Friedrich Wurzbach

Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf Würzbach (born June 15, 1886 in Berlin ; † May 14, 1961 in Munich ) was a German philosopher , publicist and scientist who was best known as a Nietzsche researcher .

biography

education

Friedrich Würzbach grew up as the youngest of three sons of the businessman Richard Würzbach and his wife Clara, a daughter of the magician Bellachini , in Berlin (his brother Hans became a painter, his brother Walter an architect).

In the autumn of 1908 he obtained his higher education entrance qualification at the secondary school in Groß-Lichterfelde and initially studied natural sciences in the winter semester 1908/09 and summer semester 1909 at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg . In the winter semester of 1909 he switched to studying philosophy with Alois Riehl and Georg Simmel at the Royal Friedrich Wilhelms University in Berlin , without giving up at least botany (with Peter Claussen ). Würzbach continued his studies with this mixture of natural sciences and philosophy from the winter semester 1910 to the end of the summer semester 1913 at the University of Munich . For the summer semester 1914 he moved back to Freiburg until the end of the winter semester 1915/16. According to his college book, he attended lectures, exercises and colloquia in geology, palaeontology , zoology and botany, especially with Wilhelm Deecke , but also with Franz Theodor Doflein , Karl Deninger and Friedrich Oltmanns . In 1924 Würzbach started work on The raw material of prehistoric flint tools according to their occurrence and properties in Freiburg i. Br. At Deecke as Dr. phil. nat. PhD . With his natural-philosophical approach, which combines geological, climatic and cultural aspects of investigation and shows Würzbach's special interest in the philosophical interpretation ( Goethe , Schopenhauer , Nietzsche) of geological and human historical developments and from then on accompanied his Nietzsche research, he was involved in the relevant discourse ("Goethe's natural philosophy seems to find a logical continuation and interpretation in Nietzsche's theory of the will to power").

The Nietzsche Society

In 1919 Würzbach founded the Nietzsche Society (NG) in Munich and became its first chairman. Würzbach probably came into contact with Nietzsche's philosophy in 1909 at the latest while studying with Riehl and Simmel, because both included Nietzsche in research and teaching. There is evidence that Würzbach attended Alexander Pfänder's lecture Schopenhauer and Nietzsche in the winter semester of 1911/12 in Munich . Würzbach was exempted from military service for health reasons ( lung tuberculosis ) and sought healing in climatic health resorts more often in his life . Since his de-registration certificate (1919) shows no attendance at lectures after 1916, it can be assumed that Würzbach used a convalescence phase of his life to intensively study Nietzsche's work and, in particular, after knowing the new publication by Ernst Bertram and in the spirit of optimism at the end of the First World War made the decision to found NG.

The founding members included Ernst Bertram, Hugo von Hofmannsthal , Thomas Mann , Richard Oehler , Leo Schestow and Heinrich Wölfflin , who formed the board of directors under Würzbach's chairmanship - Schestow only from 1926 onwards. The preoccupation with the philosopher, who was popular at the time, was declared to be "apolitical and pan-European", as the following international composition of the board and the activities of NG show. Thomas Mann, for example, spoke at the NG meeting on October 16, 1920 "about the unification of Europe" and about cosmopolitanism . Würzbach's relationship with Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche , the founder of the Nietzsche Archive in Weimar , was initially cooperative and since the successful conference in 1927 has developed into a rivalry that subsequently manifested itself in several points of contention and accusations against Würzbach, of which he was judicially was acquitted. Würzbach had also called for the access to material - in his opinion - withheld by Förster-Nietzsche on the (edited by him) will to power and thus caused a "profound rift". Thomas Mann saw in the "animosity against the well-behaved and well-deserved man (...) obviously jealousy". Willy Haas then demanded a " Lex Nietzsche" to forbid Nietzsche's sister from withholding documents from the estate. Kurt Tucholsky , for example, also wrote about the problem of inheritance and copyright-protected decision-making power over the non-publication, falsification or destruction of materials from literary estates using the example of the Nietzsche archive.

From 1922 to 1929 Würzbach was co-editor and lecturer on the twenty-three volume Musarion - Nietzsche's edition of works . In 1923, Förster-Nietzsche also intended an English-American complete edition published by Würzbach and Kurt Riezler for the Nietzsche Society. In addition, various individual NG publications were published. From 1933 until its dissolution by the Gestapo in 1943 (because of contacts with Jews and emigrants , lack of activity and hostility towards the philosopher's sister), there is virtually no evidence of any public activities of the NG. In this way, Würzbach wanted to protect society from being “brought into line ”. All of the NG material was confiscated and taken away. It is now in the Goethe and Schiller Archives in Weimar.

Activity in the Third Reich

From 1933 to 1940 Würzbach used his activity as a department head at the Reichssender München, in addition to many other programs and some newspaper articles, sometimes also for fascist interpretations of Nietzsche. Hans Brandenburg , who gave lectures for a series of programs on German piety introduced and directed by Würzbach , reports on Würzbach's "silent conspiracy". In his office “there was a picture as degenerate as Franz Marc's red horses in a large color print , but he had hung an old master next to it and justified the compilation as purely instructive, as an example and counterexample. So he set me the task of saying what was forbidden in a permitted form, and most of the time the lecture was a response to some utterance from a high or high authority. The concept of piety was to be limited to that of piety in life. "

In 1940 Würzbach was dismissed without notice after a long and unsuccessful struggle for proof of Aryan status - his mother, who had already died was Jewish, which he tried to deny by portraying her as a non-biological mother. He tried to make a living for himself and his family with scientific publications, which the Reichsschrifttumskammer tried to prevent. In the spring of 1943 the Gestapo in Munich forbade any kind of writing activity under threat of safe custody of Würzbach. In 1944 he was denounced for "statements hostile to the state and abuse of the leadership " . The threat of imprisonment was converted into a fine because of the poor health of Würzbach.

After 1945

After the end of the war, Würzbach applied for his arbitration chamber proceedings to counter an extortionate attempt by his former informers. On June 11, 1946, it was found to be "flawless after a political review". However, Würzbach did not find a permanent job, lived from editing, newspaper articles and lecturing as well as the new editions of his most important publications as paperbacks. He was awarded a modest pension in 1953 as part of redress proceedings. In 1956, after some hesitation, Würzbach followed a request from a small group of interested parties to re-establish the Nietzsche Society. Today, as the Nietzsche Forum Munich, it is an integral part of the city's cultural life.

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The relationship between fascist and spiritual interpretation

The following guiding principles can be recognized in Würzbach's scientific work, which are also reflected in his broadcasts (by no means all of them received) and magazine articles: The central approach of Würzbach's Nietzsche interpretation is the preference of intuitive experience over rational thinking, which is in contrast to Dionysian versus Apollonian and illustrated in two “basic types of man”, the “favorite of nature” and the “big head”. This corresponds to the anti-intellectualism which has been developing since the beginning of the 20th century and which was adopted and politically instrumentalized by the Nazi regime. The confrontation of intellect and feeling goes hand in hand with the establishment of a hierarchy which Würzbach determines on the basis of Nietzsche's elitist thinking according to the criterion of spiritual participation in Dionysian experience. He postulates, also based on Nietzsche, a biologically well-founded higher development of the human being to an ability of cosmic participation. The biological interest here applies to the entire development of life, which can, however, also be turned into a racist .

In this context, Nietzsche's vaguely prophetic orientation towards the future offers the possibility of interpreting him as an early herald of a German future.

If one follows these basic ideas of Nietzsche's interpretation in Würzbach's publications, the following picture emerges: In the scientific publications, in forewords and comments on text editions, he often uses a linguistic mimicry in the form of vague terminology, which is just as open to a fascist interpretation as for a spiritual interpretation. In a number of newspaper articles and radio lectures after 1933 there are clearly fascist statements, but also attempts to differentiate Nietzsche from the prevailing political opinion. The broadcasts show the effort to make classics heard in addition to fascist-oriented authors.

It can be seen that, during his radio activity from 1933 to 1940, under racist pressure of persecution, Würzbach adapted his Nietzsche interpretation to the ideology of the Nazi regime, while his spiritual and cosmic interpretation remained in his scientific work during this period as well. Würzbach by no means provided a systematic and comprehensive conversion of Nietzsche into fascist ideology, as was the case with other prominent Nietzsche interpreters such as Alfred Baeumler , Karl Otto Schmidt or Fritz Giese . Würzbach occasionally behaved opportunistically , but was not a staunch supporter of the National Socialists and not a party member. His oscillation between adaptation and passive resistance in the cultural activities of the Nazi regime is characteristic of the behavior of a large number of cultural workers during the Nazi regime and requires tolerance for ambiguity in the assessment .

Works: Monographs (selection)

• 1921: Dionysus. Lecture on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the NG. Musarion, Munich.
• 1925: (co-ed.): Ariadne. Yearbook of the Nietzsche Society. Publishing house of the Nietzsche Society, Munich.
• 1932: Recognizing and experiencing: the “big head” and the “favorite of nature.” Wegweiser Verlag, Berlin.
• 1935: La Volonté de Puissance - texte établi par Friedrich Würzbach. (At Gallimard: reissued several times).
• 1940: The legacy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Attempt a new interpretation of all events and a revaluation of all values. Arranged from the estate and according to Nietzsche's intentions. Pustet, Salzburg (published again in 1943).
• 1941: The two basic types of humans: the "big head" and the "favorite of nature". German Hort-Verlag, Reutlingen (reprint of Recognition and Experience).
• 1942 Ed .: Everything that is alive is obedient. Words from Friedrich Nietzsche, zsgf. by Friedrich Würzbach. Münchner Buchverlag, Munich ( Münchner Lesebogen ).
• 1942: Nietzsche. His life in self-testimonies, letters and reports. With 52 ills. Propylaen-Verlag, Berlin.
• 1943: The sources of our strength. A reading book from the Eternal German. Compiled by Friedrich Würzbach and Fritz Krökel. Steirische Verlags-Anstalt, Graz (published again in 1945).
• 1949: The two basic types of humans: the “big head” and the “favorite of nature”. Publishing house Bamberger Reiter, Bamberg.
• 1954: Nietzsche: His life in self-testimonies, letters and reports. (Goldmann TB 1966, 1968, reissued 1969).
• 1969: Friedrich Nietzsche: Revaluation of all values (reprint of The Legacy of Friedrich Nietzsche on dtv, there again in 1977).
• 1984: I. The image of man. II. From the end of the modern era to the bridges of the future, presented to Hölderlin-Nietzsche-Rilke. Two unpublished manuscripts from the estate. Ed .: WLLohmann. Verlag Die Blaue Eule, Essen 1984, ISBN 3-924368-22-8 .

Works: magazine articles and radio lectures (selection)

• 1925: The problem of hierarchy with Nietzsche and the highest level of it: the Dionysian man. In: Die Musikwelt , 5th volume, issue of February 1, 1925 (GSA, 165/8016).
• 1928: The most important biological findings in Nietzsche's philosophy. In: Research and Advances. News sheet of German science v. January 10, 1928.
• 1929: Nietzsche. A complete overview of the previous Nietzsche literature. In: Literary reports from the field of philosophy. H. 19/20, 1929, pp. 5-11.
• 1930: The change in Nietzsche's interpretation. In: Leaves for German Philosophy. Journal of the German Philosophical Society, Volume 4, No. 2, pp. 200–211.
• 1933: Nietzsche and German fate. In: Das Literäre Echo , October 1933. In full or in excerpts in numerous newspapers. See GSA, 165/10490.
• 1934: The rebirth of the spirit from the blood. In: Völkischer Beobachter v. January 14, 1934.
• 1934: The Dionysian song of the Germans. In: Cultural Policy and Entertainment from January 26, 1934.
• 1934: Nietzsche's legacy. In: West German Observer v. November 11, 1934 (GSA, 165/9714).
• 1934: work and workers in the new society. Based on aphorisms by Nietzsche. German publishing house Bong & Co. (radio lecture from 1933).
• 1937: Nietzsche and National Socialism. In: Völkischer Beobachter v. June 20, 1937.
• 1940: 'You should one day be a people' On the 40th anniversary of Nietzsche's death (August 25, 1940). In: Völkischer Beobachter v. August 25, 1940.

Archival sources

• Bavarian Capital Archives: BHSA
• Berlin Document Center, today in the Federal Archives: BDC
• Goethe and Schiller Archive Weimar: Archive of the Nietzsche Society in: GSA
• Files of the Miesbach Chamber of Justice: SPA

literature

• Würzbach, Natascha: The magical inkwell. Almost a novel. Pro Business, Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-86460-823-0 .
• Natascha Würzbach: Friedrich Würzbach. Nietzsche researcher and publicist.
• Max Werner Vogel and Beatrix Vogel: Chronicle of the Nietzsche Circle. Attempt at a reconstruction. Allitera Verlag, Munich 2016, ISBN 978-3-86906-907-4 .
• David Marc Hoffmann: On the history of the Nietzsche archive. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin and New York 1991, ISBN 3-11-013014-9 .
• Kürschner's German Scholars Calendar 1931, Sp. 3351.
• Kürschner's Literature Calendar, vol. 52–1952, p. 544.
• Who is who, 1955.
• Hans Brandenburg: In the fire of our love. Experienced fate of a city. Verlag Herbert Neuner, Munich 1956.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Harry Graf Keßler: The diary. Volume 9, 1926-1937. Cotta, Stuttgart 2010, pp. 515f.
2. ↑ Masch.-Schr. Copy in the Berlin State Library, Sign. MS24 / 2983; Leaving certificates, college book as well as the doctoral certificate from May 5, 1924 in the Stiftung Klassik, inventory NG / Friedrich Würzbach.
3. ^ Albert Jungmann: Goethe's natural philosophy between Spinoza and Nietzsche: Studies on the development of Goethe's natural philosophy up to the inclusion of Kant's "Critique of Judgment" . Lang, Frankfurt am Main a. a. 1989, especially p. 274, ISBN 978-3-631-41876-5 . (Zugl .: Heidelberg, Univ. Diss., 1989); see. also: Alwin Mittasch: Friedrich Nietzsche as a natural philosopher . Stuttgart, Kröner 1952, especially p. 282; 299
4. ↑ See, among others, Alois Riehl: Nietzsche, the artist and thinker. Frommann, Stuttgart 1897.
5. ↑ testimony to Abgange of the University , October 17, 1913 (Nietzsche Archive Weimar, Inventory NG / Friedrich Würzbach).
6. ^ Ernst Bertram: Nietzsche. Attempt a mythology . Bondi, Berlin 1918.
7. ↑ Cf. Max Werner Vogel and Beatrix Vogel: Chronicle of the Nietzsche Circle. Attempt at a reconstruction. Allitera Verlag, Munich 2016, p. 33 f. with reference to the entry in the register of associations at the Munich District Court.
8. ↑ Cf. F. Würzbach: Dionysos. Lecture given at the opening of the Nietzsche Society. Verlag der Nietzsche-Gesellschaft, Munich 1922, p. 32 in the appendix.
9. ↑ Thus quoted in: The literary echo of October 11, 1922 from the prospectus. GSA 72/3172.
10. ↑ On the pan-European activities of Würzbach with corresponding documents from the GSA, cf. Elke Wachendorff: The founding of the first Nietzsche Society in 1919 in the spirit of Europe. The Nietzsche Society in Munich 1919–1929. Lecture at the Nietzsche Forum Munich, Monday January 28, 2019. Coming soon.
11. ↑ Thomas Mann: Diaries 1918–1921 . S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1979, p. 470 (October 17, 1920).
12. ^ Nietzsche Renaissance. In: Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung of October 18, 1927, GSA 165/649; The most important biological findings in Nietzsche's philosophy. In: Research and Advances January 10, 1928, GSA 165/8433, etc.
13. ↑ See more precisely: Elke Wachendorff, ibid.
14. ^ David Marc Hoffmann: On the history of the Nietzsche archive. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin and New York 1991, p. 93 (after: EFN archive, nos. 2469, 1579, 3154.)
15. ^ Letter to Hugo von Hofmannsthal, April 19, 1929, Large Commented Frankfurter Edition , Volume 23.2, Frankfurt am Main 2011, p. 394.
16. ^ David Marc Hoffmann: On the history of the Nietzsche archive. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin and New York 1991, pp. 101f .; W. Haas: We want a Lex Nietzsche. In: The Literary World v. July 19, 1929, pp. 1f.
17. ↑ Ignaz Wrobel: Miss Nietzsche. On the essence of the tragic. In: Die Weltbühne , XXVIII. Vol. 2 v. January 12, 1932, pp. 54-59.
18. ↑ Harry Graf Keßler: The diary. Volume 9, 1926-1937. Cotta, Stuttgart 2010, p. 173 (December 17, 1923).
19. ↑ See notification of the Reich Propaganda Office Munich Upper Bavaria, Department of Literature from February 23, 1943 as well as letter from the Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda to the Reich Chamber of Literature from May 8, 1943, both in the BDC RKK Würzbach.
20. ↑ Report on activities and behavior of Dr. Friedrich Würzbach's before and during the National Socialist regime as well as supplement I p. 149. SPA Karton 3435, AZ 15.6.1886.
21. ^ H. Brandenburg: In the fire of our love. Experienced fate of a city. Verlag Herbert Neuner, Munich 1956, p. 396f.
22. ↑ See numerous letters to Hanns Johst , the head of the RSK. BDC, RKK Würzbach.
23. ^ The request for this by the Reich Propaganda Office of March 6, 1943 in the personal file in the BDC, RKK Würzbach. - Würzbach reports this as part of the judicial chamber proceedings with the indication “in spring 1943”. Judgment Chamber File: "Information from Dr. Würzbach “p. 1. SPA, box 3534, AZ 15.6.1886.
24. ↑ SPA, ibid.,: Letters from the lawyer for the informers, a summary of Würzbach from March 8, 1946. Eleven partly prominent people like Abbot Hugo Lang spoke positively as witnesses for him. Ibid, p. 106.
25. ↑ Ibid, p. 106.
26. ↑ BHSA, A 178.
27. ^ Homepage of the Nietzsche Forum Munich eV
28. ↑ See for further information on the biography of Würzbach: Natascha Würzbach: Friedrich Würzbach. Life and work. Homepage of the author under "Father."
29. ↑ So already in the lecture The problem of hierarchy with Nietzsche and the highest level of it: the Dionysian man , held at a "musical Nietzsche celebration" in Hamburg on January 9, 1925, printed in: Die Musikwelt , 5th year, February 1, 1925, pp. 38-43, GSA, 165/8016.
30. ↑ In his lecture in Weimar 1927, in Erkennen und Erleben (1932) as well as in the foreword to Das Vermächtnis Friedrich Nietzsche (1940).
31. ^ So in his programmatic lecture at the conference in Weimar in 1927. See his report in research and progress , January 10, 1928: The most important biological findings in Nietzsche's philosophy. GSA, 165/8433.
32. ↑ See Nietzsche and German fate. In: The Literary Echo , October 1933.
33. ^ Evidence and more detailed text analyzes in: Natascha Würzbach: Friedrich Würzbach. Life and work . Homepage of the author, under "Father."
34. ↑ Cf. Martha Zapata Galindo: Triumph of the will to power. On Nietzsche's reception in the Nazi state. Argument-Verlag, Hamburg 1995. Galindo's assessment of Würzbach's approach to fascist ideas takes only a few of his writings into account.