Victor Klemperer

Translated from the original German, this final volume of Victor Klemperer’s diaries opens in 1945. After the horrors of the war, Victor and Eva’s return to their Dresden home seems like a fairytale. Victor tries to resume his distinguished academic career and joins East Germany’s Communist Party. In 1951, Eva dies; a year later, aged 70, Victor marries a student—an unlikely but successful love match. But with the growing repression of the Communist Party, and the memory of those who did not survive, Victor’s achievements ring hollow. Politics, he comes to believe, is, above all, the choice of "the lesser evil." A masterpiece both of Holocaust literature and memoir.

The publication of Victor Klemperer's secret diaries brings to light one of the most extraordinary documents of the Nazi period. I Will Bear Witness is a work of literature as well as a revelation of the day-by-day horror of the Nazi years. A Dresden Jew, a veteran of World War I, a man of letters and historian of great sophistication, Klemperer recognized the danger of Hitler as early as 1933. His diaries, written in secrecy, provide a vivid account of everyday life in Hitler's Germany. What makes this book so remarkable, aside from its literary distinction, is Klemperer's preoccupation with the thoughts and actions of ordinary Germans: Berger the greengrocer, who was given Klemperer's house ("anti-Hitlerist, but of course pleased at the good exchange"), the fishmonger, the baker, the much-visited dentist. All offer their thoughts and theories on the progress of the war: Will England hold out? Who listens to Goebbels? How much longer will it last? This symphony of voices is ordered by the brilliant, grumbling Klemperer, struggling to complete his work on eighteenth-century France while documenting the ever- tightening Nazi grip. He loses first his professorship and then his car, his phone, his house, even his typewriter, and is forced to move into a Jews' House (the last step before the camps), put his cat to death (Jews may not own pets), and suffer countless other indignities. Despite the danger his diaries would pose if discovered, Klemperer sees it as his duty to record events. "I continue to write," he notes in 1941 after a terrifying run-in with the police. "This is my heroics. I want to bear witness, precise witness, until the very end." When a neighbor remarks that, in his isolation, Klemperer will not be able to cover the main events of the war, he writes: "It's not the big things that are important, but the everyday life of tyranny, which may be forgotten. A thousand mosquito bites are worse than a blow on the head. I observe, I note, the mosquito bites."

Under the Third Reich, the official language of Nazism came to be used as a political tool. The existing social culture was manipulated and subverted as the German people had their ethical values and their thoughts about politics, history and daily life recast in a new language. This Notebook, originally called LTI (Lingua Tertii Imperii)-the abbreviation itself a parody of Nazified language-was written out of Klemperer's conviction that the language of the Third Reich helped to create its culture. As Klemperer writes: "it isn't only Nazi actions that have to vanish, but also the Nazi cast of mind, the typical Nazi way of thinking, and its breeding ground: the language of Nazism." This brilliant, entertaining, profound, and ultimately saddening and horrifying book is one of the great twentieth-century studies of language and of its engagement with history.

"Was jemand willentlich verbergen will, sei es nur vor andern, sei es vor sich selber, auch was er unbewußt in sich trä die Sprache bringt es an den Tag." Viktor Klemperers Analyse der Sprache des Nationalsozialismus dokumentiert in bewegender Weise auch die Selbstrettung eines Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaftlers in hoffnungsloser Zeit. Heinrich Detering hat die zentralen Teile aus Klemperers "LTI" ausgewählt und stellt in einem Nachwort die Brisanz und beunruhigende Aktualität heraus.

Eine sensationelle Erstveröffentlichung: Einer der scharfsichtigsten Chronisten deutscher Geschichte über die »wilden Münchner Tage« 1919Zum ersten Mal gedruckt: Victor Klemperers Schilderung des Chaos nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg und des Scheiterns der Münchner Räterepublik. Solch genaue, anschauliche Momentaufnahmen aus der belagerten Stadt findet man nirgendwo sonst. Ein bewegendes, mit Spannung zu lesendes Gesamtbild von diesem entscheidenden Wendepunkt der deutschen Geschichte – aus der Revolution von 1918/19 ging nicht nur die erste deutsche Demokratie hervor, zugleich kündigte sich in ihr das kommende Unheil an. Mit einem Vorwort von Christopher Clark und einem historischen Essay von Wolfram Wette

German

In ‘Barre bevrijding’ geeft de Joodse schrijver Victor Klemperer een beeld van hoe de bevrijding er in 1945 in Duitsland uitzag. In de nacht waarin Dresden met de grond gelijk wordt gemaakt, februari 1945, weet hij met zijn vrouw Eva uit de stad te vluchten. Te voet beginnen zij aan een chaotische zwerftocht, dwars door de ondergaande nazistaat. In mei 1945 wordt Zuid-Duitsland door de Amerikanen bevrijd, en begint voor De Klemperers een helse tocht terug door een verwoest Duitsland. Krioelende massa’s vluchtelingen, soldaten en nazi’ iedereen zit op de rand van uitputting en is op zoek naar voedsel en onderdak. In juni 1945 bereiken ze hun huis in Dresden, dat wonderlijk genoeg bijna onaangetast is gebleven. Pas dan begint hun bevrijding.

Used book in good condition, due to its age it could contain normal signs of use

Erstmals vollständig gedruckt: Victor Klemperers Tagebuchnotizen über seine Kinobesuche zu Beginn der Tonfilm-Ära. Von Anfang an erlebt der Cineast mit, wie die technische Neuerung 1929 in Deutschland Einzug hält. Nicht selten geht er mehrmals pro Woche ins Kino. Zunächst kritisch, lässt er sich schon bald von den neuen Möglichkeiten mitreißen. Von den Nationalsozialisten aber wird das Medium immer weiter vereinnahmt, Klemperer schließlich durch das Kinoverbot für »Nichtarier« 1938 ganz aus den Lichtspielhäusern verbannt. Doch nicht einmal das kann ihn fernhalten.Das leidenschaftliche Bekenntnis eines Kinomanen, der uns den Tonfilm als Spiegel deutscher Geschichte mit allen Licht- und Schattenseiten vorführt.

"Dovunque, ogni due minuti, ogni due righe, arrivo sempre alla stessa conclusione: tutto barcolla, tutto vacilla, ovunque si vada si annaspa..."Il libro è il diario scritto dall'ebreo tedesco Victor Klemperer (1881-1960) durante un anno cruciale - il 1945 - per la storia della Germania e del mondo. Fa parte di uno sterminato diario (circa cinquemila pagine, uno dei più grandi diari mai scritti) che l'autore ha tenuto per cinquantanni e che, nascosto presso un'amica nel periodo della più dura persecuzione antiebraica e della guerra, è miracolosamente scampato al disastro. Leggere questo libro è un'esperienza rara.

El 31 de enero de 1827, decía Goethe a Eckermann: «Cada vez me doy más cuenta de que la poesía es un bien común de la humanidad, que se manifiesta en todos los lugares y épocas. […] Hoy en día la literatura nacional ya no quiere decir gran cosa. Ha llegado la época de la literatura universal y cada cual debe poner algo de su parte para que se acelere su advenimiento». El concepto, fluctuante y ambiguo, de Weltliteratur, o Literatura universal, había nacido. Victor Klemperer, en este esclarecedor ensayo escrito en los momentos de tribulación de quien ve agrietarse los fundamentos de una cultura compartida más allá de los límites de lo nacional, sigue los avatares de la evolución de esta idea, del humus que la hizo posible y de su sentido último. Un recorrido en el que subyace, iluminada por la fuerza del espíritu, una idea moral de Europa.

GERMAN, 294 pages

Erstmalig: Victor Klemperers Leben in unveröffentlichten Briefen. Er wurde postum weltberühmt durch seine Notizen über die Nazizeit. Doch zugleich war Klemperer – als Literat, Lehrender und Krisenreporter – unermüdlich bestrebt, auf die Gesellschaft einzuwirken, und verteidigte dies beharrlich in seinen Briefen: Zeugnisse eines mutigen Mannes, der die Hoffnung nie aufgab. Wurde er als Junge von seinen älteren Brüdern mit drastischen Mitteln dazu erzogen, nicht jüdisch, sondern deutscher als deutsch zu sein – sie steckten ihn in einen orthopädischen Galgen, um ihm die »Haltungsschäden« auszutreiben –, musste er sich später gegenüber dem 1936 nach Amerika emigrierten Bruder rechtfertigen, weiter Deutscher sein zu wollen. Der aus dem aufgeklärten Bildungsbürgertum stammende Klemperer war überzeugt, dass persönliches Engagement unerlässlich ist, um die Demokratie zu erhalten. Es erweist sich gerade an ihm, wie elementar wichtig eine solche Haltung nicht nur für den Einzelnen, sondern für das Überleben einer humanen Gesellschaft ist. Ergreifend, erhellend, inspirierend – und ein Lesegenuss. Briefwechsel mit Lion und Marta Feuchtwanger, Stephan Hermlin, F. C. Weiskopf, mit seinen Verlegern, Verwandten, Widersachern, Schicksalsgefährten u. v. a.

Després dels estralls de la segona guerra mundial, el filòleg Victor Klemperer s’interessà per la dimensió intel·lectual de la creació literària, amb una preocupació molt profunda pel sentit de l’humanisme. Per la seva doble condició de romanista i jueu, impactat per l’ascens que havia tingut el nazisme, oferí una mirada alternativa a la d’altres estudiosos que, com ell mateix, aconseguiren que la romanística alemanya de la primera meitat del segle XX ocupés un espai medul·lar en la literatura comparada europea. Aquest volum aplega dos dels seus estudis Cultura. Consideracions després de l’enfonsament del nazisme i El vell i el nou humanisme. Mentre que en el primer propugna que tota cultura és permeable a les influències foranes i que el futur de la cultura alemanya dependrà de l’extensió de l’ensenyament més enllà de les elits que havia privilegiat el nazisme, en el segon treball presenta el contrast entre l’humanisme de caràcter filològic i unes noves maneres d’entendre’l durant els anys cinquanta. En un moment en què la vella Europa torna a ser qüestionada per corrents de pensament antagònics, aquests dos assajos, traduïts per primera vegada al català, aporten reflexions de plena vigència d’un dels intel·lectuals europeus de referència del segle XX.

Klemperer és un dels primers a assenyalar el caire polític del concepte de Weltliteratur. Una racionalitat compartida permeté a Klemperer lligar el seu pensament liberal amb la preocupació per la tradició cultural alemanya en un marc europeu que esdevenia crucial. El segon assaig és una de les primeres reflexions sobre la manera d’evitar un procés com el que menà al nazisme i sobre el paper dels intel·lectuals en una Alemanya que havia d’assumir el terrible llegat. Finalment, aproximació a la literatura comparada i al paper que tingué l’exili en la filologia en termes de distanciament i llibertat. Aquests assaigs ofereixen un nou besllum sobre la significació intel·lectual de Klemperer, més enllà de les seues aportacions com a escriptor de diaris –potser el més gran entre els alemanys– i analista brillant del llenguatge totalitari.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Excerpt from Montesquieu, Vol. 1Vorwort B uch I Prolem eine matre creatam Histoire véritable Reden und Aufsätze Lettres Persan es Weitere dichterische Versuche Vorspiele der Römer Considérations sur les Causes de la Grandeur des Romains et de leur Décadence. Altersdichtung Ästhetische Theorien.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Montesquieu, Vol. 2Und dieses lneinander widerstrebender Gedanken findet man hart und nackt, ich möchte rührend plump, im kurzen Auftakt des esprit des Lois wieder.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Nachdruck des Originals von 1925.