Hagen von Tronje (hollow leg)

Hagen von Tronje is a 1986 novel by Wolfgang Hohlbein . It is based on the Nibelungen saga, but combines it with elements from other sagas and the author's free interpretation of the material.

action

When Hagen von Tronje , armorer of Worms , returns from a trip to the borders of the empire in Worms in Burgundy , he meets an old witch who prophesies that a woman will determine his fate and bring his downfall.

He is tormented by foreboding, and the arrival of the radiant warrior Siegfried , dragon slayer, lord of the Nibelung kingdom and owner of the legendary Nibelungen hoard , and his Nibelungen riders seem to confirm this. Although he has come to claim the crown from Gunther the King, they make peace and he stays at Worms for a year. Finally, messengers from the brothers Lüdeger and Lüdegast, kings of Saxony and Denmark, come and declare war on the Burgundians. Hagen also finds out that Siegfried and Kriemhild , Gunther's sister, have been meeting and loving each other for a long time. This is also a reason for Siegfried to offer his help to the Burgundians.

The Burgundians decide to attack the Danish army before they can unite with the Saxons, and with the benefit of surprise they manage to capture the Danish king, defeat the Saxons and take their king hostage to Worms to take. During the battle, Hagen was badly wounded, lost one eye and had a long fever before slowly recovering.

In the meantime, Siegfried has sneaked into the hearts of the townspeople, because without him the war would have been lost. His reputation is now greater than that of the king, which reduces his power. Hagen tries desperately to find a solution, which is made more difficult by his oath of allegiance to the king and his promise to Kriemhild to take care of Siegfried.

When Siegfried asked for Kriemhild's hand at the victory celebration, Gunther said on Hagen's advice that he could marry Kriemhild on the condition that Kriemhild helped him to free Brunhild , a mighty Valkyrie , in his name, which no one has yet succeeded in doing.

Siegfried seems defeated for the time being, but after a year he, Gunther, Hagen and his brother Dankwart go to Iceland to woo Brunhild. These only accept if the suitor beats them in a three-way fight - stone throwing, bow and sword fighting. With the help of a spell, Siegfried deceives Brunhild and wins the games instead of Gunther, who brings her home.

Back in Worms, Hagen realizes that he loves Kriemhild, whose wedding is soon. He can't stand the pain and runs away. But he returns soon, for he has sworn to kill Siegfried if he should cause pain to Kriemhild, and he is cheating on her with Brunhild. Hagen catches the two in the bedroom and is able to overpower Siegfried, but does not kill him, but challenges him to a duel.

The next morning both fight with each other, Hagen with Siegfried's magic sword Balmung , which he has taken from him and which gives him strength. Although Balmung seems to catch Siegfried's blows by himself and replies, Hagen threatens to succumb - Gunther, who has secretly joined in, pierces Siegfried with a spear in the only place where he is vulnerable and kills him.

Hagen takes the blame on himself to protect Gunther and is therefore hated by Kriemhild. During Siegfried's funeral, Brunhild throws herself into the burning pyre to escape the pain, because she loved Siegfried. Kriemhild blames Hagen for this and promises him to take revenge. So they part.

main characters

Hagen from Tronje

is of normal stature and average stature. He has an angular face with deep lines and a carefully trimmed full beard. He usually wears the costume of his homeland, which is all black except for the unadorned, red cape. He has gray, gloomy eyes.

Hagen is the armorer of King Gunthers of Burgundy and actively supports him. He stays in Worms, although he could actually be ruler in Tronje himself. He has a friendly, good personality, but is always worried and prone to pessimism. He has to make a lot of decisions and therefore often gets into conflict. He always tries to turn everything for the best, but always seems to make the wrong choice between loyalty and love. He kills Siegfried.

Siegfried von Xanten

is tall, broad-shouldered and has shoulder-length, slightly wavy hair. His weapon is the famous Balmung sword , a huge, double-edged sword. He is the ruler of the Nibelungen Empire, owner of the legendary Nibelungen hoard and dragon slayer. It is almost invulnerable, only a small area between the shoulder blades is unhorned, because there was a linden leaf when it was bathed in the dragon's blood. He is described as a child in the body of an angry god, a barbaric butcher who only applies his simple cunning to the battlefield and otherwise takes a back seat to Hagen in intellectual matters, although he should in no way be considered stupid. He loves Kriemhild and that's where the story actually begins.

Kriemhild of Worms

is the sister of King Gunther and daughter of Ute. She is incredibly beautiful and many men court her, but she rejects everyone until Siegfried arrives. She falls in love with him and both marry. Kriemhild is of a rather graceful figure and yet powerful. After the death of her beloved husband, she swears revenge and is filled with hatred and anger. Kriemhild is the real reason for all the suffering.

Gunther von Worms

is the king of the Burgundians and the eldest of three sons of Dankrat. He is very young and mildly weak, yet with Hagen's help a good king. With his brothers Gernot and Giselher he rules the kingdom well and justly and keeps the peace. His mother is Ute and his sister is the lovely Kriemhild. His love is for the Valkyrie Brunhild, whom he marries.

background

The story is based on the Nibelungenlied , a medieval poem. Hohlbein recounted this from Hagen's point of view. Hagen von Tronje, often popularly interpreted as a dark figure with dubious motives, becomes a person who acts and decides on the basis of his code of honor and his feelings, and who refuses to do what ultimately determines his fate for a long time. Hohlbein thus approaches the original figure of Hagen, who is also in the Germanic legends and in the Nibelungenlied an ambivalent, courtly honorable and often brutal figure.

The story of the Nibelungen saga experiences small poetic modifications that fill it all the more with life. Siegfried, the dazzling and flawless hero from the legend, is portrayed here as a self-loving, arrogant young man who thinks he can have everything he desires. The book ends with Siegfried's death.