I lived too!

I lived too! ( Swedish Jag har också levat! ) is a book by Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung . It contains a selection of the letters Hartung and Lindgren wrote to each other from 1953 to 1965.

content

Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung met in Berlin in 1953. Hartung shows Lindgren the destroyed east of Berlin and tells them a lot about her life. Lindgren is fascinated by the trip and this woman. The two women exchanged letters that lasted for eleven years. The two exchange ideas about literature, music, culture, politics, but also personal topics. Hartung's boss Ella Kay , who also got to know Lindgren during her stay in Berlin, is a recurring theme in the two letters. After a few letters, Louise Hartung confesses her love to Astrid Lindgren. However, this remains unrequited and Lindgren explains to Hartung that she cannot give her physical love, that she can only do that to a man. The only thing she could give Hartung was friendship. This friendship lasted until Hartung's death in 1965.

background

Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung met in October 1953 . Hartung had invited Astrid Lindgren to Berlin as part of her work at the main youth welfare office. Lindgren was supposed to present her work there to booksellers. Lindgren spent the days in Berlin with Hartung, who let her spend the night in her apartment. In addition, the two women visited the destroyed east of Berlin, an excursion that left a deep impression on Lindgren. This resulted in an exchange of letters with occasional meetings that would last eleven years. Correspondence ended with Hartung's death in 1965. The two women wrote over 600 letters to each other. In 2016 the book Jag har också levat! Was published in Sweden . which contains some letters from the two women. The book was published by Salikon Verlag. The editors were Jens Andersen and Jette Glargaard. The book contains only a selection of Hartung and Lindgren's letters. In addition, the letters were shortened. The book does not reveal the criteria according to which the letters were selected and shortened. The German version of the book was published in 2017 under the title I have also lived! Letters of Friendship , published. The book was translated from Swedish, Danish and English by Angelika Kutsch , Ursel Allenstein and Brigitte Jakobeit . The book was also published in Poland, among others.

Hartung fell in love with Astrid Lindgren and made her advances, which Astrid Lindgren diplomatically avoided. In addition, the women exchanged views on art and literature, politics, feelings, pornography and European writers. Lindgren was particularly impressed by the book I was probably smart that I found you , about an exchange of letters between Luise Mejer and Heinrich Christian Boie , which Hartung gave her. Lindgren later wrote a lengthy essay on this book for adult readers. This was published both in the Swedish edition of The Vanished Land , as well as published as an independent book by Novelix . However, this book was not translated into German until the beginning of 2019.

Astrid Lindgren's daughter Karin Nyman later said that Louise Hartung was the only person Lindgren had ever consulted with. She trusted Hartung's judgment. Hartung campaigned for the distribution of Astrid Lindgren's books in Germany throughout her life.

Audio book

The book was also published as an audio book in Germany. The audio book version was read by Eva Mattes (Astrid Lindgren's letters) and Oda Thormeyer (Louise Hartung's letters).

• I Lived too !: Letters of a Friendship , read by Eva Mattes and Oda Thormeyer. 6 CDs. Oetinger Audio. Reading. ISBN 9783869092256

reception

Doris Hermanns from AVIVA-Berlin thinks that the book is “a beautifully designed letter volume with numerous illustrations, a beautiful femme to the two women and their friendship, as well as a lively picture of Berlin in the 1950s in particular”.

Cornelia Geißler from the Berliner Zeitung believes that Astrid Lindgren has "never [...] opened up so much in any book". It is "thanks to the editors to get to know the famous author better through these glimpses into her soul."

Julia Klingsporn praises the audio book version of the book. Oda Thormeyer read Louise Hartung's letter with a “clear, matter-of-fact tone”, while Eva Mattes lends Astrid Lindgren “her warm and soulful voice”. The audio book offers "an inspiring and very personal insight into the lives of two clever women who have helped shape the change in our society."

Individual evidence

1. ↑ "Dear, sweet Astrid" .
2. ↑ "I love you inexpressibly" .
3. ↑ Brevsamtal om politics, culture och kärlek .
4. ↑ Book tip: “I also lived. Letters of friendship ”(Astrid Lindgren / Louise Hartung) .
5. ↑ Jag har också levat! .
6. ↑ Jag har också levat! : en brevväxling mellan Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung .
7. ↑ Oh, that was a divine potion .
8. ^ Astrid Lindgren Louise Hartung. I lived too! Letters of friendship .
9. ↑ Książka z listów - “Yes także żyłam! Korespondencja ”Astrid Lindgren, Louise Hartung .
10. ↑ Letters detail Pippi author's unrequited lesbian affair .
11. ↑ Reading love. Astrid Lindgren, the heroine of my childhood. "I lived too!" Review .
12. ↑ Hun ville brenne kjærlighetsbrevene hun skrev til Astrid Lindgren - nå er de blitt bok .
13. ^ "Two intellectual, modern women": The special friendship between Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung .
14. ^ Luise Justine Mejer - en kärlekshistoria från 1700-talets Tyskland .
15. ↑ Oh, that was a divine potion .
16. ↑ Lindgren, Astrid .
17. ↑ ^{a b} Audio book tip: Astrid Lindgren, Louise Hartung: I also lived! .
18. ↑ Doris Hermanns: Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung: “I also lived! Letters of friendship. ”Edited by Jens Andersen and Jette Glargaar. Reviewed October 13, 2017 on AVIVA-Berlin.de.
19. ^ Letter exchange Astrid Lindgren and Louise Hartung - two kinds of freedom .