Jean Forge
Encyclopedia
Jan Fethke was a German
-Polish
film director and, under the pen name Jean Forge, a successful author. He also was a famous proponent of the language Esperanto
.
, Silesia
, Jan Fethke attended Oppeln's grammar school. Together with his brothers Stefan and Edmond, Fethke learned Esperanto
in 1919, when aged sixteen. After leaving grammar school, he edited the periodical Esperanto Triumfonta for several years.
Between 1923 and 1924 studied at Technical University of Danzig and worked for a local newspaper before moving to Berlin.
In 1921, aged 18, he penned his first novel, the German language Der ausgestopfte Papagei ("The stuffed parrot"). After 1923, he wrote his novels in Esperanto and used the pseudonym Jean Forge. His most important Esperanto works are Abismoj
(Abysses, 1923), Saltego trans jarmiloj ("A leap across the millennia", 1924) and Mr. Tot Aĉetas Mil Okulojn
("Mr. Tot buys a thousand eyes", 1931), which have been translated into several languages. His books were inventive, rich in ideas, and a witty representative of enjoyable light literature with a talent for psychological observation and a precise knowledge of effects.
After moving to Berlin in 1928, Fethke worked as a writer and assistant for Ufa
. His most successful films were Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück ("Mommie Krause's trip into happiness") and Jenseits der Straße ("On the far side of the street"), for which he wrote the screenplay. At Ufa, he also made the acquaintance of Fritz Lang
, who later used his Mr. Tot novel for his last film, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse
(1960).
He also continued his work in Esperanto. In 1932 began to teach courses in Sweden, using the Cseh-method. In 1934 he dubbed the German film Morgen beginnt das Leben ("Life will start tomorrow") into Esperanto and, under the title Morgaŭ ni komencos la vivon, exhibited during the 26th World Esperanto Congress in Stockholm.
After the Second World War, Fethke achieved fame as a director in Poland. In 1960, he moved to West Berlin.
He was a collaborator of the review Literatura Mondo (Literary World) and many other periodicals.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
film director and, under the pen name Jean Forge, a successful author. He also was a famous proponent of the language Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
.
Life
Born in OppelnOpole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Jan Fethke attended Oppeln's grammar school. Together with his brothers Stefan and Edmond, Fethke learned Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
in 1919, when aged sixteen. After leaving grammar school, he edited the periodical Esperanto Triumfonta for several years.
Between 1923 and 1924 studied at Technical University of Danzig and worked for a local newspaper before moving to Berlin.
In 1921, aged 18, he penned his first novel, the German language Der ausgestopfte Papagei ("The stuffed parrot"). After 1923, he wrote his novels in Esperanto and used the pseudonym Jean Forge. His most important Esperanto works are Abismoj
Abismoj
Abismoj is a 1923 novel written by Jean Forge, the first he wrote originally in Esperanto. It describes and profoundly analyzes conflicts in the soul...
(Abysses, 1923), Saltego trans jarmiloj ("A leap across the millennia", 1924) and Mr. Tot Aĉetas Mil Okulojn
Mr. Tot Acetas Mil Okulojn
Mr. Tot aĉetas mil okulojn is the third novel originally written in Esperanto by Jean Forge. It appeared in 1931. It is a fantasy adventure novel. However the absolute artistry of the characterizations, the pure literary language, and the well-structuredness of the novel raise it high above the...
("Mr. Tot buys a thousand eyes", 1931), which have been translated into several languages. His books were inventive, rich in ideas, and a witty representative of enjoyable light literature with a talent for psychological observation and a precise knowledge of effects.
After moving to Berlin in 1928, Fethke worked as a writer and assistant for Ufa
Universum Film AG
Universum Film AG, better known as UFA or Ufa, is a film company that was the principal film studio in Germany, home of the German film industry during the Weimar Republic and through World War II, and a major force in world cinema from 1917 to 1945...
. His most successful films were Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück ("Mommie Krause's trip into happiness") and Jenseits der Straße ("On the far side of the street"), for which he wrote the screenplay. At Ufa, he also made the acquaintance of Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
, who later used his Mr. Tot novel for his last film, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse
The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse
The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse is a 1960 film made in West Germany. It was the last film directed by Fritz Lang and concerned the further exploits of Dr. Mabuse, a character Lang had used in two previous films in 1922 and 1933.The movie, based on the Esperanto novel Mr...
(1960).
He also continued his work in Esperanto. In 1932 began to teach courses in Sweden, using the Cseh-method. In 1934 he dubbed the German film Morgen beginnt das Leben ("Life will start tomorrow") into Esperanto and, under the title Morgaŭ ni komencos la vivon, exhibited during the 26th World Esperanto Congress in Stockholm.
After the Second World War, Fethke achieved fame as a director in Poland. In 1960, he moved to West Berlin.
He was a collaborator of the review Literatura Mondo (Literary World) and many other periodicals.
Novels
- AbismojAbismojAbismoj is a 1923 novel written by Jean Forge, the first he wrote originally in Esperanto. It describes and profoundly analyzes conflicts in the soul...
("Abysses"), 1923 - Saltego trans JarmilojSaltego trans JarmilojSaltego trans Jarmiloj is the second novel originally written in Esperanto by Jean Forge. It appeared in 1924 . It is a fantasy, whose characters are transported out of our time into a past epoch...
("A leap across the millennia"), 1924 - Mr. Tot Aĉetas Mil OkulojnMr. Tot Acetas Mil OkulojnMr. Tot aĉetas mil okulojn is the third novel originally written in Esperanto by Jean Forge. It appeared in 1931. It is a fantasy adventure novel. However the absolute artistry of the characterizations, the pure literary language, and the well-structuredness of the novel raise it high above the...
("Mr. Tot buys a thousand eyes"), 1931
Collection of novellas
- La verda raketo ("The green rocket") 1961
- Mia verda breviero ("My green prayer book"), 1974
Films
- Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück, 1929 (screenplay).
- Jenseits der Straße, 1929 (screenplay together with Willy Döll).
- Schön ist es, verliebt zu sein, 19933/34 (screenplay).
- Quadrille d'amour, 19933/34 (screenplay).
- Petersburger Nächte, 1934 (screenplay).
- Carlos schönstes Abenteuer, 1934 (screenplay).
- Morgaŭ ni komencos la vivon, an Esperanto version of Morgen beginnt das Leben, 1034 (dubbing).
- Zapomniana melodia ("The forgotten melody"), 1938 (directed together with Konrad Tom)
- Bravo, kleiner Thomas, 1943/44 (director).
- Ulica granicza, 1948.
- Sprawa do zalatwienia, 1953.
- Irena da domo ("Irene stays at home"), 1955 (director).
- Der schweigende Stern/Milczawa gwiazda ("The mute star"), 1959 (screenplay), an East German-Polish co-production.