The Outsiders of Oskoken Castle
Encyclopedia
The Outsiders of Uskoken Castle is a children's novel written by Kurt Kläber
. The original German "Rote Zora und ihre Bande" was published under the pseudonym Kurt Held in 1941.
The English translation was published in 1967 by Doubleday (Garden City, N.Y. USA)
It was translated from German by Lynn Aubry and illustrated by Emanual Schongut.
The story is about the adventures of Zora and a band of children, who lived in a Uskok
castle ruins on the coast of Croatia
. The children steal out of necessity because they have no parents or other family to look after them. They are frequently involved in conflicts with the town residents and reject the authority of adults, except for the Fisher Gorian, who helps the children. When the old fisherman needs help the children repay his kindness by coming to his rescue.
was a German Jewish communist living in exile in Switzerland after his arrest for suspicion of involvement with the Reichstag Fire
. He adopted the pseudonym because Kurt Kläber was known to the authorities as a political activist, so his works could not be published under his own name.
in 1940, where he met Branko and Redhead Zora and her band. The book is based on his experiences with these orphaned children in the Croatian city of Senj
. The castle in Senj is called Nehaj Fortress.
As in the story, the first child Kurt Kläber met in Senj was Branko. At that time Branko had recently been orphaned. Zora informed Branko that the police were investigating him in a theft of food. So Kläber was introduced to Zora. He wanted to take Branko and Zora back to Switzerland with him, but his refugee status made that impossible. Instead he wrote the story of the children with the intention of making the book a political tool to call attention to marginalized people in Europe.
Zora became the central figure in the story because Kläber was impressed with the way she organized the children into a band and taught them solidarity. The boys accepted her as their leader.
The Oskoken or Uskoks
in the title were a band of pirates from 16th century Senj.
The story begins with the introduction of some of the children. Branko's father is a traveling fiddler, so he lives with his mother, who worked in a tobacco plant until her death. After Banco's mother died he has no home. He picked up a fish he found on the ground at the market and is arrested for theft. Zora freed him through the window of the prison and took him to the castle, which the band has made their home.
After passing a test of his courage, Branco is accepted into the band of outlaws along with Nicola, Pavle and Duro.
The story tells of conflicts with the city residents who persecute the band and the pranks the children play to retaliate against their enemies.
In one episode the band steals a chicken from the old fisher Gorian, who is honest, poor and works hard. Branko and Zora feel sorry for him and try to repay him with chickens stolen from wealthy Karaman. Gorian catches them and insists that they return the stolen chickens. The children promise to help Goran by working for him when he is short handed. The band assists him with his conflicts with a large fishery.
The book was originally published by the Schweizer Sauerländer-Verlag in Aarau. It is still being published in German by the Patmos Verlagsgruppe in its 36th printing from 2007.
and a television series
The book has been translated into 18 languages, although it has never been translated into Croatian.
The television series based on the book was aired on television in Croatia, but only late at night in order to prevent children from seeing it
Kurt Held
Kurt Kläber was a Jewish Communist and writer displaced from Germany during the Second World War. He has also been published under the pseudonym Kurt Held...
. The original German "Rote Zora und ihre Bande" was published under the pseudonym Kurt Held in 1941.
The English translation was published in 1967 by Doubleday (Garden City, N.Y. USA)
It was translated from German by Lynn Aubry and illustrated by Emanual Schongut.
The story is about the adventures of Zora and a band of children, who lived in a Uskok
USKOK
USKOK is a Croatian government institution. It is a State Attorney office specialized in corruption and organized crime.USKOK started work in December 2001...
castle ruins on the coast of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The children steal out of necessity because they have no parents or other family to look after them. They are frequently involved in conflicts with the town residents and reject the authority of adults, except for the Fisher Gorian, who helps the children. When the old fisherman needs help the children repay his kindness by coming to his rescue.
Author
Kurt HeldKurt Held
Kurt Kläber was a Jewish Communist and writer displaced from Germany during the Second World War. He has also been published under the pseudonym Kurt Held...
was a German Jewish communist living in exile in Switzerland after his arrest for suspicion of involvement with the Reichstag Fire
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany....
. He adopted the pseudonym because Kurt Kläber was known to the authorities as a political activist, so his works could not be published under his own name.
Background of the story
Kurt Kläber traveled to YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1940, where he met Branko and Redhead Zora and her band. The book is based on his experiences with these orphaned children in the Croatian city of Senj
Senj
Senj , German Zengg, Hungarian Zeng and Italian Segna) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3000 years ago on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala...
. The castle in Senj is called Nehaj Fortress.
As in the story, the first child Kurt Kläber met in Senj was Branko. At that time Branko had recently been orphaned. Zora informed Branko that the police were investigating him in a theft of food. So Kläber was introduced to Zora. He wanted to take Branko and Zora back to Switzerland with him, but his refugee status made that impossible. Instead he wrote the story of the children with the intention of making the book a political tool to call attention to marginalized people in Europe.
Zora became the central figure in the story because Kläber was impressed with the way she organized the children into a band and taught them solidarity. The boys accepted her as their leader.
Title
The title Red Zora, refers to Zora's red hair.The Oskoken or Uskoks
Uskoks
The Uskoks were Croatian Habsburg soldiers that inhabited the areas of the eastern Adriatic and the surrounding territories during the Ottoman wars in Europe. Etymologically, the word uskoci itself means "the ones who jumped in" in Croatian...
in the title were a band of pirates from 16th century Senj.
Plot summary
The story is made up of the adventures of the children living by the rules of their community and their conflicts with the city residents.The story begins with the introduction of some of the children. Branko's father is a traveling fiddler, so he lives with his mother, who worked in a tobacco plant until her death. After Banco's mother died he has no home. He picked up a fish he found on the ground at the market and is arrested for theft. Zora freed him through the window of the prison and took him to the castle, which the band has made their home.
After passing a test of his courage, Branco is accepted into the band of outlaws along with Nicola, Pavle and Duro.
The story tells of conflicts with the city residents who persecute the band and the pranks the children play to retaliate against their enemies.
In one episode the band steals a chicken from the old fisher Gorian, who is honest, poor and works hard. Branko and Zora feel sorry for him and try to repay him with chickens stolen from wealthy Karaman. Gorian catches them and insists that they return the stolen chickens. The children promise to help Goran by working for him when he is short handed. The band assists him with his conflicts with a large fishery.
The book was originally published by the Schweizer Sauerländer-Verlag in Aarau. It is still being published in German by the Patmos Verlagsgruppe in its 36th printing from 2007.
Reception
The novel was made into a filmand a television series
The book has been translated into 18 languages, although it has never been translated into Croatian.
The television series based on the book was aired on television in Croatia, but only late at night in order to prevent children from seeing it
See also
- Die Rote ZoraRote ZoraRote Zora was a militant feminist group active in West Germany from 1974-95, known for a series of bombings.-History:Rote Zora started in 1974, when they bombed the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany in Karlsruhe to protest against the abortion law....
, a German militant feminist Group active in West Germany from 1974–1995, took their name from the story because the band was founded and led by a girl. - List of anarchist children's literature