The Denver Jewish news., 1920-09-22
Jewish Element in thu.
New German Literature
BY JACOB MESTEL.
Copyright, 1920. by /. J. l.. 81

Silall, luerelOTe, nave 10 coilteiit JUL
selves with the few remarkable pro
ducts of genius and only in so far as
the same affect in some way Jewish
life or ut least reflect Jewish spirit.
Jewish struggles or Jewish sorrow.
The work of Max Nordnu. altho his
Conventional Lies are far removed
from any "JewishnesS." has brought
about storm of criticism based on
i'll the book, which German critics
were prone to associate with Semi
tic spirit To be sure, the work OF
Max Nordau and the criticism levelled
against it. is almost forgotten and
properly belongs to another generation
In more recent times Theodore Herzl
Max Brod and Arthur Schnitzler re
ceivcd similar treatment. Let us take
a moments glance at the work of ''oiae
Of the less popular stars on the firma-
mclt of Jewish-German letters and
see how the Jewish spirit which we
discussed in our former article shines
in their productions.
II is by no means coincidence that
one of the most popular .Iewish-Ger-
man poets. SchnitZler. and one of the
greatest tho less known. Beer-Hof-
mann, have passed thru almost the
same stages of literary development.
The "juvenilia" of both poets show be
yond the shadow of doubt that they
have each grown out of the same III
tcllectual environment. even tho the
outward conditions of their youth were
entirely different. Schnitzler, to name
one of many differences in the mental
of Theodore Hcrzl. while Beer-Hof-
mann was entirely remote from any in
tercSt in the Zionist movement. But a
comparison of Hofmann's Graf Cha
development of the two. was friend
role" with SchnitZler's Der junge
Medartus' or evea Hofmann's
Georges Death with Schnitzler's
''Marionettes." will convince us at once
that both poets have drawn their ma
terial and shaped the dcStinics of their
principal characters using the same
literary method. such cannot be
mere coincidence. The spirit of the
time. the established social order with
all its advantages aad seeming ilcon-
gruities must find reflection in the
work of the poetr-quite irrespective
of the poets individual self or the sur
roundings under which he chances to
live or to create This element must.
even of itself. cause similarity in
the work of two poets who like EIOf-
mann and SchlitZler grew out from
the same period of historical develop
mcnt. a period which could not fail to
reflect its insincerity and perverse-
ness on the sensitive soul of the true
poet. 1t will. therefore. mt he sur
prising TO find that the growing anti
Scmitism of Germany and Hungarian
attacks against the Jews are respOn
Sible for Schnitzler's Professor Bern
hardi' as well as Arnold Zweig's
masterpiece "rhe Ritual Murder in
Hungary or Samuers Mission" and
that the world war with its inevitable
Jewish sufferings and the growing
warming for Jewish deliverance Great
cd such works as Jeremiah" and
Jacobs Dream
Already in Schnitzler's first work
"Anntol." written in 1888 and present
ing the sweet girl of Vienna. even
tho outwardly not at all Jewish. the
word I.,i, IN
the book either directly or indirectly.
nevertheless cannot deny its Jewish
character by the manner in which the
types are depicted and certain re-
signed mildness in the point of view
But of course SchnitZler had no de-
sire to show anything Jewish either
in this his first work or the macy
successful plays written soon after
wards. Professor Bernhartli." how
ever. for many years forbidden in the
old Austria. is nothing but an arraign-
mcnt of anti-Jewish civilization. | had
occasion to see a masterful perform
alce of the play at the Leipzig NUM-
cipal Theatre. This performance if
nothing else. explained to me the
reason for its suppression by the old
Austrian censorship: it is II sharp and
unflinching Indictment of the Aus
TRAN world of scholars and bureau
Gratis. the perverSeness and unnatural.
moss of its existence and the bigoted
anti-Semitism of the Austrian Gov
crnment
Professor Bernhard is Jewish
scholar. the director of n great hos
pital To prevent young female pa
tie:lt from learning her true condition
he forbids n Catholic priest to enter
her ward and hear her confession.
This humanitarian act of the doctor.