Henrik Stangerup

Henrik Stangerup (born September 1, 1937 in Frederiksberg , Denmark , † July 4, 1998 in Copenhagen ) was a Danish writer.

He worked as a novelist, journalist, essayist and film director. His work is characterized by an international orientation and a negative attitude towards intellectual conformism of all kinds.

In 1981 Stangerup received the Danish Critics' Prize for his novel Vejen til Lagoa Santa , and in 1982 the "Prix Amalienburg" for his literary oeuvre. In 1986 he was awarded the Grand Prize of the Danish Academy .

Literary works

• The man who wanted to be guilty . Hinstorff, Rostock 1976, 2nd edition 1990, ISBN 3356003437 . In Danish Manden der ville være skyldig . Gyldendal, Copenhagen 1973, ISBN 8700971219 . - The novel sketches in the sense of "1984", but here with the experiences of the 1968s, a Danish society that has radically modernized. People live well-ordered in satellite towns with “super blocks”, TV and reading material are “cleaned”. Industry and banks are nationalized, equality for women is a matter of course. Prisons are abolished. Everyone is taken care of; this is what the "helpers" are for. Nobody has to or can withdraw into uncontrolled loneliness. You have everything you need to live. And there are always “helpers” who discuss and solve problems with you. The language is “rationalized”, certain words are deleted from use (eg “murder”); only the “suitable” are allowed to have children. Even those who cannot conform to the system at all are taken care of. In addition to the public, a “happiness park” has been set up as a closed area, in which those can live and do everything they can not let go of the past: read books, write poetry and have them printed (there are no longer any publishers outside). Those outside, on the other hand, live completely unproblematic, those in here “happy” (and with pills). But our man is still outside and living through his everyday life. In this enlightened, content-free uniformity, even the fly on the wall becomes a serious problem. The catastrophe grows and rages almost out of nowhere. He freaks out, he kills his wife, the little son is saved from the chaos by helpers. He wakes up in the psychiatric ward and is looked after. The man holds on to the fact that he is guilty. The judges, however, understand; the authorities talk him out of his guilt . However, this also denies him the opportunity to process his guilt. Although he "caused" the death of his wife, it was the "circumstances". It was a "misfortune": We "help" you on your feet. Your son knows it was an "accident"; you too will accept that in time. The concept and content of the word “guilt” have been abolished in this society. And one day he is told that he is free, that he can go. A new apartment and the previous activity are organized; Work colleagues understand very well that after a long illness he can now function again. He remains separated from his son, he is "unbalanced". But he cannot get rid of his “guilt” as there is no punishment. Administration, judges, helpers: everyone's plea, his urge, his mania to want to be “guilty” bounces off. He wants to be punished, he wants to know that at a certain point in time he has atoned and will be released. He wants to face his guilt. That doesn't work, but maybe time will heal such wounds? He slowly gets used to an activity again and becomes inconspicuous over time. Yes, you even allow him to read a book here and there, to write a text. He had "a past as a writer". Now he is planning his biography in several novels. Everything is and will be fine again ... The last line in the novel (others) states that he lives successfully in the Glückspark. - Those who do not want to or cannot acknowledge their guilt remain unfree in the long run.

See also

• Jacobus de Dacia (his book "Broder Jacob")

Web links

• Literature by and about Henrik Stangerup in the catalog of the German National Library
• Henrik Stangerup in the Internet Movie Database (English)