Richard Dehmel
Encyclopedia
Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (18 November 1863 in Wendisch-Hermsdorf, Prussia
– 8 February 1920 in Blankenese
, Germany) was a German
poet
and writer
.
's son, Richard Dehmel was born in Wendisch-Hermsdorf (now a part of Münchehofe
) in the Brandenburg Province
of the Prussian Kingdom.
Expelled from a Berlin
gymnasium after conflicting with his teachers, he finished his schooling in Danzig and studied the natural sciences, economics
, literature
, and philosophy
at university, where he submitted a thesis
in economics. Subsequently employed as a secretary at a fire insurance association, he remained in the same occupation until beginning to write full time after the publication of his second volume of poetry.
In 1889, he married Paula Oppenheimer, sister of Franz Oppenheimer
. He became active as a writer, and was co-founder of the PAN magazine in 1894.
Dehmel divorced Paula in 1899 and traveled around Europe
with Ida Auerbach (née
Coblentz), who was formerly engaged to Dehmel's rival Stefan George. Dehmel married Ida in 1901, and settled in Hamburg
in the same year.
Dehmel's poetic volume Weib und Welt (Woman and World) triggered a scandal in the late 1890s: denounced by the deeply conservative
poet Börries von Münchhausen
, Dehmel was tried for obscenity
and blasphemy
. Despite his own acquittal for Weib und Welt on technical grounds, the court condemned the work as obscene and blasphemous and ordered that it be burned. Dehmel would again be prosecuted for obscenity and blasphemy, but again acquitted as earlier.
Despite his earlier record of fighting against the conservatives, Dehmel joined the resounding chorus of the patriotic and pro-war German intellectuals who appealed to the masses to support the Reich upon the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Fifty-one at the time, Dehmel volunteered in 1914 and served until 1916, when he was wounded. He called on the Germans to keep fighting right until 1918. Dehmel died in 1920 of the injury he suffered during the war.
era. His poems were set to music by composers like Richard Strauss
, Max Reger
, Alexander von Zemlinsky
, Arnold Schoenberg
, Anton Webern
, Ignatz Waghalter
and Kurt Weill
, or inspired them to write music. Dehmel's main theme was "love and sex (Eros
)", which he conventionalized as a power to break free from middle class bounds.
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
– 8 February 1920 in Blankenese
Blankenese
Blankenese is a former independent town, now a suburban quarter in the borough Altona in the western part of Hamburg . It is located on right bank of the Elbe river...
, Germany) was a German
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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Life
A foresterForester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
's son, Richard Dehmel was born in Wendisch-Hermsdorf (now a part of Münchehofe
Münchehofe
Münchehofe is a municipality in the district of Dahme-Spreewald in Brandenburg in Germany.-References:...
) in the Brandenburg Province
Province of Brandenburg
The Province of Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:The first people who are known to have inhabited Brandenburg were the Suevi. They were succeeded by the Slavonians, whom Henry II conquered and converted to Christianity in...
of the Prussian Kingdom.
Expelled from a 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...
gymnasium after conflicting with his teachers, he finished his schooling in Danzig and studied the natural sciences, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at university, where he submitted a thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
in economics. Subsequently employed as a secretary at a fire insurance association, he remained in the same occupation until beginning to write full time after the publication of his second volume of poetry.
In 1889, he married Paula Oppenheimer, sister of Franz Oppenheimer
Franz Oppenheimer
Franz Oppenheimer was a German-Jewish sociologist and political economist, who published also in the area of the fundamental sociology of the state.-Personal life:...
. He became active as a writer, and was co-founder of the PAN magazine in 1894.
Dehmel divorced Paula in 1899 and traveled around Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with Ida Auerbach (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Coblentz), who was formerly engaged to Dehmel's rival Stefan George. Dehmel married Ida in 1901, and settled in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
in the same year.
Dehmel's poetic volume Weib und Welt (Woman and World) triggered a scandal in the late 1890s: denounced by the deeply conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
poet Börries von Münchhausen
Börries von Münchhausen
Börries von Münchhausen was a German poet.-Biography:He was born in Hildesheim, the oldest child of Kammerherr Börries von Münchhausen and his wife, Clementine von der Gabelentz....
, Dehmel was tried for obscenity
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
and blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
. Despite his own acquittal for Weib und Welt on technical grounds, the court condemned the work as obscene and blasphemous and ordered that it be burned. Dehmel would again be prosecuted for obscenity and blasphemy, but again acquitted as earlier.
Despite his earlier record of fighting against the conservatives, Dehmel joined the resounding chorus of the patriotic and pro-war German intellectuals who appealed to the masses to support the Reich upon the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Fifty-one at the time, Dehmel volunteered in 1914 and served until 1916, when he was wounded. He called on the Germans to keep fighting right until 1918. Dehmel died in 1920 of the injury he suffered during the war.
Literary work
Dehmel is considered one of the foremost German poets of the pre-World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
era. His poems were set to music by composers like Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
, Max Reger
Max Reger
Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger was a German composer, conductor, pianist, organist, and academic teacher.-Life:...
, Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander Zemlinsky or Alexander von Zemlinsky was an Austrian composer, conductor, and teacher.-Early life:...
, Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
, Anton Webern
Anton Webern
Anton Webern was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Second Viennese School. As a student and significant follower of Arnold Schoenberg, he became one of the best-known exponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of...
, Ignatz Waghalter
Ignatz Waghalter
Ignatz Waghalter was a Polish-German composer and conductor.-Early years:Waghalter was born into a poor but musically-accomplished Jewish family in Warsaw. His eldest brother, Henryk Waghalter , became a renowned cellist at the Warsaw Conservatory. Wladyslaw , the youngest Waghalter brother,...
and Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
, or inspired them to write music. Dehmel's main theme was "love and sex (Eros
Eros (love)
Eros is one of the four words in Ancient Greek which can be rendered into English as “love”. The other three are storge, philia and agape...
)", which he conventionalized as a power to break free from middle class bounds.
Works
- Erlösungen, poems 1891
- Aber die Liebe, poems 1893
- Weib und Welt, poems 1896
- Zwei Menschen. Roman in Romanzen, 1903
- Die Verwandlungen der Venus, poems 1907
- Michel Michael, comedy 1911
- Schöne wilde Welt, poems 1913
- Die Menschenfreunde, Drama 1917
- Mein Leben, autobiography 1922 (posthumously)
External links
- Willkommen zur Richard-Dehmel-Website at www.richard-dehmel.de
- Richard Dehmel in Project Gutenberg
- All poems of Richard Dehmel