General Association for German Literature

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The General Association for German Literature was a 19th century literary association that was founded in Berlin in 1873 and is probably the earliest German book club .

history

The association was founded in 1873 in Berlin , Kronenstrasse 17, and was under the protectorate of Grand Duke Karl Alexander of Saxony and Prince Georg of Prussia . He dedicated himself to the maintenance and care of German literature and art.

The board of trustees consisted of Rudolf von Gneist , Karl Friedrich Werder (Royal University of Berlin), Guido von Usedom (Prussian Privy Councilor) and Adolf Hermann Wilhelm Hagen (City Councilor). The association was managed by the Berlin publishing house book dealer Heinrich Albert Hofmann , who also published and edited some works on behalf of the association. The secretary was L. Lenz von der Königigl. University of Berlin .

After Hofmann's death, his son Rudolf Emil took over the management of the association, which then passed into the hands of H. Paetel in 1884.

Purpose of the association and statutes

The purpose of the association was to offer members expensive works by well-known authors such as Emanuel Herrmann , Max Wilhelm Meyer or Arthur Dix at affordable prices .

Extract from the association's statutes of 1884:

  • § 1. Every literary lover who intends to join the General Association for German Literature must address his or her declaration to the nearest bookstore or to the Bureau of the Association for German Literature in Berlin.
  • § 2. Each member undertakes to pay an annual fee of eighteen marks R.-W.
  • § 3. Each member receives four works from the pen of outstanding and popular authors in the series. Each of these works comprises 20–23 sheets (measure) , with a pleasing print and elegant binding.

Publishing activity

Particular attention was paid to music and opera . In collaboration with Eduard Hanslick , the first volumes of Opernleben der Gegenwart were published in 1884 (Vol. 1–7). The club's expenses were of very high quality and at that time as expensive as a good workhorse .

In the case of some works, the publisher is also Allgemeine Verlag für Deutsche Literatur .

Published works (selection)

Publishing catalog of the General Association for German Literature in Berlin: 1873–1898 , General Association for German Literature in Berlin, Berlin 1899.

  • Eduard Hanslick : From contemporary opera life . (The "Modern Opera" III. Part). New reviews and studies. 3rd edition, General Publishing House for German Literature, Berlin 1889.
  • Emanuel Herrmann : Culture and Nature. Studies in the field of economics . General Association for German Literature, Berlin 1887.
  • Emanuel Herrmann : The secret of power. Original studies . General Association for German Literature, Berlin 1896.
  • Max Wilhelm Meyer : Under the spell of the volcanoes. Their history of development presented in travel descriptions. 4th increased edition. General Association for German Literature, Berlin 1907.
  • Theodor von Sosnosky : The politics in the Habsburg Empire. Marginal glosses on contemporary history . General Association for German Literature, Berlin 1912/13.
  • Eduard Hanslick : From my life . General Association for German Literature, Berlin 1911.
  • Wilhelm Adolf Schmidt : Epochs and Disasters . General Association for German Literature, A. Hofmann & Comp. , Berlin 1874.
  • Arthur Dix : The roots of our strength . General Association for German Literature, Berlin 1909.
  • Paul Lindau : Alfred de Musset . General Association for German Literature, A. Hofmann & Comp. , Berlin 1877.
  • Reinhold von Werner : Salzwasser: Erzählgn from d. Seeleben , General Association for German Literature in Berlin, Berlin 1907.
  • Paul Heyse : Giusti's life and poetry. Poems by Giuseppe Giusti . With an appendix: Vittorio Alfieri as a satirist. Vincenzo Monti . General Association for German Literature, A. Hofmann & Comp., Berlin 1875.

literature

  • Reinhard Wittmann : Book market and reading in the 18th and 19th centuries: Contributions to literary life 1750–1880. Niemeyer, 1982 ISBN 3484350067 .
  • Max Bucher: Manifestos and documents on German literature 1848–1880. Metzler, 1976, ISBN 3476003353 .

Footnotes

  1. ↑ quoted from Reinhard Wittmann, 1982, p. 132
  2. ↑ Reinhard Wittmann, 1982, p. 132
  3. ^ KF Pfau:  Hofmann, Albert . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 50, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1905, p. 433.
  4. ↑ a b At first it was thirty marks for seven works. (Reinhard Wittmann, 1982, p. 132)
  5. ↑ Original association documents, 1884