James and the women

Jakobus und die Frauen is a novel by the Austrian writer Franz Karl Ginzkey (1871–1963), which was first published in 1908.

The novel is one of the early works of the neo-romantic Ginzkeys. It deals with the development of a poet and his relationship with women in a strongly autobiographical manner. The locations of the novel, Istria , Braunau am Inn and Salzburg , were also decisive for Ginzkey's youth. The book contains a declaration of love to the city of Salzburg, where the author lived for many years:

“Because the face of this wonderful city enchants everyone who sees it for the first time. It is like the face of a beautiful woman: you see her awaken from a restless morning slumber, and the veils rise trembling from the dreamy features that are glowing and chilled by the dawn; and higher the sun rises, and the growing daylight gradually awakens the proud splendor of this victorious beauty; she lifts her noble head to midday and looks out at the distant mountains, out at the laughing plain; now it is fully developed to a beauty as bright as day, the midday bells ring their praises from all the towers; and gradually, as the day falls, the strength of the light pales, and pride is replaced by melancholy; it floats in from bygone times, it rises from the graves and tombs, it emerges from glowing purple walls, and then, when the sun has set, the silver carillon sounds and the evening star gleams silver. This is where Mozart's cradle stood. "

content

The hero of the novel, Jakobus Fiedler, was born in a small Austrian mountain village called Friedberg. The first woman in his life, his mother, dies in childbirth. In the first few years, the father lets the son grow up with an old woman in the city, but then takes him in and wants to shape him according to his style with idiosyncratic upbringing methods. He is a quiet boy who lacks maternal love, who is at home a lot and likes to read. One day a large group of girls comes to the village for a holiday and James is fascinated by them. One of the girls runs up to him and gives him a ring, but then immediately disappears. Although this ring is completely worthless, James keeps it carefully.

When his father dies too, James is an orphan. Discuss what should be done with the child. The mayor's brother, who is employed in the naval affairs of the Istrian coastal town of Pola and is married to an Italian, takes him on board. He now goes to school in the completely foreign environment. He has his own room, continues to read a lot, and is a good student. When he meets the sister of one of his classmates, he falls in love with her and seeks contact with her family. He befriends the reckless Tomaso so that he always has the opportunity to see Maria. It is a completely innocent and idealistic love that he has for her. When the mother realizes that James feels more than friendship with her daughter, she sends her to relatives in another city. James, who had meanwhile been given to the cadet school by his foster father, wants to wait for Maria and imagines a future together with her. When he sees her again after a long time, however, she is pregnant and he is deeply disappointed.

He is now doing his officer training in Salzburg. There he is in a room with Mirko Milanowitsch, with whom he has long conversations about God and the world and with whom he is friends. He arranges a meeting with a friend and her friend. The two couples celebrate a carefree evening and Jakobus spends the night with Hansi. The closeness to this woman is good for him, but his ideal views speak to him and he encourages Hansi not to lead such a life. She cries and stays away from him in the future.

As a result, Milanovich finds himself in a difficult situation and confides in James. He made the acquaintance of Elisabeth, who had been rejected by her father and who fled to Milanovich. She lives with him in secret and is not allowed to go out on the street because of the shame. James promises to pay them a visit to keep the woman a little company. Milanovich is torn between his love for Elisabeth and his career as an officer; its situation seems hopeless. James gets to know Elisabeth as a poor and kindhearted woman. But Milanovich clashes with another soldier and has to duel. When he is dying, Jakobus manages to secure an emergency wedding with Milanowitsch for Elisabeth, so that at least she does not have to go on living in shame.

When he was posted to Braunau for a few days, Jakobus met Dora on the train ride. She is a piano teacher and lives with her sick mother in Braunau. The budding poet and the well-read and clever woman fall in love. She seems to be the woman for life to James. But Dora is destitute and James would have to give up his career as an officer and try to earn money in a civil profession. It was the same with Dora's parents, who lived miserable and unhappy lives. Since the father died, women have made it through life on their own. Dora's mother cuts off the relationship and Dora gives in to the circumstances with a heavy heart. James tries a few more times to change Dora’s mind, but it is in vain.

For a long time, James sank into sadness and sadness. He meets Hansi again and is comforted by her. Then he finally met the old poet Anselm Roter, who lives in Salzburg, by chance. James has already valued him so far. The two men get closer. The old poet with his clear wisdom can actually help James. He tells him about his love stories and his suffering, but also about his childhood and youth. By an unbelievable coincidence, Roter knows the little girl who once gave James her ring. She was blind and raised by Roter's sister, but died some time ago. In the end, the old poet helps his young colleague to achieve a joie de vivre that goes beyond personal suffering. Even if the long-term relationship that was hoped for is not possible, James will also appreciate the brief happiness and continue to strive for women. At the end, Roter says:

“Meanwhile we want to remember all the others, the beautiful and the good, who have ever been. The luck was unspeakable. You should be blessed. The suffering was unspeakable. You should not be less blessed. The best miracle of life happens to us from women. "

A few months later , the poet Georg Trakl replied to a positive review of the novel Jakobus und die Frauen in the Salzburger Volksblatt in February 1908 with a review of Ginzkey's novel.

expenditure

• James and the women. A youth . Staackmann, Leipzig 1908
• James and the women . Novel. Bellaria-Verlag, Vienna 1947
• James and the women . Novel. The Bergland Book, Salzburg 1953
• Selected works in four volumes . Vol. 3 novels. Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1960

literature

• Wilhelm Olbrich (ed.): The novelist. The content of German novels and short stories from baroque to naturalism . Vol. 1. Anton Hiersemann, Stuttgart 1950, pp. 176-177.
• Johannes Beer (ed.): Reclam's novelist . Vol. 1. German novels. Reclam, Stuttgart 1960.
• Helene Hofmann: Franz Karl Ginzkey. The poet's life and work. Univ. Diss., Vienna 1923.
• Robert Hohlbaum : Franz Karl Ginzkey. His life and work. Staackmann, Leipzig 1921.
• German work . Vol. 8. Society for the Promotion of German Science, Art and Literature in Bohemia, Prague 1908, p. 392 [1]
• The beautiful literature . Vol. 8-9. Eduard Avenarius, 1907, p. 47 [2]
• Georg Trakl: Jakobus and the women . Reviewed August 22, 1908, Mauvais music .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Sieglinde Klettenhammer: Georg Trakl in newspapers and magazines of his time: context and reception. Innsbruck contributions to cultural studies. Germanistic Series 42, 1990, pp. 29-30, ISBN 978-3-901064-01-2