Clara Viebig
Encyclopedia
Clara Emma Amalia Viebig (July 17, 1860–July 31, 1952) was a German author. She was born in the German city of Trier
, the daughter of a Prussia
n civil servant. She was related to Herman Goering. At the age of eight, the family moved to Düsseldorf
where Clara attended school. At the age of twenty, after her father died, Clara moved
to Berlin
with her mother. She was married to the Jewish publisher Fritz Theodor Cohn in 1896. The following year, Clara began a successful career as a writer and her works became much admired.
in German Empire
in 1904 and 1905, and besides Die Wacht am Rhein was her most read novel.
In the Sleeping Army she depicted the alleged racial division between Poles and Germans, focusing on character of Polish women, obsessing with distinction between blonde and black, white and dark and portraying them as plotting demise of German men, who need to be warned in advance. The Poles were living according to Viebig in a state of "animalistic and barbaric state", from which only German "civilizing mission" could save them, the solution to this "Polish problem" was exclusive colonization(preferably combined with expulsions), Viebig warned that "polish degeneracy" was "contagious". Kristin Kopp from University of Missouri writes that Viebig's novel represents a "prominent example" of narrative strategy that presents Polish characters whose external "whiteness", conceals hidden "blackness", which allows them to infiltrate German culture and undermine German colonial projects.
As her fame faded, in 1933 she published Insel der Hoffnung which condemned Weimar Republic
and praised colonization of border with Poland.
However, in 1936 her publications became forbidden by the Third Reich because her husband was Jewish. As Viebig was related to Hermann Goering she herself wasn't persecuted. She moved in 1937 to Brazil
for a year, but returned a year later and tried to accommodate herself in Nazi Germany. Her work continued to be published, albeit with less regularity; eventually in 1940 she was celebrated by the press and Nazis for her work on her eightieth birthday, with the "Dormant Army" being praised by Nazi critics as the first "Volksdeutsche
novel" and important document of "national fight". While her works differ from racist Blut and Boden literature and correspondence shows distance to Nazism, they have been filled with nationalist spirit and show some similarities to volkisch thinking.
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, the daughter of a Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n civil servant. She was related to Herman Goering. At the age of eight, the family moved to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
where Clara attended school. At the age of twenty, after her father died, Clara moved
to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with her mother. She was married to the Jewish publisher Fritz Theodor Cohn in 1896. The following year, Clara began a successful career as a writer and her works became much admired.
Life and work
In her novel the Dormant Army/Sleeping Army (original title Das Schlafende Heer), published in 1903 Viebig praised conquest of Polish territories by German settlers, and warned of "dangers" posed by Polish minority in Germany, which she characterised as "disloyal" and "uncultured", left unchecked, she warned—Poles would overwhelm Germany and thus need to be controlled, repressed and assimilated. Viebig's viewpoint was a characteristic of German attitudes at the time, and her work formed part of the German Heimatkunst (regionalism) literary movement during this period. This novel became a bestsellerBestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
in German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1904 and 1905, and besides Die Wacht am Rhein was her most read novel.
In the Sleeping Army she depicted the alleged racial division between Poles and Germans, focusing on character of Polish women, obsessing with distinction between blonde and black, white and dark and portraying them as plotting demise of German men, who need to be warned in advance. The Poles were living according to Viebig in a state of "animalistic and barbaric state", from which only German "civilizing mission" could save them, the solution to this "Polish problem" was exclusive colonization(preferably combined with expulsions), Viebig warned that "polish degeneracy" was "contagious". Kristin Kopp from University of Missouri writes that Viebig's novel represents a "prominent example" of narrative strategy that presents Polish characters whose external "whiteness", conceals hidden "blackness", which allows them to infiltrate German culture and undermine German colonial projects.
As her fame faded, in 1933 she published Insel der Hoffnung which condemned Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
and praised colonization of border with Poland.
However, in 1936 her publications became forbidden by the Third Reich because her husband was Jewish. As Viebig was related to Hermann Goering she herself wasn't persecuted. She moved in 1937 to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
for a year, but returned a year later and tried to accommodate herself in Nazi Germany. Her work continued to be published, albeit with less regularity; eventually in 1940 she was celebrated by the press and Nazis for her work on her eightieth birthday, with the "Dormant Army" being praised by Nazi critics as the first "Volksdeutsche
Volksdeutsche
Volksdeutsche - "German in terms of people/folk" -, defined ethnically, is a historical term from the 20th century. The words volk and volkische conveyed in Nazi thinking the meanings of "folk" and "race" while adding the sense of superior civilization and blood...
novel" and important document of "national fight". While her works differ from racist Blut and Boden literature and correspondence shows distance to Nazism, they have been filled with nationalist spirit and show some similarities to volkisch thinking.
Novels
- Dilettanten des Lebens, 1897 (online copy)
- Rheinlandstöchter, 1897
- Vor Tau und Tag, 1898
- Dilettanten des Lebens, 1899 (online copy)
- Es lebe die Kunst, 1899
- Das Weiberdorf, 1899 (online copy)
- Das tägliche Brod, 1900
- English edition: Our Daily Bread, 1909 (online copy)
- Die Wacht am Rhein, 1902 (online copy)
- Vom Müller Hannes, 1903
- Das schlafende Heer, 1904 (online copy)
- English edition: The Sleeping Army, 1929
- Einer Mutter Sohn, 1906 (online copy)
- English edition: The Son of his Mother, 1913 (online copy)
- Absolvo te!, 1907
- English edition: Absolution, 1908 (online copy)
- Das Kreuz im Venn, 1908 (online copy)
- Die vor den Toren, 1910
- Das Eisen im Feuer, 1913
- Eine Handvoll Erde, 1915 (online copy)
- Töchter der Hekuba, 1917
- English edition: Daughters of Hecuba, 1922
- Das rote Meer, 1920
- Unter dem Freiheitsbaum, 1922 (online copy)
- Menschen und Straßen, 1923
- Der einsame Mann, 1924
- Die goldenen Berge, 1928
- English edition: The Golden Hills, 1928
- Charlotte von Weiß, 1929
- Die mit den tausend Kindern, 1929
- English edition: The woman with a thousand children, 1930
- Prinzen, Prälaten und Sansculotten, 1931
- Menschen unter Zwang, 1932
- Insel der Hoffnung, 1933
- Der Vielgeliebte und die Vielgehaßte, 1935
Short stories & novellas
- Kinder der Eifel, 1897 (online copy)
- Vor Tau und Tag, 1898
- Die Rosenkranzjungfer, 1900
- Die heilige Einfalt, 1910
- Heimat, 1914
- West und Ost, 1920
- Franzosenzeit, 1925
Plays
- Barbara Holzer, 1896
- Die Pharisäer, 1899 (online copy)
- Kampf um den Mann, 1903 (online copy)
- Das letzte Glück, 1909
- Pittchen, 1909
External links
- Clara Viebig Gesellschaft - website of the Clara Viebig Society with information on Viebig's life and works, scholarly literature, exhibitions and local museum
- Clara Viebig Zentrum - museum at EisenschmittEisenschmittEisenschmitt is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :Eisenschmitt lies on the river Salm...
Texts by Clara Viebig being available online
- Kindheit in Düsseldorf (University of Düsseldorf)
- Drei Brauten (University of Düsseldorf)
- Mein Eifelland (University of Düsseldorf)
- Clara Viebig at archive.org