Der Untertan

Der Untertan
Cover of an English translation.

Der Untertan is the most famous novel by German author Heinrich Mann. It has been translated into English under the titles "Man of Straw," "The Patrioteer," and "The Loyal Subject" (translation by Helmut Peitsch). The title poses a problem for the non-German reader since there is no effective translation of the word 'Untertan' in the sense it was employed by Mann. The 'Subject' of the title conveys a sense of unthinking servility to the state.

Although the novel was completed in July 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, it was not published until 1918 (by Kurt Wolff Verlag of Leipzig). After the war, the novel enjoyed considerable popularity, given its critiques of the ultra-nationalism of Wilhelmine Germany.

"Der Untertan" portrays the life of Diederich Hessling, a slavish and fanatical admirer of Kaiser Wilhelm II, as an archetype of nationalist Wilhelmine Germany. Hessling is unthinkingly obedient to authority and maintains a rigid dedication to the nationalist goals of the German state.

Throughout the novel, Hessling's inflexible ideals are often contradicted by his actions: he preaches bravery but is a coward; he is the strongest proponent of the military but seeks to be excused from his obligatory military service; his greatest political opponents are the revolutionary Social Democrats, yet he uses his influence to help send his hometown's SPD candidate to the Reichstag to defeat his Liberal competitors in business; he starts vicious rumors against the latter and then dissociates himself from them; he preaches and enforces Christian virtues upon others but lies, cheats, and regularly commits infidelity.

Diederich's ideals: blood and iron, and the might of opulent power, are exposed as hollowness and weakness. Diederich Hessling--the child (and later adult) who acts as an informer, the member of the Neo-Teuton student fraternity, the doctor of chemistry, the paper manufacturer, and eventually the most influential man in town--is a critical allegory depicting German society's increasing susceptibility to chauvinism, jingoism, ultra-nationalism, anti-Semitism, and proto-fascism. His character is often juxtaposed, in both words and appearance to another man of straw: Kaiser Wilhelm II. In one instance, Hessling's behavior and outward appearance move an observer to stammer, 'It almost seems to me...You look so very much like His ...' , meaning the Kaiser.

Mann uses the moral bankruptcy and shallow ridiculousness of Hessling's life to critique Wilhelmine German society generally. Like other novels of the period, such as Theodor Fontane's Effi Briest, or even his brother Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks, the principal target is the hypocrisy of bourgeois society and the risk of social collapse in a nation of loyal 'Untertan' citizens.

In East Germany, the book was made into a movie in 1951, directed by Wolfgang Staudte and starring Werner Peters as Diederich Hessling.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Der Untertan — ist ein Roman von Heinrich Mann. Das Manuskript wurde einen Monat vor Ausbruch des Ersten Weltkrieges 1914 abgeschlossen. Der Roman erschien von Januar 1914 bis kurz nach Kriegsbeginn als Vorabdruck in Fortsetzungen in der Zeitschrift Zeit im… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Der Untertan (film) — Der Untertan Release date(s) 1951 Country East Germany Language German Der Untertan is an East German film directed by Wolfga …   Wikipedia

  • Der Untertan (Film) — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel Der Untertan Produktionsland DDR …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Der Untertan —    See Mann, Heinrich …   Historical dictionary of Weimar Republik

  • Der Untertan —    Voir Pour le roi de Prusse …   Dictionnaire mondial des Films

  • Untertan (Begriffsklärung) — Untertan bezeichnet: Untertan, eine Person, die der Herrschaft eines anderen unterworfen ist einen obrigkeitshörigen Menschen, siehe Autoritärer Charakter und Autoritäre Persönlichkeit Der Untertan bezeichnet: Der Untertan, Roman von Heinrich… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Untertan — der Untertan, en (Mittelstufe) jmd., der Bürger in einer Monarchie ist Beispiel: Er behandelte seine Untertanen außerordentlich schlecht …   Extremes Deutsch

  • Untertan — Als Untertan oder Subjekt (lat. subicere unterwerfen, unterordnen ) wurde vom Mittelalter bis ins 19. Jahrhundert eine Person bezeichnet, die der Herrschaft eines anderen unterworfen ist. Untertanen waren nicht in vollem Umfang persönlich frei.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Untertan — Ụn·ter·tan der; s / en, en; hist; der Bürger eines absolutistisch regierten Staates: die Untertanen des Königs; Wir sind doch keine Untertanen! (= wir haben doch bestimmte Rechte) || NB: der Untertan; den, dem Untertan / Untertanen; des… …   Langenscheidt Großwörterbuch Deutsch als Fremdsprache

  • Der Kopf — Heinrich Mann im Jahr 1906 Der Kopf ist ein Roman von Heinrich Mann, der am 21. Februar 1925 beendet wurde und im selben Jahr bei Paul Zsolnay erschien. Zwei Freunde, die deutschen Intellektuellen Terra und Mangolf, vom „Glauben an Geist“… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”