Ivan halibut

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Iwan Heilbut , also Iven George Heilbut or Jan Helft (born July 15, 1898 in Hamburg , † April 15, 1972 in Bonn ), was a German writer.

biography

Heilbut came from one of the oldest Jewish families in Hamburg. After dropping out of his studies, he lived as a journalist in Berlin from 1923 and wrote for the features of the Vossische Zeitung , the Berliner Tageblatt and the Börsen-Courier .

In 1933 Heilbut emigrated to France, worked as a cultural correspondent for the Basler Neue Zeitung (according to other sources: “Nationalzeitung” Basel) and wrote for Leopold Schwarzschild's “Neues Tage-Buch”. His writings were banned in Germany. Heilbut was involved in uncovering the Pariser Tageblatt scandal . After the beginning of the Second World War he was interned in France as an enemy foreigner , in 1941 he managed to escape to the USA, where he lectured at Hunter College in New York.

In 1950 he returned to Berlin. A wandering life followed without a permanent residence. Heilbut died on April 15, 1972 at the age of 73 during a stopover in Bonn.

plant

Even during his time as a journalist in Berlin, Heilbut published his first poems a. a. in Herwarth Walden's expressionist magazine "Der Sturm". In 1929 the novel "Triumph der Frau" was published.

In 1930 "Struggle for Freedom" followed, a novel-like description of the life of the writer Friedrich Hebbel . Heilbut describes in an impressive chronicle the laborious liberation of the poet from petty-bourgeois narrowness. Elise Lensing's love for Hebbel is at the center of this vividly written work, which only works with cautious psychological interpretations.

In 1937, while in exile, Heilbut published "The Public Defamers", an investigation into the " Protocols of the Elders of Zion and their application in world politics today". This work remained an exception in the work of the otherwise apolitical author.

In 1942, while in exile in New York, the volume of poems “Meine Wanderings” was published, and in 1943 the autobiographical novel “Birds of Passage” was published in English. The novel “Lovers of Life”, published in 1949, is set in part in the Parisian emigrant milieu, but hardly deals with the everyday life of the emigrants, but rather tells the private journey of the male main character into the past. The event is portrayed with subtle irony, enriched by a series of adventurous and colorful subplots. The art of recess, which has characterized Heilbut's style since emigration, becomes clear.

After a long break, the band “calls” followed in 1963 with four poetry cycles. In 1965 Heilbut published a volume with stories under the title “Higher than Walls”. The stories and miniatures from exile - from divided Berlin and New York at the time of emigration - are considered to be his most mature work.

In his estate there is an extensive novel with the working title "Open Society" as well as unpublished poetry.

(Not) a rediscovery in 2006

Ivan Heilbut and his work have largely been forgotten. Only a few literary stories and encyclopedias record his name. The manuscript of his poem “Welt und Wanderer” is exhibited in the Marbach Museum of Modern Literature and prompted Hans Magnus Enzensberger to write an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on May 23, 2006. Enzensberger's name was also unknown (“Heilbut? Never heard. Who should be that? A poet? "). He does research and publishes his research with the article. His information on the years of publication of Heilbut's works deviate slightly from the entries in the lexicons. Enzensberger is not concerned with the rediscovery of Heilbut as a forgotten poet: "Probably no one will ever print his writings again. It may not even be enough for a dissertation, and no one will write the novel of his life either. The history of literature is forgetful. and that may even be the end of it in the end. Humanity cannot and does not want to memorize everything. " But Heilbut's fate serves Enzensberger as an example that despite all the oblivion there are still traces of this forgotten poet in many parts of the world, some of which are coming to light. His experience in Marbach is an occasion to praise the archive and the archivists.

Publications

  • Triumph of Women (1929), novel
  • Struggle for freedom (1930), Roman
  • Spring in Berlin (1932), novel
  • The Public Defamers (1937), essay
  • My walks (1942), poems
  • Francisco and Elisabeth (1942), short story
  • Birds of Passage (1943), novel
  • The broadcast Hermann Hesses (1947), essay
  • Lovers of Life (1949), novel
  • Calls (1963), poems
  • Higher than Walls (1965), Stories
  • 1933 (working title, unpublished)
  • Open society (novel, working title, unpublished, in the estate)

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Halibut, Ivan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Heilbut, Iven George; Help Jan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German writer
DATE OF BIRTH July 15, 1898
PLACE OF BIRTH Hamburg
DATE OF DEATH April 15, 1972
Place of death Bonn