Ulrich Becher
Encyclopedia
Ulrich Becher was a German
author
and playwright
.
, who had taken on the talented youth as his only pupil.
In 1932 his novella series Männer machen Fehler ("Men Make Mistakes") was published by Rowohlt Verlag. On the assumption of power by the Nazi Party
in 1933, his work was condemned as "degenerate" literature, and he was the youngest writer to have his works thrown into a book-burning fire (see degenerate art
for more information). On 11 November 1933 he married Dana, daughter of the Austria
n author Alexander Roda Roda
and consequently took Austrian citizenship. As the son of the Swiss
pianist Elisabeth Ulrich, he hoped he would be able to live in Switzerland as an author, however in the eyes of the Swiss authorities his anti-fascist
stance went against Switzerland's neutrality policy. He was consequently denied a work permit and was driven to emigrate. At the last minute, Becher and his wife succeeded in escaping to Brazil
via Portugal
in 1941. Efforts to obtain a visa to enter the United States
were to last three years. At last, Becher was granted permission to enter the country and settled in New York
near his parents and parents-in-law.
In 1948 he returned to Europe with Der Bockerer ("Bockerer"), a completed theatre play that he had created with Peter Preses, which went on to have great success in Vienna
(and which was turned into a film in 1981
by Franz Antel
). In 1954 he settled in Basel, and in 1976 he won the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Swiss Schiller Foundation.
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...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.
Overview
After attending the Freier Schulgemeinde in Wickersdorf, Ulrich Becher studied law in Berlin. During his school years he had already made the acquaintance of George GroszGeorge Grosz
Georg Ehrenfried Groß was a German artist known especially for his savagely caricatural drawings of Berlin life in the 1920s...
, who had taken on the talented youth as his only pupil.
In 1932 his novella series Männer machen Fehler ("Men Make Mistakes") was published by Rowohlt Verlag. On the assumption of power by the Nazi Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
in 1933, his work was condemned as "degenerate" literature, and he was the youngest writer to have his works thrown into a book-burning fire (see degenerate art
Degenerate art
Degenerate art is the English translation of the German entartete Kunst, a term adopted by the Nazi regime in Germany to describe virtually all modern art. Such art was banned on the grounds that it was un-German or Jewish Bolshevist in nature, and those identified as degenerate artists were...
for more information). On 11 November 1933 he married Dana, daughter of the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n author Alexander Roda Roda
Alexander Roda Roda
Alexander Roda Roda was the pen name of Alexander/Sándor Friedrich Ladislaus Rosenfeld, an Austrian Jewish writer.-Biography:...
and consequently took Austrian citizenship. As the son of the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
pianist Elisabeth Ulrich, he hoped he would be able to live in Switzerland as an author, however in the eyes of the Swiss authorities his anti-fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
stance went against Switzerland's neutrality policy. He was consequently denied a work permit and was driven to emigrate. At the last minute, Becher and his wife succeeded in escaping 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...
via Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1941. Efforts to obtain a visa to enter the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were to last three years. At last, Becher was granted permission to enter the country and settled in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
near his parents and parents-in-law.
In 1948 he returned to Europe with Der Bockerer ("Bockerer"), a completed theatre play that he had created with Peter Preses, which went on to have great success in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(and which was turned into a film in 1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
by Franz Antel
Franz Antel
Franz Antel was a veteran Austrian filmmaker.Born in Vienna, Antel worked mainly as a film producer in the interwar years. After World War II, he began writing and directing films on a large scale...
). In 1954 he settled in Basel, and in 1976 he won the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Swiss Schiller Foundation.
Selected works
- Männer machen Fehler ("Men Make Mistakes"). Narratives, BerlinBerlinBerlin 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...
(Rowohlt), 1932. - Niemand ("Nobody"). Modern mystery play, OstravaOstravaOstrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
(Kittl), 1934. - Die Eroberer ("The Conquerors"). Stories from Europe, ZürichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
(Oprecht), 1936. - Der Bockerer ("Bockerer"). Tragic farce, co-written with Peter Preses, ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(Sexl) 1946 (filmed by Franz AntelFranz AntelFranz Antel was a veteran Austrian filmmaker.Born in Vienna, Antel worked mainly as a film producer in the interwar years. After World War II, he began writing and directing films on a large scale...
in 19811981 in film-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
). - Reise zum blauen Tag ("Journey to the Blue Day"). Verses, St. GallenSt. GallenSt. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
(Verlag der Volksstimme), 1946. - Nachtigall will zum Vater fliegen ("A Nightingale Wants To Fly To His Father"). A cycle of New York novellas in four nights, Vienna (Sexl), 1950.
- Brasilianischer Romanzero ("Brazilian Romanzero"). Vienna (Frick); Zürich (Classen), 1950.
- Kurz nach 4 ("Shortly after 4"). Novel, HamburgHamburg-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...
(Rowohlt), 1957. - Spiele der Zeit ("Contemporary Games") - Samba; Feuerwasser ("Firewater"); Die Kleinen und die Großen ("The Great and the Small"). Hamburg (Rowohlt), 1957.
- Das Herz des Hais ("The Heart of the Shark"). Novel, ReinbekReinbekReinbek is a town located in Stormarn district in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein within the metropolitan region of Hamburg...
(Rowohlt), 1960. - Spiele der Zeit, Bd. 2 ("Contemporary Games, Vol. 2") - Niemand (Nobody); Makumba; Mademoiselle Löwenzom. Berlin. 1968.
- Murmeljagd (The Woodchuck Hunt, 1977). Novel, Reinbek (Rowohlt), 1969.
- Das Profil ("The Profile"). Novel, Reinbek (Rowohlt), 1973.
- William's Ex-Casino. Novel, Zürich; CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
(Benziger), 1973. - SIFF. Selektive Identifizierung von Freund und Feind ("SIFF. Selective Identification of Friend and Foe"). Essays, Zürich; Köln (Benziger), 1978.
- Franz Patenkindt. Epic of François Villon's German Godson in Fifteen Bench-Songs, Berlin (Berliner Handpresse), 1979.
- Vom Unzulänglichen der Wirklichkeit ("On The Inadequacies of Reality"). 10 not so nice stories, Basel (Lenos), 1983.
- Abseits vom Rodeo ("Aside from the Rodeo"). Novella, Basel (Lenos), 1991.