New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
characteristics-good and bad-of German
journalism?'
THAT is a Zig question and would not at


tempt to answer it offhand. OF course, I have
| thoughts on this subject. for any one who has
been journalist must have them. but there are
, many features of the life to be taken into
consideration that could not do them justice
| in few words I hope ere long to bring out in
| print what ] think should be the guiding prin
ciples in this profession and all can say now
is that great future awaits on journalism when
1t has once given itself laws and determined
| to abide by them. One hears just now about
too much competition and this may be true.
| but am sure that the talented journalists are
by no means too numerous"
| do you think that lectures journalism in
the university would help to give authority to
the profession"
Yes. for they would give order to the prob
| lens in question, and 1t is this, 1 think that
need now"
Sudermann is known in Germany great
admrer Of Ibsen and some critics venture to
say that he is greater than the Norwegian 1t
| was natural to ask what had been Ibsens in
| fuence on his career.
when Ibsen appeared" he said, II still
very young man. and the influences that had
chapel my course up to that time had been
principally French. l was great reader and
admirer of French works. Indeed, that was
the among the majority of German literary
men Of that period. Then Ibsen came. What
struck me in his work his independence In
conceiving characters and the new and free way
In which he developed them. In my own work /
have tried more or less to strike out line Of
my own. but 1t goes without saying that Ibsen
has exercised great influence upon me. In
deed without Ibsen Tolstoy and Zola the en-
tire modern movement In literature could not
be-"
What would you say the striking features
of the most recent German literature?'
There many different factors that II
would require an essay to do them justice. At
the present moment Hauptmann and Widen
bruch. to take these two. may be said to stand
for the two opposite directions In our latest
literature. We are. however. in state Of transit
ton. and old ideas changing and new ones
are taking their place The ideas that are to
rule depend. in my opinion very much on the
personalities that represent them II a new and
powerful personality should appear he would
necessarily influence the style and thought Of
the day that Is coming
PRINCIPLES OF WORK.
"As far I alone concerned, can say
that am striving to gain simple and clear
account Of the various phases of life that see
and portray. l seek to make my characters
real. and the scenes in which they act. genuine
If this be realism, we'll and good. do not, how
ever. believe in any treatment of theme or
character. no matter how real they may be-
which involves means and effects that offend in
any way healthy aesthetic feelings. | desire TO
explain life to the best of my ability as an
artist. and that which l cannot present in this
way prefer 10 leave untouched"
Then you believe in art for arts sake?"
That is more or less my position. II moral
lessons can be drawn from any treatment Of a
subject or character, well and good; but am not,
by profession. moralist.''
In his recently published book Of essays. the
Danish critic Georg Brandes. says of Suder-
mann that he is realist in his dramas, and an
ideast in his novels. l asked what he thought
Of this criticism.
ITO say the least 1t strikes ne as peculiar"
he answered II value very highly all that
Brandes has to say. and. as a young man, read
his books with great eagerness but cannot see
how he justifies the criticism to which you refer
When / write novels use the same methods
and technique that / do In my dramas. and II
seems TO me that pretty much the same result
as yet. to say what am at all. and especially
as a dramatist for / am still merely an ap-
prentice at the business: ! have been writing
one know what else may have In my portfolio?'
LAS a novelist what do YOU think Of the So
called purpose novel and is its influence. In
your opinion good?'
Personally I free OF the Tendenz- Roma
men. ! do not write them. That they have at
times accomplished good cannot be denied; but
do not believe in sitting down with the fixed
intention Of writing such book At certain
periods the world may be so full OF Tendenz
that the writer unconsciously. as II were. writes
under its influence and in that case his effort is
more OF less artistcally justhable but do not
Ike work which Is done merely 10 take advan
tage of such a state Of public mind. Indeed.
think that the artist should have no postulato
at all his duty Is to give pictures and not social
theories. He must study his material effectively.
and only as he does this can he achieve any real
artistic success "
! could not forbear asking his opinion Of Nor
daus Degeneration" The book has not been |
so widely read in Germany In England and
America. but ii is by no means unknown. Nor |
dau Is a personal friend OF mine" Herr Suder- |
m n
work. as think Is also the case among great |
many people not only In Germany but In |
France and Italy; but II seems to me that his |
book on degeneration was altogether too sweep |
ing. Ibsen Tolstoy and Zola. for instance. GER |
tainy do not belong in his category OF degener |
ates. and II was mistake to include them he |
diA In consequence he has made for himself |
a great many enemies. and particularly here In |
Germany but J. nevertheless, consider him one |
OF the greatest living German writers. His |
novels. perhaps. are not so remarkable but his |
more serious books rank very high among works |
Of their class"
What is your opinion Of the other writer's that |
he discussed-the decadents. for example,"
Il look upon them curosties. Artisticay. |
] have no sympathy with them. They seem to
me to be very wastefu. and the most that can |
discover in their writings Is an occasional we'll |
turned sentence. In saying this. do not mean
have been able to study their work am con-
WINGED that IT Is not what I am interested In.
and do not feel connected with them In any |
particular"
VIEWS ON THE STAGE.
One hears much talk just now concerning the
German stage-where It fails to come up to high |
ideals and how 1t may be improved: and 1t
seemed interesting to known Sudermann's judg-
ment In the matter.
II am not the right one to pronounce opin-
ion on that subject" he said. "Of course I
write playe and see them performed but my
actual experience in theatre life Is not large.
Herr LArronge. who. you know, is one Of the
greatest authorities here in such matters and