook , the historical-critical edition (HKA) of Eichendorff's Complete Works, and international congresses that took place every two years. There results and new aspects of Eichendorff and Romanticism research were presented and discussed.

Since 1974, on the occasion of its congresses, the society has been awarding the Eichendorff Medal to Germanists, journalists and writers who have dealt scientifically, critically or creatively with Eichendorff's life and work in their work. The “ Oskar Seidlin Prize” (named after its founder) was also awarded every two years to promote young literary scholars who have distinguished themselves in romanticism and Eichendorff research.

At times the society had over 400 members (as of October 2006) from Germany and abroad. A Japanese branch existed in Tokyo . International congresses on romance research took place every two years.

By resolution of the general assembly on October 9, 2010, the Eichendorff Society dissolved after no one had agreed to actively participate in the board of directors or to take over the presidency of the association. The company's assets went to the Free German Hochstift in Frankfurt am Main . The company's homepage will continue to be run under the name “Eichendorff Forum”. The Oskar Seidlin Prize will continue to be advertised on behalf of the Eichendorff Forum and the Free German Hochstift.

Individual evidence

  1. The Guardian and Eichendorff Calendar. Complete table of contents. Edited by Franz Heiduk and Wolfgang Kessler , Sigmaringen 1985 (= Aurora book series 4)
  2. ^ The Deutsche Eichendorff Foundation, in: Aurora 2 (1932), oP in front of the table of contents
  3. ^ News sheet of the Eichendorff Society. No. 1. Würzburg 1975