Gerhart Ellert

Gerhart Ellert was the male pseudonym for the Austrian writer Gertrud Schmirger (born January 26, 1900 in Wolfsberg ; † May 7, 1975 ibid). She wrote numerous historical novels and travelogues. The central characters of her novels were among others Pope Silvester II. , Attila , Mohammed , Paulus from Tarsus , Karl V , Michelangelo , Wallenstein and Richelieu .

Life

Gertrud Schmirger was the only child of the Wolfsberg primary physician Camillo Schmirger and his wife Gabrielle. She was born on January 26, 1900 and did not attend a public primary school, but learned to read and write at home. Her lively imagination invented little stories early on. A little older, she took private lessons in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Paul. The time in the Konvikt there had a lasting impact on the girl, contacts with the monks were never to be broken. After passing her Matura with distinction, she went on to study at higher education institutions in Vienna and Graz, which primarily only served to expand her general knowledge.

In 1922 Gertrud Gabriela Schmirger lost her father, she and her mother had to change their lifestyle and look for an income. They started to cultivate a fruit farm and set up a tree nursery. As the winter rested over work, the widow and daughter went abroad in the cold season. Initially it was only associated with pleasant leisure activities, later it happened “actually only because of the study of sources and milieu”. Since her texts in Latin, Italian, French and English presented no difficulties, she was able to immerse herself in files and literature with ease.

Literary activity began in the early 1930s and was so productive that one long novel followed another. In 1933 she approached Speidel-Verlag with her first work, which was ready to include the Carinthian woman's epic poetry in its book program, but expressed the wish for a male author's name. “The author chose the name Gerhart Ellert. This was created by the composition of the names of two people who were particularly close to her - by her mother Gabrielle and the Saint Pauler . Father Engelbert Olbert "

The novel was titled The Magician and dealt with the life and work of Gerbert von Aurillac , who was one of the greatest scholars towards the end of the first millennium and when Pope 999 took the name Silvester II . Because of his immense knowledge, he was reputed to be a magician.

As a result, 17 similar novels appeared at regular intervals. “Above all, it is the great, creative person who captivates the poet, and fateful vocation and greatness seem connected with tragedy. Ellert's heroes experience loneliness, renunciation and sacrifice, be they secular rulers or church princes, popular leaders or religious founders, statesmen or artists. "

In the second half of the 1950s the writer turned to the young reader and wrote several books especially for him. The blue horse from 1958 contained narratives with which adolescents were brought closer to works of art. In 1959 episodes from the cultural history of mankind followed in 17 pictures under the title On Endless Streets . For this book she was awarded the Austrian State Prize for Youth Literature. In 1960 she received the ring of honor of her hometown Wolfsberg, and in 1966 she was awarded the title of professor.

All books by Gerhart Ellert alias Gertrud Schmirger were looked after by Austrian publishers; the great novels were published by Speidel in Vienna and the books for young people were published by the Austrian Federal Publishing House in Vienna.

She found access to the historical personalities she wrote about through her numerous trips to almost every country in Europe and North Africa, the Near and Middle East, the USA , Mexico and Central America. The author once stated: "I don't choose the material for my books myself, but the material that captures me."

The writer died on May 7, 1975. In an obituary it said:

“There are only a few writers with such deep feeling, so inspired by the human wealth of the historical world and all the mysterious forces of past centuries as Gerhart Ellert. In all of his works, in the fates of the people involved, the strong personality, the distinctive character of a person who knows of the inexhaustible diversity of life emerges. "

Gertrud Schmirger is buried at the Wolfsberg city cemetery. Her estate is guarded by the Benedictine Abbey of St. Paul, to which she felt a connection to the end. In 1985 museum rooms dedicated to Gertrud Schmirger were set up.

Awards

• 1959 Austrian State Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature

Works (selection)

Works by Gerhart Ellert

prose

• The Wizard. Novel . F. Speidelsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Vienna and Leipzig 1933. New edition: Carinthia, Klagenfurt 1981, ISBN 3-85378-185-3 .
• Attila. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1934. New edition 1950 and more.
• Charles V Roman . Speidel, Vienna 1935. New edition: Verlag das Berglandbuch, Salzburg 1980, ISBN 3-7023-0129-1 .
• The king. Narration . Speidel, Vienna 1936.
• Wallenstein. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1937. New edition: Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1968.
• Mohammed. Novel . Scheuermann, Vienna 1938. New edition under the title: Mohammed. Crescent moon and sword; the founder of Islam . Lübbe Verlag, Bergisch Gladbach 1979, ISBN 3-404-01330-1 .
• After the atonement. Novel . F. Speidelsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Vienna and Leipzig 1940.
• Michelangelo. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1942. New edition: Bastei-Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1980, ISBN 3-404-61051-2 .
• The light. Novel . Speidel, Vienna and Leipzig 1944.
• The johanniter. It started in Jerusalem; Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1947. New edition: Universitas-Verlag, Munich 1989, ISBN 3-8004-1385-X .
• Richelieu. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1948.
• Paul from Tarsus. Novel . Speidel-Verlag, Vienna 1951.
• I, Judith, confess. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1952.
• The gate is never locked. The fate of the St. Bernard Pass . Speidel, Vienna 1954.
• Walls around Rome. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1955. New edition: Verlag das Berglandbuch, Salzburg 1980, ISBN 3-7023-0130-5 .
• The gold treasure . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1956. New edition under the title: The gold treasure in the Roman camp . 4th edition. Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1967.
• Jacobe Oderkamp. A woman's novel from the Hanseatic era . Bertelsmann, Gütersloh 1958.
• The blue horse. Stories about works of art . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1958.
• Alexander the Great. Historical novel . Hoch Verlag, Düsseldorf 1959.
• Gregory the Great . Neff, Vienna 1961.
• The Duchess's cat. Story from the Babenberger time . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1961. Licensed edition: Thienemann, Stuttgart 1964.
• Mahmud II, son of the French woman. Novel . Neff, Vienna 1963.
• The blind lion of San Marco. Novel . Speidel, Vienna 1966.
• Duke Tassilo's baggage boy . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1967.
• Columban the Irishman. Novel . Publishing house Neff, Vienna 1968.
• Ransom for Dorothy . Ueberreuter, Vienna 1971.

Stage works

• The Doge Foscari. Drama in 6 acts . Speidel, Vienna 1936.
• It was your wish, Your Majesty. Comedy in 6 pictures . Speidel, Vienna 1946.
• Peter de Vinea. Play in 3 acts . Bühnenverlag Ahn & Simrock, Berlin 1947.

Non-fiction

• Crusader. The Order of Malta's heroic struggle . Junge Welt, Opladen 1953. New edition: Herder, Freiburg 1955.
• On endless streets. Adventure of mankind . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1958.
• Prophets, kings and caliphs. Old Orient, re-viewed . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1960.
• The adventure of research. The way and fate of Europe in its high schools . Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Vienna 1963.
• The silent centuries. Early Christianity in the twilight of history . Publishing house Neff, Vienna 1965.
• Alexander the great and his world empire . Ueberreuter, Vienna 1968.
• Europe's lost coast. North Africa in the picture of history . Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1970.

literature

• Birgit Urbas: The life and work of Gertrud Schmirger (pseudonym Gerhart Ellert) as reflected in her historical novels . Dissertation, University of Graz 1980.

Web links

• Literature by and about Gerhart Ellert in the catalog of the German National Library
• Entry on Gerhart Ellert in the Austria Forum  (in the AEIOU Austria Lexicon )
• Short biography of Gerhart Ellerts

Remarks

1. ^ Hartwig Pucker in the catalog for the State Exhibition St. Paul 1991.
2. ↑ Erich Nussbaumer, Geistiges Kärnten , 1956.
3. ↑ Kärntner Landeszeitung , May 16, 1975.