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Moral By: Ludwig Thoma (1867-1921) |
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Ludwig Thoma
INTRODUCTION Dr. Ludwig Thoma, perhaps better known to his Bavarian countrymen
as Peter Schlemiehl, was born in Oberammergau on January 21, 1867.
After graduating from a gymnasium in Munich, he studied at the
School of Forestry at Aschauffenburg. He did not finish his course
there, but entered the University at Munich and received his
degree as Doctor Juris in 1893. A year later Dr. Thoma began to practice law; but he abandoned
that pursuit in 1899 to follow a career for which his inclinations
and talents so happily fitted him. He had been writing humorous verses for Simplicissimus for several
years under the pen name of Pete Schlemiehl, with such success
that the paper almost became identified by that name. These poems
were later published in book form under the title Grobheiten. His prose writings in Bavarian dialect as well as his boyhood
experiences entitled, Lausbubengeschichten, won a large and warm
audience. In 1899 he became the editor of Simplicissimus. From
then on his renown grew. The foremost critics of German letters
began to take notice of this "Bavarian Aristophanes" and to
compare him to Heine and the classics. When Moral and Lottchen's Birthday appeared, while the reviewers
shook their heads and stated that Dr. Thoma was shocking (so in
original) they concluded that their author was "casting a long
shadow." To day Dr. Thoma is a recognized figure in Germany. Prof.
Robert F. Arnold in "Das Moderne Drama" (Strassburg, 1908) ranks
him next to Hauptmann. His writings are numerous. A vein,
satirical and humorous, with a conception of the pathetic, makes
him more than an equal to Mark Twain. In addition he is possessed
of a message, which he delivers in the Moral. First produced in 1908 the play soon became a part and parcel of
the repertoire of the leading theatres in Germany. It was put on
for the first time in New York, in German, at the Irving Place
Theatre in the spring of 1914, through the efforts of the late
Heinrich Matthias and the writer. Mr. Matthias then played the
part of Beermann. Mr. Christians, the director, repeated the
performance a number of times that season, each performance
meeting with a warm response. The late Percival Pollard was the first American critic to
emphasize the importance of Dr. Thoma's work in his excellent
resume of contemporary German literature: Masks and Minstrels of
Modern Germany. He pointed out "that no country where hypocrisy or
puritanism prevail as factors in the social and municipal conduct
should be spared the corrective acid of this play." H. L. Mencken and George Jean Nathan for many years have sung
praises of the Moral in the Smart Set. But its production on the
English speaking stage still remains an event eagerly to be
awaited. Briefly, the play is a polemic against the "men higher
up," churchmen, reformers, and social hypocrites. The translation follows the text implicitly. Four different
versions were made all varying in a degree from the original, and
although Dr. Thoma wrote to the writer "bin auch damit
einverstanden dass Sie in der Ubersetzung meines Schauspieles
'Moral' etwaige Aenderungen oder Adaptiereungen, die durch die
englisch amerikanischen Verhaltnisse und den Geschmack des
amerikanischen Theatrepublikums geboten erscheinen, in
entsprechender Weise vornehmen ..." it was deemed best for
purposes of publication to try to preserve the original atmosphere
without an attempt to even transpose such phrases as Gnadige Frau,
or Herr Kommerzienrat. CHARLES RECHT. New York, October, 1916.
PERSONS OF THE PLAY
FRITZ BEERMANN, a wealthy landowner and banker. LENA BEERMANN, his wife. EFFIE BEERMANN, their daughter. KOMMERZIENRAT ADOLPH BOLLAND, capitalist and manufacturer CLARA BOLLAND, his wife. DR. HAUSER, an ex judge. FRAU LUND, an old lady. HANS JACOB DOBLER, a poet. FRAULEIN KOCH PINNEBERG, an artiste. PRIVATDOZENT DR. WASNER, a gymnasium professor. FREIHERR VON SIMBACH, the Police Commissioner of the Duchy... Continue reading book >>
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