Category: Uncategorized

All Saints’ Day at St. Marx Friedhof

Post author By penwithlit
Post date November 21, 2014
1 Comment on All Saints’ Day at St. Marx Friedhof

An interesting and charming post about All Saint’s Day im Wien

Today is the day when most Austrians make their way to a graveyard nearby, and light candles in remembrance of their departed. I decided to take my camera and tripod out to see what could be found at St. Marx Friedhof, which is one of the nicest ones (imho) in Vienna. Without a remote trigger though, I was very handicapped…..

The centre of the graveyard was full of lights that were put down by people. I’m fairly certain that Zentralfriedhof would have been more impressive, but this one is quite intimate, and holds the remains of Mozart. Somewhere.
Seeing as Mozart was put to rest in an unmarked grave, they have put up a stone in his honour. So, we don’t know exactly where he was put down, only that it was at this graveyard. This wasn’t because he was a baddie or anything, it was just the custom of…

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Two Painters from Vienna and Bohemia- Sergius Pauser and Josef Dobrowsky

Post author By penwithlit
Post date November 20, 2014
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I came across this lovely painting by Sergius Pauser in the Leopold Museum in Vienna. Mädchen vor dem Spiegel was painted in 1931 and Öl auf Leinwand, 92×73 cm, so oil on linen. The limited range of colour, the tone and the style, that is to say, The New Objectivity (in German: Neue Sachlichkeit), along with the model’s expression give this painting an attractive and contemplative feeling. The subject is, of course, a common one for artists including Lovis Corinth (1918) and famously Picasso (1932). It is also similarly the subject of the self-portrait by Zenadia Serebryakova as mentioned in my earlier posting http://penwithlit.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/self-portraits-1900-1912-3-zinaida-serebryakova/. Other paintings by Pauser will be found at http://www.sergius-pauser.at/

Quoting from the above link, this passage is of considerable interest,”The writer Thomas Bernhard (1931-1989) wrote of Pauser: “Sergius Pauser uttered thoughts about people – Adalbert Stifter, for example – that I have never heard before or since; he succeeded in revealing the most concealed corners of poetic sensitivity; he was a tender and vigilant diviner on the landscape of world literature, a philosopher and an artist through and through.” And yet a painter like Sergius Pauser is barely known today; only a few of his works hang in Austrian galleries and many of his paintings cannot be traced due to the emigration of their owners.”

Pauser was considered unreliable by the Nazis and had a tough time as recorded by Wikipedia.de:-“In seiner Monographie berichtet Rupert Feuchtmüller (S. 22), dass Sergius Pauser im Herbst 1944 mit fünftausend sogenannten „Politisch Unzuverlässigen“ in ein Schanz-Lager bei Radkersburg gebracht wurde. Der Schauspieler Curd Jürgens, der auch bei diesem Transport war, schreibt über diese Zeit: „… Ich weiß, dass Sergius sowohl als auch Boeckl … recht viel Unangenehmes durchmachen mussten, da die SA-Bewacher mehr und mehr die Nerven verloren und dies an den Gefangenen ausließen.“ (Curd Jürgens in seinen „Erinnerungen“, Autobiographischer Roman, Droemer Knaur Verlag 1976)”

Here are three more paintings by Pauser that appeal to me. Amerikanerin 1948,

has an appealing delicacy and an optimistic and conversational appeal. The hardboard realism of Luis Trenker mit Kamera, 1938,Mischtechnik auf Hartplatte from an earlier period reminds me of a favourite painter, Christian Schad. I cannot find a colour image for Mädchen mit rotem Hut, 1942 Agathe Prinzessin von Ratibor but am intrigued to find that she was a Princess of a Polish town called Racibórz in Polish but very close to the Czech border and called Ratiboř.

Josef Dobrowsky (* 22. September 1889 in Karlsbad, Böhmen; † 9. Januar 1964 in Tullnerbach) was a painter who worked in Vienna with Pauser and his work is currently on display as “Perception and Colour” in the Upper Belvedere http://www.belvedere.at/de/ausstellungen/ausstellungsvorschau/josef-dobrowsky—wahrnehmung-und-farbe-e152593

Tags Belvedere, Christian Schad, Der Schauspieler Curd Jürgens, Josef Dobrowsky, Joseph Dobrowsky, Leopold Museum in Vienna, Leopold's Museum, Lovis Corinth, Mädchen vor dem Spiegel, Monographie berichtet Rupert Feuchtmüller, Neue Sachlichkeit, Racibórz, Sergius Pauser, Vienna, Zenadia Serebryakova

Art and Photographic History Art Exhibition Reviews German Matters Uncategorized

Albin Egger-Lienz -Austrian painter of the Tyrol

Post author By penwithlit
Post date November 18, 2014
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In the Leopold Museum in the Museum Quarter of Vienna, I discovered a number of artists about whom I had not previously heard. One of the most interesting was Egger-Lienz.

Albin Egger-Lienz (* 29 January 1868 in Stribach , community Doelsach in Lienz ( East Tyrol ); † November 4 1926 in St. Justina inBolzano ( South Tyrol )) was an Austrian painter .

The oeuvre of Egger-Lienz includes many oil paintings. Several of his designs and drawings are available in various versions and images. Some subjects, such as the Mountain Mowers, are lithographs.

1904 Egger-Lienz turned to the theme of the sower, which kept him busy until the 1920s. The prototype for this was Jean-François Millet (The Sower , 1851), the other inspiration was actually a work of Giovanni Seganti. 36 major works were exhibited in 1901 at the Secession. Characteristic of Egger-Lienz is also the long time between recognising a source to its development or use.

1904/05 in South Tyrol The Pilgrims originated, whose formal conception parallels to Ferdinand Hodler’s picture The Truth (1903), which was exhibited along with 30 other works belonging to Hodler in the spring of 1904 in the Secession. Although the first drafts of The Pilgrims showed in the middle a seated Madonna with Child, Egger-Lienz replaced them, under Hodler;’s influence by the Crucified Christ. By means of this painting Egger-Lienz made a breakthrough to his “monumental-decorative period”

Translated from http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albin_Egger-Lienz and more information may be found at http://www.altertuemliches.at/gemaelde/albin-egger-lienz

Following in this bucolic vein here is a somewhat sad but evocative poem possibly inspired by Hesse’s Swabian countryside.

Dorfabend by Hermann Hesse

Der Schäfer mit den Schafen

Zieht durch die stillen Gassen ein,

Die Häuser wollen schlafen

Und dämmern schon und nicken ein.

Ich bin in diesen Mauern

Der einzige fremde Mann zur Stund,

Es trinkt mein Herz mit Trauern

Den Kelch der Sehnsucht bis zum Grund.

Wohin der Weg mich führet,

hat überall ein Herd gebrannt;

Nur ich hab nie gespüret,

Was Heimat ist und Vaterland.

This has been put to music as at http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=50581

Tags Albin Egger-Lienz, arts, East Tyrol, Egger-Lienz, Ferdinand Hodler, Lienz, MQ, Museum Quarter, South Tyrol, Vienna, Wien

Uncategorized

Middle Eastern Rationalist

Post author By penwithlit
Post date October 15, 2014
2 Comments on Middle Eastern Rationalist

Have already reviewed this book but hete is another view on a major figure.

tomsbooks

Christopher de Bellaigue, Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh
and a Tragic Anglo-American Coup

In this crisply-written biography, Christopher de Bellaigue provides an in-depth portrait of Muhammed Mossadegh, the leader of Iran at the time of a joint American-British covert operation in 1953 that deposed Mossadegh and gave new impetus to the regime of Shah Mohammed Raza Pahlavi. De Bellaigue terms the coup tragic and makes a strong case that this is precisely the right term. The coup was tragic for the ancient land of Persia, now called Iran, setting it off on a course that led to the Islamic revolution of 1979, and the taking of hostages from the American Embassy in Teheran later that year. But it was also tragic for Great Britain, the United States, and the West generally, converting Iran, potentially an ally and a stabilizing force in the Middle East, into a…

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Art and Photographic History German Matters Uncategorized

Eric Rohmer auf Deutsch

Half watching this French film which strikes me as typically French and discursive, in German seems unusual and interesting. Dubbing would have been better for my language skills. At least, it has given me time to play with my last two days of Wien photographs.

Tags typically French

Art and Photographic History German Matters Poetry Uncategorized

Das kühle Netz -The Cool web

Post author By penwithlit
Post date October 8, 2014
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Kinder können nicht sagen wie heiß der Tag ist,
wie scharf der Duft der Sommerrose,

These evocative lines from Robert Graves indicate how some pots translate so very well. Yesterday, travelling around Vienna left me little time for reading -only perhaps for a few lines of poetry. I started by going North to the Landstrasse – and wandered Feclessly down the Hauptstrasse which had interesting markets. I tried using the Sun to navigate but wandered in a direction away from the Danube Canal. Easily distracted, as usual by a bookshop I found an excellent plastic sleeved grammar of German on three foldable sheets. Then found an excellent cafe where the small house torte was the best that I found in Vienna thus far. I then followed a friends advice and entered a Church founded after the second encirclement of Vienna by the Turkish forces.

During a further digression around towards the Canal and the Prater, I discovered a pleasant Chemist/Herbal shop, bought some cough sweets for flying and generally forgot all my language skills explaining ludicrously St John’s Wort and its supposed benefits. I forgot the Latin name-hypericum.Walking over a 1950s bridge I arrived eventually in the Prater. Then there was a large tennis club and I wondered if this might be one that was referred to in Vienna by Eva Menasse. After apassing a cheerful group of blind children through tree-lined avenues, which neverthless gave thought to some reflection, I arrived at an interesting denkmal, the Habsburg composer, Carl M.Ziehrer. Finally looming out of the mid afternoon mists I saw the Prater wheel and felt Harry Lime must be about to emerge with a grotesque smile from the surrounding fun-park.

Karl Michael Ziehrer (also spelled as Carl Michael Ziehrer) (May 2, 1843 – November 14, 1922)[1] was an Austrian composer. In his lifetime, he was one of the fiercest rivals of the Strauss family; most notably Johann Strauss II[2] and Eduard Strauss.

Tags Duft der Sommerrose, Kaffee und Kuchen, Karl Michael Ziehrer, Robert Graves, Vienna

German Matters Uncategorized

Wir stoppen uns jetzt! Aber heute im Wein

Post author By penwithlit
Post date October 5, 2014
3 Comments on Wir stoppen uns jetzt! Aber heute im Wein

What an amazing place! Recovering from the cost of a taxi from the airort I was amazed at the amount of industry-the light colour and the cleanliness of the scene into Vienna. Travelling around the city was veryeasy with U-bahn and strassenbahn and bus. The U-bahn gehen ueber, nichts unter. Most impressive are the massive wooden doors that form the entry to the U-bahn and most other large buildings.
After a brief wander around and past the Natural History Museum, I came across a lovely rising winding street and smaller gasse. I discovered what looked like a bohemian student bar -Kafka’s Bar. The Linselsuppe here was much the best value that I have discovered here on the first day. Then around another few corners opposite the Meerhaus, a lovely cafe-bar opposite in the late afternoon sunshine. Cappucino and crepes with honey and bananas and I felt I had already found my indulgent Vienna. A few steps later the social conditions, the dachtlos, influx of migrants from the East and people sleeping in doorways around the church showed another side of life here.

Tags architecture, arts, Crepe, Das Magazin aber der Stadt!!!, Lindensuppe, Vienna, Wien

Uncategorized

A personal history in 190 objects: from Germany to the British Museum and back again

Post author By penwithlit
Post date September 29, 2014
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An excellent opportunity to swot up your German History!

German Matters Literature Uncategorized

Erinnerung an die Marie A. (Berthold Brecht)

Post author By penwithlit
Post date September 29, 2014
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An jenem Tag im blauen Mond September
Still unter einem jungen Pflaumenbaum
Da hielt ich sie, die stille bleiche Liebe
In meinem Arm wie einen holden Traum.
Und über uns im schönen Sommerhimmel
War eine Wolke, die ich lange sah
Sie war sehr weiß und ungeheuer oben
Und als ich aufsah, war sie nimmer da.

Seit jenem Tag sind viele, viele Monde
Geschwommen still hinunter und vorbei.
Die Plaumenbäume sind wohl abgehauen
Und fragst du mich, was mit der Liebe sei?
So sag ich dir: Ich kann mich nicht erinnern
Und doch, gewiß, ich weiß schon, was du meinst.
Doch ihr Gesicht, das weiß ich wirklich nimmer
Ich weiß nur mehr: ich küßte sie dereinst.

Und auch den Kuß, ich hätt ihn längst vergessen
Wenn nicht die Wolke da gewesen wär
Die weiß ich noch und werd ich immer wissen
Sie war sehr weiß und kam von oben her.
Die Pflaumenbäume blühn vielleicht noch immer
Und jene Frau hat jetzt vielleicht das siebte Kind
Doch jene Wolke blühte nur Minuten
Und als ich aufsah, schwand sie schon im Wind.

Autor: Berthold Brecht
Titel: Gedichte 1918-1929
Verlag: Suhrkamp, Frankfurt, 1960

This poem has been translated by the well-known poet, by Derek Mahon, where at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Mahon it is mentioned that he is interested in established verse forms and ekphrasis:(the poetic interpretation of visual art). Here is his version of Brecht which can be found in that excellent collection, The Faber Book of 20th Century German Poems edited by Michael Hoffmann.

A Cloud

One evening in the blue month of September

We lay at peace beneath an apple bough:

I took her in my arms, my gentle lover,

And held her closely like a dream come true-

While far up in the tranquil summer heaven

There was a cloud, I saw it high and clear.

It was so white and so immense above us

And, as I watched, it was no longer there.

Since then so very many different evenings

Have drifted past in the general flow.

Perhaps the apple orchard has been flattened;

And if you ask me where the girl is now

I have to admit I really don’t remember.

I can imagine what you’re going to say

But even her face I truly can’t recapture

I only know I kissed it there that day.

Even the kiss I would have long forgotten

If that cloud had not been there too-

I see it and will always see it plainly,

So white and unexpected in the blue.

Perhaps the apple-boughs are back in blossom,

Maybe she holds a fourth child on her knees;

The cloud, though, hung there for a moment only

And, as I watched, it broke up in the breeze.

Another Brecht Love PoemIch will mit dem gehen, den ich liebeIch will mit dem gehen, den ich liebe.
Ich will nicht ausrechnen, was es kostet.
Ich will nicht nachdenken, ob es gut ist.
Ich will nicht wissen, ob er mich liebt.
Ich will mit ihm gehen, den ich liebe.

I want to go with the one I loveI want to go with the one I love.
I do not want to calculate the cost.
I do not want to think about whether it’s good.
I do not want to know whether he loves me.
I want to go with whom I love.