Professor Unrat
Encyclopedia
Professor Unrat literally meaning “Professor Garbage”, is one of the most important works of Heinrich Mann
and has achieved notoriety through film adaptations, most notably Der blaue Engel with Marlene Dietrich
. The book caricatures the bourgeoise educational system of Wilhelmine Germany
and the double standards of the title character. In the United States, an abridgment of the English translation was published in 1932 under the title The Blue Angel.
One of Professor Unrat's most formidable adversaries is the 17-year-old Lohmann, whose quick-thinking allows him to escape punishment and enrage his teacher. Raat discovers a poem in the student's notebook addressed to "Fräulein Rosa Fröhlich", whom he proceeds to track down.
At the "Blue Angel", he finds a placard promoting the "barefoot dancer" Rosa Fröhlich. Trying to avoid his students, Raat finds himself in the dressing room of the dancer, where he commands her to stop corrupting his students and leave town immediately. In response, however, she offers the professor wine and attempts to charm him.
The next morning sees a cease-fire between the students and the professor; he is afraid of being made a fool of in the classroom and they are afraid of being written up by the principal. That night, he returns to Rosa and calmly explains how unacceptable it is for her to accept wine, champagne, and flowers from students. Rosa explains that she sends such things from students back and undresses, beginning a relationship with Raat that sees him catering to her every wish: expensive restaurants, new clothing, a furnished flat, even sorting her laundry.
Eventually he is fired from his position, marries Rosa, and discovers she has a daughter. After two years of this marriage, Raat is financially ruined. A friend of Rosa's suggests that Raat give "lectures", which serve as a cover for Rosa to discreetly entertain male clientele in the professor's formerly respectable home.
At the end of the book, Lohmann re-enters Raat's life. Lohmann offers to pay all of Rosa's debts, but the jealous Raat tries to strangle Lohmann and makes off with Lohmanns' wallet. As he runs through the streets of the town, he is mocked and derided.
Heinrich Mann
Luiz Heinrich Mann was a German novelist who wrote works with strong social themes. His attacks on the authoritarian and increasingly militaristic nature of pre-World War II German society led to his exile in 1933.-Life and work:Born in Lübeck as the oldest child of Thomas Johann Heinrich Mann...
and has achieved notoriety through film adaptations, most notably Der blaue Engel with Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
. The book caricatures the bourgeoise educational system of Wilhelmine Germany
Wilhelmine Germany
Wilhelmine Germany can refer to:*Imperial Germany during the 1888-1918 reign of Wilhelm II, particularly after the resignation of Otto von Bismarck*Germany during the entire 1871-1918 Empire, ruled for most of its existence by Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II...
and the double standards of the title character. In the United States, an abridgment of the English translation was published in 1932 under the title The Blue Angel.
Plot summary
The protagonist is Raat, a 57-year-old reclusive, widowed school teacher who is estranged from his son because of the son's academic laxity and scandalous trysts with women. Even though everyone around is either a former student of his or a descendant thereof, Raat is not held in high regard by his students. He takes the nickname "Unrat" (literally meaning garbage) to be a personal affront, and treats every school-day as a battle against his foes, the students, and uses impossible assignments as his means of achieving victory.One of Professor Unrat's most formidable adversaries is the 17-year-old Lohmann, whose quick-thinking allows him to escape punishment and enrage his teacher. Raat discovers a poem in the student's notebook addressed to "Fräulein Rosa Fröhlich", whom he proceeds to track down.
At the "Blue Angel", he finds a placard promoting the "barefoot dancer" Rosa Fröhlich. Trying to avoid his students, Raat finds himself in the dressing room of the dancer, where he commands her to stop corrupting his students and leave town immediately. In response, however, she offers the professor wine and attempts to charm him.
The next morning sees a cease-fire between the students and the professor; he is afraid of being made a fool of in the classroom and they are afraid of being written up by the principal. That night, he returns to Rosa and calmly explains how unacceptable it is for her to accept wine, champagne, and flowers from students. Rosa explains that she sends such things from students back and undresses, beginning a relationship with Raat that sees him catering to her every wish: expensive restaurants, new clothing, a furnished flat, even sorting her laundry.
Eventually he is fired from his position, marries Rosa, and discovers she has a daughter. After two years of this marriage, Raat is financially ruined. A friend of Rosa's suggests that Raat give "lectures", which serve as a cover for Rosa to discreetly entertain male clientele in the professor's formerly respectable home.
At the end of the book, Lohmann re-enters Raat's life. Lohmann offers to pay all of Rosa's debts, but the jealous Raat tries to strangle Lohmann and makes off with Lohmanns' wallet. As he runs through the streets of the town, he is mocked and derided.
Film adaptations
- 1930: Der blaue EngelDer blaue EngelThe Blue Angel is a film directed by Josef von Sternberg in 1930, based on Heinrich Mann's novel Professor Unrat. The film is considered to be the first major German sound film and it brought world fame to actress Marlene Dietrich...
. Director: Josef von SternbergJosef von SternbergJosef von Sternberg — born Jonas Sternberg — was an Austrian-American film director. He is particularly noted for his distinctive mise en scène, use of lighting and soft lens, and seven-film collaboration with actress Marlene Dietrich.-Youth:Von Sternberg was born Jonas Sternberg to a Jewish...
; with Emil JanningsEmil JanningsEmil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
and Marlene DietrichMarlene DietrichMarlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films... - 1959: Der blaue Engel (“The blue angel”). Director: Edward DmytrykEdward DmytrykEdward Dmytryk was an American film director who was amongst the Hollywood Ten, a group of blacklisted film industry professionals who served time in prison for being in contempt of Congress during the McCarthy-era 'red scare'.-Early life:Dmytryk was born in Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada,...
; with Curd JürgensCurd JürgensCurd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He was usually billed in English-speaking films as Curt Jurgens.-Early life:... - 1973: Anjo Loiro (Brazilian version)
External links
- Heinrich Mann: Professor Unrat oder Das Ende eines Tyrannen at the German Museum of HistoryDeutsches Historisches MuseumThe German Historical Museum , DHM for short, is a museum in Berlin devoted to German history and defines itself as a place of enlightenment and understanding of the shared history of Germans and Europeans....
- Albert Einstein Gymnasium: Plot Description, Summary