Language:
German
Year of publication:
1999
Titel der Quelle:
Mnemosyne; Zeitschrift für jüdische Kultur
Angaben zur Quelle:
25 (1999) 69-92
Keywords:
Mann, Thomas,
;
Antisemitism in literature
Abstract:
While Mann condemned antisemitism and expressed his appreciation of Jewish contributions to culture, in his last great novel he portrays two negative Jewish characters: Dr. Chaim Breisacher, an intellectual who polemicizes against civilization and progress, waxes enthusiastic about a return to barbarism, and expresses proto-Nazi ideas; and Saul Fitelberg, the figure of the Wandering Jew, an impresario who attempts to lure the composer Leverkuehn out of his isolation to Paris in order to merchandise his genius. Only a third figure, Kunigunde Rosenstiel, Leverkuehn's selfless devotee, is portrayed positively; and this too is in the Christian tradition of Jewish women's faithfulness to Christian men. Mann was apparently unaware of the antisemitic implications of his characterizations; when friends and family called his attention to them while the novel was in progress, he was troubled but said that the story required it. Remarks that the matter is particularly serious because the novel was written during and after the Holocaust.
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