Wilhelm Busch; a humorous critic of his time
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Authors Engel-Stevens, Michael, 1915-
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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/319491 m i M E I M BUSCH, A HUMOROUS . CRITIC OF HIS T1HE
. > • . MieHa©l. E^el"Stevens / .
A 3?tiesis SiiUmit%e& ;to tiie Faculty" of the.
v; : ’ ' 'B1HAEMEH$: OF OER1AH
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements ■; For the Degree of
v;:tv V- M SfSR . OF- A IES:: ■: v-.v.-'t-.: ' v
; ■ • • . In the Graduate College ' . : .
. UHlYiSRSITT OF ARIZOHA: ;
1960 STATi&IENT BY AUTHOR
This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library.
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APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR
This thesis has been approved on the date shown below:
D^J. Woloshin Instructor in German The author wishes to express his gratitude
to Iho Wdloshini, Ihf tructor in G-erman at the
University of Arizonaforhisscholarly guidanceand'
::assistanee i n vthe ■xra?iting of this thesis0
Mr@ Do • Woloshin8 s encouragement s eohstrnctive . critieism
: ahh' snpDort heig^d't this . study to completion® ;• TAB'XiE OF OOHTEM'S
.GEAPTER ' , ' Page
I • lixTTRODUCTIOE ...... A » . 1 , II HIS TIME ...... V . , . . / 9 XIII THE- SPIESSBHERO-ER: AMD; 'THE • : " ; X PROFESSIplS . ::I, . . : 22
. IV THE CLERGY . I ...... , . . . . 59 V CULTURE . . .. » . , I . . . „ . , . 55
VI COHCLUSIOH X X ...... , . . 78
BIBLIOGRAPHY : . . X . X ' .. , X X , .. 86 CHAPTER I
IHTROPUCTIOH
Sei ein braver Bledermann5 Range tn.ecb.tig an an lobenS Und du .wirst. von uns sodann ■ G-erne mit empor geb.oben®
f/ie 5 dn zieb.st ein scbiefes Maul?. Willst nicb.t5 dass dicb. andre adeln? 3Sas denn sei mir nur nieht faul Und verlege: dicb. aufs Tadeln* .
, ■ Geltj das 1st ein Hocbgenuss, Scbwebs.t du so mit Woblgefalien . Als ein 'sel?ger Kritikus. Hocberbaben ueber alien® •L
The objective of tbis tbesis is to examine
Tfilbelm'Bnscb as a critic of; bis time® Tbis study makes no pretense of being a discovery of any new aspects of
Buscb’s, writings, However, it is hoped that it will constitute a contribution to a better understanding of
Busch1 s works by interpreting them in such a manner as to furnish adequate evidence that Busch was not of primary importance as the writer of Max und Moritz and othert-Kindergescblcbten but that his primary importance was as a htanorous critic of his time« Upon closer examination we will discover that bis works.are not only permeated with humor but that they also contain
1 Wilhelm Busch» Wilhelm Bus oh -Cdsamtausgabe, ed> Otto HoedeIke (Munich,"1958) , V, 2lTo • a serious analysis of nineteenth century society. We . -
s-jmil focus our attention on those of his .writings • that -
provihe an understanding of his criticism of his
contemporaries ' and. of hims elf e In this way we will reach
a more accurate appraisal of this man® ih i : if''::'' ' J ^ ' ■: V: . The works to be examined in this study are:
Eritik des Herzens^ Maler Elecksel, Balduin Ba'ehlamm,
Bduards Traumj, Ton mir ueber mich5 Die fromme Helene •
'Max-und Moritz,, Bater Filucius3 Per heillge Antonius von Paduas - Ehopp-Trllogie and Die -Bartikularisten. • :
In order to evaluate and describe this artistVs
work without bias, it will be necessary to lay aside
■ preconceived ideas-. and to investigate the reliability v
• o f his. satirical descriptions * The. question may arise - ,
as to whether there.was no virtue at all to he found in
Busch8s environmentc. ' -tine might also wonder whether.
'Busch8 s. preoccupation with his contemporaries8 cunning,
egotism, envy, hypocrisy and’vice is merely, ah indication
of his own pessimistic concept of life» , tif course,
Busch8 s criticism of his,society is of - necessity a one
sided and slanted portrayal Of those traits of his
feilows which, lent themselves to .humorous presentation^
This does not mean that only those aspects of his
society which were 'generally'considered worthy of blame
were ■ at tacked by the satirist.8 S sharp wit« He satirized .
any conditions which .lent themselves to satire. Many :of. his own. traits were open to the same criticisms vrhich he
made of his fellow men^ His many human failings'will
become obvious as we turn to a brief study of his life»
.Heinrich Christian Wilhelm Busch was born at
Wiedensahlg Hannover on April 15, 1832 as the first of
seveno His father had a small.general store in that tiny village ® At the age of nine Wilhelm moved to the ' • V, : v:-/ : ... V "h- .. ^ home of his uncleP Pastor JHLeine in Ebergoetzen® Ihe
pastor became his teacher and exerted, considerable.
■ influence on himo' His uncle1s writings and studies in
the field of,apiculture .impressed young Busch to such
an extent.that he continued his study of this subject
and latdr became a recognized authority in this particular
fieldo He began to read;extensively at the age of
thirteen and made a superficial' acquaintance of Immanuel
Eant's Eritik der reinen' Vernunft« In September, 1847
he 'entered the lechnische Hochschule in Hannover in
order to become a mechahical engineer« After four years
at that institution Busch realized that his inclinations
were not in the field of mathematics and decided to take
up; painting at the. academy In Duesseldorf e v.... '
Ih the spring of 1852 he moved to Antwerp .
because he found the academy inadequate = \, For'"the first
time in his life he had an opportunity to study the works
of, the great Flemish masters« Concerning the effects' of.
these artists oh him Busch wrote In his autobiography r?on mir meber mioM:'- ■ ' ■ , '::- :" ' " " ■: / ■ Ijare goettliche Leichtlgkeit der Darstellung ■ ;i: ■ malerischer -tiinfaelle 5, verbunden mit, . stofflicii -
• .' jmvelenbaftem/Re% z 5 diese Unbefangenhelt elnes . - guten--G-eYirissenss 'welcbes iniclits' zu veptusclien "v brauebt 1 diese Farbenmusikj, worin man alle Stizmnen
; klar burobJaoert} vom G-rundbass herauf,, haben fuer ■ : - iimaei’;^me ine biebe,. Be?mndb^mg gewonneru-^ - . ■ /
He was so Overwhelmed by the art of the old masters that'
he belieyed there was only one goal worth striving for«
-Von diesem iage an. datiere sich. die bestimmtere - ,
Gestaltnng. me ine s Charakters als Mens oh nnd' galerl : '2 s . .
sei'mein zweiter'Gebiirtstagln3 ' ; ...... ' ■ •
In the year 1855 he,became gravely ill with . ':.
: typhoid: anBhnetiiniied. home.' As ' soon as, he. had recovered,
he went to Munich- because,one of his friends had decided '
to continue, at the academy there , . « ,e nWir gingen
nach Muenchen, wo . wir , das - Malen- verlernten, - das wir in
Antwerpen gelerntihditen^ = : ;:;V . ■ ! : :h
In. the year 185.9 one of Busch' s caricatures / . :
was published in D ie Fllegenden Blaetter for the first
■ time», .His. .Muenchener Bilderbogen, published"by,Q . Braun
in the year 186b, made. him . extremely popular because of hi
genial wit and humor . The publication of. th© -
■ h :' j g 'lbldi,' p^ :y5:=:.;: '': ; , : ;;: - : ■
^ Hans Balserh Es 1st all.erlei Sichtbares drin, , . (Hudolstadt., 195.6.}:, p» 54o. \ . ' . . ; ; dy
- : ^' ibide : -.1 - ' '-..l:.; ;i ■ > : :v; ' v ';' ■ ; : 5 Bildergeschichten beginning with Max nnd Moritz
contributed considerably to iiis growing fame. It is / ■
interesting to note that the Verlag von ■Riciiter in >
Dresden refused. Max und Eoritz because of the doubtful
sales potential of the book. The editor of the Muenefaener
Bllderbogen,.however, immediately saw the possibilities.
of Max und Moritz and accepted the mantis crip to Max und ,
Horltz was published in the' year 1865 and has survived
many historical crises, trends and political currents
anddls'still widely read, d
: Bus'eh used up the rather meager financial
rewards' for his work in a very short time and moved to
: Frankfurt in' the year 1867 to the home of his younger ■
brother# Dr. Otto 'Busch# who gradually "infected" the
author of Max; und Merits: with his' 'enthusiasm for
Schopenhauer» ' V' 'h ' . 1 ' d
' ; Analysts' of Vilhelm' Bus eh. have wondered whether
Buschis reluctance to; itdrry'was caused by the influence ’
of Schopenhauer ’s philosophy. Apparently he was- at.. !
first •hesitant - to marry, the girl he • loved because of
financial Insecurity.: ;!t;Spaeter als ■ ich pekuniaer in
der Lage gewesen waere b u heir at en# war das Mae dehen# ;:;
das Ich llebteanderwelts 'verhelratet. f;!6 An improved
financial, status .came after, the publication of .Der heillge
5 Ibid..# ' pr'72. . Antohius j, (1870), Die fromme Helene,, (1872) and Pater ■
■ Plluelus, (1872), ail of which lllimlnated In;very
outspoken fashion his stand in the second Kulturkarapf in
Germany. The trilogy Tobias Ihiopp, (1876) and the other
Bildergeschiehten were, also well received by the phblic.
The new popular acclaim induced Busch to make his abode in se eluded Sledensahl where he painted for
recreation. Bdt until'years after his death did Busch8s
industry as a painter become known, and even his most
intimate friends were unaware of his tremendous output,
both quantitatively and; qualitatively<,
Some of Busch’s critics had suspected him of not
.having written the verses himself, .but only having
furnished the ^illustrations”. Repudiating such
assertions, Busch retorted by writing .his liritik des
Herzens, '(1874),..which consists of a selection of
thoughtful poems. A period of relatively hard work
with his other Bildergeschiehten followed. He divided
his ••time between qhiet Sledensahl and noisy Munich. He
enjoyed. Munich’s bohemian atmosphere in the company of
the painters. Earl yon Piloty and Wilhelm von 'Eaulbaeh,
the writers Paul Heyse and Paul Bindau and other quite
prominent contemporaries. ,
The trips to lluhieh; be came rarer in the course of
time, and Bus eh gradually" became the "hermit of
- Wiedensahl"still writing and painting occasionally. ' : ■ ; - ; ■ , : 7 He became more and more introspective and reflected a ; . .
great ideal on life'after deathV , In the year 1902 He
wrote Z n gnter Letz t just before His seventieth birthday
while he was still physically and mentally quite active
but not very productive. . - : ' V. ■ :
He tried to avoid publicity as well as he could,
even disappearing 'from his tiny village when necessary.
In response to the many congratulatory letters, on the : •
occasion of his seyenty-fIfth birthday, reviewing his
life and anticipating the "ferryman", he wrote:
: illein,. wozu das peinliehe. Gegruebel? ■ ;,y:' Was slchtbar blelbt, 1 st immerhin nicht uebel. ' :V Hun kommt die Hacht. I eh bin bare it s. am Zlele. Gahz nahe hoer ich schon die Eethe fliessen. • Hnd siehl Am Ufer stehen ihrer vlele, . /' • .Michs der, leh .scheidej. freundlich zu begruessen. Hicht alien kann ich sagen: ; Das tut gut 1 _ . 77 ;; ■ Bar Faehrmann ruft. Ich schwenke nur den Hut
The above should, of course, not be taken as
representative of Busch's 'style, for his m ?iting was . ■ .
as a rule, permeated' with, humor and sat ir e. Bus eh: used
humor per se not only ., be cause his sub jects warranted
satirical treatment but because of the inherent satirical
possibilities in many human situations t Indeed^ after a 7'
more thorough study:of Busch’s writings the reader Is
left with the impression that Bus eh laughs with .his ... ' audience,.'V ,■■■''• :7;: 7:7 .,7'- • • 7- .l;'-7';;...:.u>'; v ; ';:'7 : it
■ With the rare exceptions where only , humor is 7
. ¥j. 4'A 1:.77 2 . , ■,^ Wilhelm ^ Busch,, ; ; Eilhelm.' Busch. Besamtausgabe g 7 ..., 8
involved* M.s personal.miaanthrdpie attitudes are evident in most of his works„ .The reader is in no doubt as to the author's desire to expose ugliness* inadequaey and his eontemporaries' attitude of homo homlni lupus. It seems that humor is employed for the purpose of obseuring his stark pessimism thus making his work more agreeable, ' ■ CHAPTER II
HIS TIME
,, WlrkllcHj er war unentbehrlichI Ueberallj wo was geseliali . , Zu dem. Wohle der Gerae inde«, Er war Taetig, er war da,
Scbuetzenfest, Kaslnobaelle, Pf erdereimezi, Preis gari elit #: Ei'edertafelj Spritaenprobe 3 Obne ibn da glag es nieiit o
Olme. itin war nichts : zu macbenj ; . ; ' : , : Eelne Stunde batt er frel. G-estern* als sie Ibn begruben# War er ricbtlg aueb dabei.l
Tbe time wbicb produced tbe types and charaeters
depicted' by Bus eh was a period of tremendous economic
upbeavalo Rapidly expanding industrial; capitalism
brought about profound changes in tradition, culture,
social order and all fields of human endeavor. Many
people tried to maintain their accustomed living standard
despite changed economic conditions. Many people
attempted to live in the manner of the rich when they
could not afford to do so. The social structure of the
bourgeoisie was changed by the influx, of the new rich
.who traced their origins back to peasants and small
1 Wilhelm Busch. Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, v, 222. towns "-people wiao had moved to the city. These newcomers tried to Imitate, the mores and customs of the
established middle-class In order to be accepted by It.
The new members of the ■bourgeoisie- were entirely lacking
in understanding of the attitudes and culture of the
class of their choice. They adopted those customs and manners first, which appeared to them most desirable
from the social point of view. Emphasis was put on
social fashienS j, on externals 5 on such morals and virtues as resulted in a meaninglesss outward Observance
of religion and an incredibly stiff conformity. _ The
keeping up of appearances was considered to be of far
greater importance than inner convictions. Pedagogy was still based on stern discipline? and allowances for
individual differences were few. ' Busch illustrates this
point in his Khopp-Trilogie: -■
v ■ - ' ; Briiff"fiat aber diese Hegel; ' ' ; - • :' - - - Bruegel machen friseh und kregel . Und erireisen slch probat . Ganz-besenders vor der Tat
Education consisted mostly of an accumulation of data
and information without any comprehensive relationship
Often a complete surrender of native customs ;
in accommodation to the new social conditions was
2 Wilhelm Bus'dh/'Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe3 III, 264.
, ' Alexander Thomas 5 The Pew Education in the German Republic, (Hew Xorkj, 1 9 2 9 pT" 121. involved. Those who still attempted to preserve their identity had to pretend to conform at least, and in the final: analysis, this pretense led to hypocrisy. Strict adherence to the conventions of the bourgeoisie was an expected virtue of the Spiesshuerger and a concession which most of the members,of the bourgeoisie made willingly-enough. Those self-satisfied, self-righteous- citizens who followed the rules -of convention and v exchanged their individuality for "vanity fair" were excellent targets for Bus e h ’.s humor and wit. The continued observance of appearances and those vain, meaningless satisfactionss which afforded the
Spiessbuergerra-feeling of well-being, is aptly described in the following- selection from Zrltik des. Herzens:
Er 'stellt sichvor sein Spiegelglas Und arrangiert': noch dies und das. Er dreht hinaus des Bartes Spitzen, Sieht zu-;.wie; seine Blng’e blitzen, Brobiert ’ auch mal, wie sich das macht, Wenn er so herzgewinnend lacht, . . TJebt seines Auges Zauberlcraft, • Begt die, Kravatte musterhaft, : ■ . Wirft eiheh" shessen Scheidebliek . .. Auf sein geliebtes Bild zurueck ? Geht dann hinahs zur Promenade Urns©hwebt vomDufte der Pomade. Und aergert sich als wie e-in Stint, Pass andre.Leute eitel sind.4
The proverbial honesty of the.citizenry is depicted as theory rather than practice-. Since most of. Bus eh’s
4 Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, v, 223. ; , ::h'' ;■ : - . contemporaries were dissatisfied witia- tlie lives tiiey ,
were living, they ;sougiit to escape their dlsillusionments
throu^a drinking or piety or sentimentality. Those .
attempts to escape are.Illustrated on freq.uent dccasions
in Die fromms Selene : ’ ;V; ■ : - ; X---. !
Es 1 st ein Branch von alters, her: • ■ ' Wer Sorgen;hat , hat - auch Likoerl ,'o * • @ - © © » © @ © •;©• o » - • v .. v; ;Sie .knletgvoh 'ferne ■ fromm und frisch. Die Plasche stehet auf dem Tls ch, 5 ' 1 ^ : . • ' \ The; accumulation of wealth, was. found to be most
admirable, by the great mass of townsmen, who both
mis trusted and adored, the upper classes. Financial:
security was ranked.as ^ a,, prime- condition of virtue, j'
Many of Busch's contempdraries believed that everything
that was done within the framework of .the law was also'
virtuous and that;the.average man was entitled to take
full advantage of the'' Idw.. The man in the street was
• probably, q,uite moral, 'hut he' applied his own subjective ■
interpretation of morality: " Sein Prinzip'lst ueberhaupt: , Was beliebt, vist auch erlaubt .6 ' .
Ruthless =;business practices were .not termed immoral - by ;
-those who indulged ' in them. Such people f eIt that they
were q.ulfe properly, operating within; the confines
■I . :h Wilhelm -Busch, H l h e l m Busch. G-esamtausgabe, II, , ■ ; - - ; ® Wilhelm Bus oh, Wilhelm Busch .G-esamtausgabe, m , t402V:.; :: , V. ; / ; : : , ;; : v; ' ^ ' :: : ' ; ' 1 $ ; ■
detepmined. "by law. The new conditions created another
new type of citizen, , This tjpe. was foiirLd' in. tlie second and third .generation of the new industrial capitalists« -
$hej eonld attain practically any goal in German society
by virtue of their family1s financial means and influence^
. regardless of their own ability or capacities. The
financial opportunist is portrayed in Glueckspilz in
true satirical.'fashion; , . , ■
: ■ Geboren ward e r ohne Wehen : - ■ . Bel leutehy die mit Geld versehen. . - , , Er schwaenzt die Schuley lernt nicht . viel5 ' Hat Glue ck:bei ifeibern und im Spiel 5 - ..: Hizmmt^elne Frau: sich, eine a ehoene #; ' : ; : . E rz eugt/mit ihr mwei Icluge Soehne9 ' ; ■ ■ . ' . ' ‘ : ’ / Eat i.ppetlt> -krlegt einen: :Bauch? hnd elhen Orden.' kriegt er auch. " ' , . ' Und stirbt",nachdem . er aufgespeidhert ■ / ; . . Ein paar Mlllioenchen, .hochbetagt . , /. . ' : v:' - obgleich ein jeder weiss und sagt; /", : .hr t ■ ■ - ^Er. war 'mlt ^D-urnmOrjalin, geraeucherE .• %
These lines are a gentle,, biit'nevertheless clear attack .
on,the lack of true.education of'this type of .
Z e i t g u e n s t l i n g A^,similar state of affairs, with'regard
to education and culture existed in other social :
classes;as well® In Eduards Traum, which is distorted
. for' the .;sak@ of . satire 9 Bus eh depicts the prevalent -:. . , _
, attitudes towards, .aesthetic- and .ethical, values ;
Des Bauerh 'Toechterleln sitzt am ICLavier. . Es • . : • klopft o tTSind der. Herr Vater zu Hause?” so. fragt ' .
? ■ Wilhelm Bus ch5, Wilhelm - Bus ch Gesamtausgabe 9 V, 544. .v ; ..,:r r ^ ; - 14
der. Haimaelkaeufer. ■nBedam’e sehz1”.-erwiderte sle. ziei’ll'cl'i. !tPapa faehrt Misti11” Bin' erfpeulicb.es ■ Beispiel f pis ch. auf bluehendep Bildungsverliaeltnisse die nocb. etwas ven dem kpaeftigen Duft des humusliaeltigen Epdpeichs an sicja baben, worauf sie gewacbsen sind.S
Tbe formation of tbe second fieicb in 1871 created new political, social and economic changes and tensions» Tbe opposing forces in tbe political and cultural struggles were Prince Bismarck and Prussia, on tbe one hand, and factions opposing unification under
Prussia, on the other hand, . Purely selfish reasons and vested interests were largely responsible for the . reluctance of the Particularist factions of Germany to endorse Bismarck8s Deutscher'Staatsgedanke and the new fieich.. In Die PartIkularlsten Busch focuses the reader1; attention on this' political aspe ct of,' his contemporary
Germany; ' ' ' - :
In seinem Bett urn Mitternacht,
" ■; Voll Sor-gen, die e r sich gemacht • Liegt hier des Dorfes Buergermeister,, ' Die aufgestoerten Lebensgeister Be fas sen sich: beim ICe r z enl I cht e . loch immep mit der We 1 1 ge s chi cht e, Wle sie getreu vermeZLdet hat : . " Das angestarnrnte Woehenblattj Dass naernlich, wie die Sachen liegen. Die Preussen naechstens Schlaege Icriegen,- Ifur einer macht ihm stilles Graun- Der Bismarck,' dem. ist. nicht zu traun.19
® Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe,
9 8 * ; ■ . /■■■' ;'■/ ; d ^ : ' v,/V: " ® Wilhelm Busch, Wilhe 1m • Busch Gesamtausgabe, III, 121 f,, : 'Vis Busch succeeds., beautifully iu portraying this, self- . •'
. satisfied’ Spiessbuerger. who hopes fervently for an
eventual defeat of Prussia and :iho> for short-sighted
and selfish' reasons ,, hates the idea of a united Germanye.
;; fhe growing 'proletariat presented a major '
problem of which Busch was keenly aware, He knew the
Inadequacies of and lack of opportunity for that lowest '
social class o '.Ihis is not too surprising, since he .
himself came from a : rather humble home and. had been'
raised amongst Kjeinbuerger» There are parts in
iduards Traum. in which - the author attempts to come to . . :
grips, wi th Marxism, ! The - wr iter builds' Eduards Traum' up
to an. intellectual analysis and discussion of the
illusions and phantoms of. revolutionary Marxism, At
the same time he questions the, virtue of Christian ' .' :v,
passivity during these troubled times, An experiment I
in Marxist sharing' fails miserably in Eduards Traum, ; / .
This incident indicates Busch’s attitude;toward Communism,
The late nineteenth century was also an eraof
■faith in the idea' of 'progress i Dreams of unlimited, V,
possibilities and beliefs in a hew utopia, stirred the ■
.imaginations of men of that cehtury, Busch’ s interest •
in a, world of the futtire, as depicted- in Eduards Traum,
does not measure u p 1 quant it atively or qualitatively to
works of better knowh' authors In this field ? but it :■ seems to be o£: sigaiifleatiGe that'. tbd,s: ■tlatigh.ijag . ' " ;
pti.ilosopher of. pessimism”^ tfcLOugti.t about and perceived
a utopia. He desbribes; a pleasant system, vriaicti. Is - '
0 8 tabllsti.ed .ttirougti' tti.e. co-operative efforts of : ' / d,
speoialists in all fields of science. They are able to
produce, flour from 'saw dust and use solar heat' for powdr®
The; author sways,..between realism ,ahd,.maglc.■ ■When .we < : ^;dv
disregard technical details, we find that Busch® s -
. general expectations, follow lines which are reminiscent,
of our,own time. For .the, reader of our space and jet ,
propulsicn' age^ it ’ is ..fascinating to read Busch* s : . •. v
110 . .es v/ar eine runde^ hohle durchs che inende Kuppel .
yon.: Milchglas j. die ; eih Bo ch' hatte , aus dem geraeus ehvoll .
ein leuGhtendeS ’das ausstroemte, welches nach hinten den
Schweif. haoh .vornd vermutlich durdh. Bueckstoss? die
■ rapide. Bewegung dieses merkwuerdigen Sternes.erzeugte ,“11; ■
It - is quite. .prbbable" tjaat Bus ch held up Eduards Traum ■ :
as a reflection of"the" current which the cultural and
scientific trends were:1.taking. ,.In this drastically :
changed society::of .' ths .nineteenth century.j, ttie^'new,
middle - clas s playe d ah 'increas ingly Important part and
finally emerged as the most influential group,at the
:;. 10 Deknatel;Toelof , fe . Busch, der laohende ‘:
Phi 1 osoph des Bessimismus s .. (Botterdam7 : ...... 1940). ; ■. . . ■L-L.Wilhelm Buschj, Wilhelm Busch Gesatiitausgabe* W h o . ■ , . :: : ' • . ■ turn of the century. :
Buscn is the spokesman and critic of tiae middle- class of his time. The human aspects of this class provide the subject, matter, for most of his, stories.
Busch knows what these citizens are, like in various situations, how they behave at the.table or in the dentist*s office. He has the ability to describe with photographic accuracy ho?/, a-man sneezes or gets drunk. -
He illustrates the actual movement and suggests, the psychological process. The author has an intimate knowledge of all the little.joys and sorrows of the average middle-class household and lets the reader share, them. The illustration of those types of middle-class people, who are rapidly disappearing from the scene of : modern society, is instructive for the present day reader® Here we refer to the small craftsman and tradesman or the independent small businessman, tailor and miller. Busch's picture stories acquaint the reader with the emotions, desires,^attitudes, and above all the shortcomings of these little people who have been virtually ^ liquidated by" the rapid industrialization and automation of modern society. Busch dices not confine himself to ironical and satirical critieism of the vice and hypocrisy of the lower middle-class'but he also exposed the causes. underlying these failings: Katun 3a.at mal einep . eln bissel was 5 G-ieicla gibt es weleb.e5 die aergert das .3-2
, 0 0 © © : © © © © O © © 0 O O Q ® O O 0 O Wir moegen's keinem gerne goennen, ; Dass ep. was kann5 was wir nicb.t koeiinen.
o © © © © e e o 9 0 o ■© » o o .e ' e- © 0 0 Du merkst^ dass die Bedaupepei So eine Apt von Wonne sei,14
O © © .© @ e o e o e 9 0 0 & ' Der Gedanke niacht ijon blass , ; - Ifeim er fragt: Was kostet- dasf 15
Q-peed and envy wepe closely connected with the changes of society, fop in the new,Industpial epa man refused to acdept his status.With'the resigned attitude which he had displayed-previously. He now imitated and identified himself with the successful social climber.
Wohl mit Re cht bewundert man Einen Eerrn, der reiten kann.l®.
Busch must have ha,d a great many opportunities to observe solitary drinking and drinking parties> as well as the effects of excessive drinking. The various aspects of this habit are aptly reflected in several of his. works: . ■ ■ -
Hotweln"1st fuer alte Khaben • Eine von_ den besten daben!7 ,
'Hans Balzep, Wilhelm Buschs Spruchweisheiteng (Frankfurt a.M., 1956), p. 182. .
13 ibid. ‘
; ' 14 Ibid. • ■
15 Ibid*, p. 262.,
■ . i^ ibid. ; p. 2 1 4 . . :
17 Ibid., p. 162. ; ■■■ ■■■■■. - , v 1 9 So gelit es mit Tabak- und Bum; / V Erst bist du frohs dann faellst du umlS ;
• I« © ■ ® 0 9; o > : o e © . w- • . a / © & e © © © •• Die erste -Pf3.xcbt der Musensoeline \ ’ v;. ' V:: ;lst>' 'dass. sloh^;aW 'Bier gewoehnel® .:. '
His eoistact with bohemian life during his long stay. in.
. Iftmich provided him with ample material and ideas whioh
he used in his later work. In contrast to Swift5 who
mocked at his age a n d .. society at large s Busch preferred'
to oonoehtrate oh the types and .eonditions of the German
: lower. nMdle^class» ;He directed his satire and humor at
■ the one social class with which he himself was /most
familiar and from, which; he himself had . come. :
Eelationshlps between employer and employees ,
, are critically examinedo: The authoritarian methods
;:employed by master and mistress are depicted inta/-'l'r
humorous and enlightening way. If was not unusual that
the master took liberties with the maid or other
weibllches Personal'. Apparently Busch took great ,
'pleasure,In relating this behavior of the hypocritical
middle-class. His verses and pictures do not leave much
to the reader's imagindtions just as in Herr und Frau •
"Sftogp,* ' y - 't: ;v: t: . / . Er denkt; Wo mag die -Pfelfe shin? • ■ Hnd zwickt der- Hies e in:s Bein hinein.
18 Ibid., p. 163. ;
lbidi& p.. 161. -■ Gbgleich dies n w ganz imten gesehehen/ Frau Doris bat es nicbt gern geseben Sie ruft: "Das bitt icb mir aber aus! Abseheuliobes Maedeben, verlasse das Eausl"20
The personnel reacted to the authoritarian treatment by
avoiding responsibility, and by cheating behind, their \ masters' backs. The stealing of food, for example, was
shown to have.occurred frequently, The antics of such
servants evoke a chuckle from the reader:
Bebht:angehehm- 1 st' dann der Earma.' • , Foma'de und Se if e von Madam. ; , V . . . Doch f uer die Zaehne verwendet sie gern ■; , Den Apparat des gnaedigen Herrn.^Sl
Busch should be understood as having been ahead
of his tine and yet not a "modern" in the .contemporary
sense . Criticising' hiscbntSmporaries > - he advocated a
united, Germany, yet disliked a great many accompanying
evils which were a consequence of the new industrial
society. Busch himself sums this up rather neatly: ' .
Wir"hatten doch' mancherlei Dinge verhoimen,: die ; ' dem Ohre eines feinen Jahrhunderts recht schmerslich ' . 8 Z3.nd 0 o .. e d • Wuerde es nicht vielmehr s chi cklich und vorteilhaft sein, sich fein .und patent zu maehen, wie es der ' Eredit des "Hauses" erfordert, dem als Teilhaber anzugehoeren wir saemtlich die Fhre habenf^ ;
The above words:explain very well why the criticism of
such,a pessimist was not more impassioned. His
^ Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, III, 544-345. , , V • .
Ibid., :pp:0 352-353. ■ ; , ■ go ■' - ;i--. ■ " ' ■ • " ' ' Wilhelm B'usch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, 7 , 128. , ‘ : ' res Ignat 1 on and doubt as to whether anything could be done ' tO: improye na n and his society are reflected in. his clownish acceptance and interpretation of the world aroraad him; , -; 1 ;
Gar sehr verzwiokt ist diese Welt, _ - v , Mich wundert’s, dass s ie worn' gefaellt. ^ ' ■
23 Hans Balzer, Wilhelm Bus ohs Spruehwelsheiten5 Pe 286. " ' . ; v v : n' h/. CHAPTER III
THE SPIESSBtJER'C-ER AED :THE s PHOFISSIOHS ' v
Es war Im sciioenen larnevalV - • ■ Wo, wle aucb. sonst und ueberall, Der Henseb. mlt ungemeiner List Zu scb.6.Inen sucht,, was ep nicb.t ist.l
The main target of Buscii's caricature and moekerj
is the hypocrisy of b.is ' contemporaries> Their pretense
at living pious and Virtuous lives provoked his acid
portrayal of these well-fed, self-righteous and shrewd
citizensj who live in a miniatures private paradise with
, their petty, emotions and desires; .
11 Oh,: hue te dich vor a He m Boesenl : • ,;!E s macht. Plaesirj, wenn man es 1st, . / ' ; ,TEs ma cht" Verdrus s ^ wenn man' s gewesenl
e 0 9 6 . f O 9 0 ; • O o • .. © © © * c* o © © "Drum soil ein Kind die: weisen Lehren "Der alten Leute hochverehrent . "Die haben All es, hint er si eh "Und sind5 gott lobI re cht tugendlichl "Hun., gute Ha cht I es 1st schon spaetel "Und,; gutes-’Dencheu, betel bete&"2
He was an excellent observer of human variety and
individual differences, and-he had the ability to express
ideas and 'caricatures1 with superb and entertaining
-t- Wilhelm Busch,' Wilhelm Bus ch Gesamtausgabe, IV, ^69, ■ ■ ■ , ' , : ; ■■ 2 Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch G-esamtausgahe, II, 398. : " V ' simplicity. He took great pleasure: in exposing the
underlying baseness .Ytfhieh- he found manifest everywhere.
Ihe Maleraeister Q,uasts for example^ believes himself to
be an.excellent man and feels entitled to some self-
indulgence in a nourishing' snack.. With subtlety# Busch
calls attention to the fact that1 the painter lets his
apprentice starve# while pretending to be unaware of the
' boy * s hunger.. ; -' , -
:■ y ., : v ^Ba sprach',er; mild und guten Mutes ; ' fd; -y ■'' nEin guter Mensch kriegt auch was Gates LW : ; " Er sclinitt . vom Brot sich einen Fladen. , y 1 ‘ Ber Kunp - wird nicht eingeladen. . "■ 1 Er greift zur Wurst.e E r loest die Hautv - Ber Kuno steht dabei und schaut.® f }
O 0 0 9 6 O & O O’ O O O 6 © O © © © & Boch lie 1st er Quash reibt frohbedaeehtig Beh Eelb -fmd spricht; 11 Das schraeekte praechtigl / . ' Heut Abend' lass ich ni eht s' me hr ko chen In- :lr haelt getreu# was er versprochen;4 - yf .
'•■0 & ■' © '■ © o © o ' a ® . o ' © ©y • © ' ,© © © © © © by / ■’ ' HSei: mir willkomraen suesser Schlaf’I ich bin sufrieden# yweil ich ,bravln5 ■ .
y". Our author exhibits several types of pedagogues .
in his writings. Even, if his illustrations are rather
humorously exaggerated# the. author's analysis and
criticism of the teaching profession is concise and
Very much to the point. The descriptions of the
pedagogues display an intimate knowledge of their.
. : 5 Wilhelm Busch# lillhaIrm- B u s b h G - esamtausgabe# IT’ ^ Q-48h : y f d y y ■ . v, y. 4 I b i d . # p a 4 3 3 .. . ■ .■ y y y
5 I b i d . - " ' . ■ ■ ^ ~ ■appeai’anee aBd phLilosopliy» . ■ ' ■ - : ■ • . • There,.is no doubt that Busch was one of those
exceptionally gifted people in understanding children,/
. especially the naughty ones * " JHis' deep and' sympathetic -
pep cept ion of - the young mind 5 and his thorough knowledge
of its motivation form one of the basic reasons .for the
popularity. which Bus ch. en joys amongs t young readers. :
In .Busch’S works children and- adolescents may-take .
vicarious revenge on the authoritarian’ grown-ups. who
.completely-lack all sense of humor and understanding
. for children. Due to his self-complacency the teacher
is a perfect target 'for: Max: an d . Moritz f . They certainly
have little' regard or sympathy for the schoolmaster , ’
who; expects them- hot merely to learn,- but also to take
genuine pleasure in the, ■studies they abhors.
■ • - Nicht allein' im Schreiben, Lesen' ; : ’ TJeb t. si ch ein vernuenftig ffesenj ' ;,:;:■ , ', - licht;:^!!^!^in,Hechiiung • -I , ,,-1. ; ’ ; \ : ’ Boll; der-lMhs^ slch Muehe maeheni ^ ■ ;:■ ' ' Sondern auch der We is he it Lehr on Muss man' mit 'Vergnuegen hoeren. =' ■ Dass dies mit Verstand geschah, ': War Herr hehrerDaempel das- : ,
■ -: .; : , ■ : ’ -Max: u ^ ; dlese beiden ... ’ lochtehhhh^,darum nicht; lelden;; ^ • ■;• ;' > ■. - :, ’ Denn. wer boese Streiche niacht, ' ; ; r , - G-ibt nicht : auf den Dehrer acht..-6 ■■ ■
s Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, Busch’s, mindy as skilled as it was in caricature and
satire, could not possibly pass up the welcome and highly 'Walnerahle .targets furnished by self-satisfied,
conceited pedagogues' like hehrer haempel in Max und ‘
Moritz- or Re kt or Deb is oh in Abent euer eines Jungge s e 11 en @
It:seems that Bus ch’s most popular and successful works.were/undertakeh because of: his desire to expose the hypocrisy i n :the upbrihgihg of the German youth of his day. He shows in verse and picture the. results of . ; pedagogic methods ’ applied by. adults who were quite unaware
of their own shortcomings and inadequacies. The clever looking,, bespeetaeled,a;well=-fed. Maglster Bokelman In, 1 ■
Plisch' und • Plum represents the' utmost .in hypocrisy within •'
the teaching profession; .Pretending to a mildness which borders on stupidity, .he Invites his students’ : . •: misbehavior': In- the very' beginning stages of/their '.f. at association. This giyes -him an opportunity'to discipline
the boys with a thorough paddling. Soli citing//his pupils’
co-operation in this matter of. n social adjustment11, he
■ implores : - /._. /'/ ;/ /;..;/,,.v/;:/;.;;• ■., : / /. ,. - : ' \ . V/ C : n'Denn war nicht hoeflich naoh alien Seiten, . ■ . - Hat doch’ niir - lauter Verdrlesslichkeiten, Barum zum' BchlnsSe, - denn sehet, so bin ich™ Bltt Ich, euch , dringend, Instaendigst und innig, -Habt ihr be s Chios sen in eurem Gemuete,' . Meiner / Lehre zu folgen in aller Guete, H'7
Wilhelm Buschl Vilhelm:-Bus oh Gesamtausgabey IV,./ 3 1 9 . / / / : - / ' i , r ^ ; ; ' , - ■ /- / , ' //; - t As one might expect, .bis pupils; interpret M s ostensibly
kind attitude as a weakness of wbicb they can take
advantage o The author knows children well and anticipates
their natural.reaction to certain stimuli, especially /
when an opportunity for > prank, presents itself : ■; ;'
. ■ - Seine Ant wort geben sie, . , ; Bondern1machen bloss hihil®
This is the long-awaited moment which had been well
planned.in advance. The practical and experienced
, Magister Bokeltiian takes advantage of -the opportunity to
. employ corporal punishment'with a beatific smile» ..
FlugS : hervor aus selnem Kleide, ifie den .Baebel aus der Schelde, Zieht er Seine harte, gute, ■ \ . ' • S chlanke, s chwanke Has el rut e., ■ ' ■ ■ Faust ".mit kund'ger* Hand im hacken ■■ ' Paul,:uhd. Tpter 'bei .deh. lacken :'0hd vhikldpft ' sie so verelnt ,' ; ,y . Bis : @s .ihm. genuegend seheint .9 ’ ^ :
Busch’s talent as a caricaturist lay in his • '
ability to perceive ;.-thS .details of human features as:
well as the diversity ln: human nature as a: whole = He •
watched the Coordihatibh of the muscles and traced the
way in which gestures are madeHe; even attempted to .
: show the frame of mind of his characters through their
gestures o He took'to this new form of pictorial moral 27
satire and fashioned it into something distinctly related
to the modern cartoon. Thus, he became ah expert in the
kind of■drawing best suited to the expression of his
sharp wit. His drawings supplemented his words to such
an extent that the reader might frequently miss the \
•author’s intention from the words alone if the drawings
were not so revealing. In Die fromme Helene, for example,?
only the .pictures of the twins are used as a medium to
inform thb reader that Vetter Franz is their father and
not Helene’s husband, for the - ■ twins are drawn to resemble
Vetter. Franz with unmistakable' accuracy.10
The. results of Busch’ s scrutiny of the professional
“elite” can be observed in the portrayal of such types as
dentist Schmurzel. The good dentist does not possess or
use modern equipment; he' employs methods and techniques
that remind us of the torture chamber of the middle ages.
Grinning. with anticipation, he welcomes his victim;
' : Br ruft: ”8 eid mir gegruesst, mein Liebert ■ Lehnt Euch gefaelligst hinten ueberl”-”^
Holding a candle in his left hand, he examines the
patient’s teeth by.poking a dirty finger into his mouth:
“Gleich keimen wir den Fall genauerl'h ■ (her Finger sdhmeekt ein wenig sauer.}J2
Wilhelm Buscb, Wilhelm Busch Gesammelte Yferke, r (Munich, 1959), Po 550.
Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, iv,'392,y ;■■■■■ .. ■ ■ .11 : . . ■ . ■ 12 " ' : • • ' Ibid., pp. 392-393. : ' 28 Mow. the dentist pesorts to psychology;
.“Stuetzt das Haupt auf diese Lehne ^ ' TJnd' dehkt denweil an. alias Sclioenel5t2*3 ,,
Pulling the patient1s head down by.the hair with one hand, he tries to loosen the poor man’s •tooth by pulling with all his might in the opposite direction, after having anchored a large hook under the bothersome tooth:
15Vie ist esf Habt Ihr nichts" gespuert?’1 Rlch glaub, es hat sieh was geruehrt 1i! "Da dies der Fall, so gratulier ichl '. . Die Sache ist nicht 'welter sehwierigl$,lf
But all his physical efforts and ’’professional51 competency fail to produce the desired results:
Vergebens ist die Eraftentfaitung 5 Der Zahn verharrt in seiner Haltung.
With convincing: self-satisfaction he explains to his patient that his diagnosis ; was correct: ■
I?Sabrs mir gedaehtIH spraeh Doktor Sdhmurzel, "Das Hindernis liegt in der WurzelV1!®
For his "successful”, professional services he charges only a nominal amount; .. ■
' ' v y " 1 eh bitte bless urn drei Mark zehnl ; i .- ' : Eechtvgute Macht I iuf. Viedersehni" , ' ; ■ , ■
13 Idids, p 0 39i. 14 Ibide-i, p. 395.
15 Ibid» , '
Ibide, p» 596«.
.^■7 Ibid» ■ ' . • • ^ 29 . Busch’s attitude toward the professional man is ;'..
displayed in his treatment of; the pharmacist,. EEickefett«
in Julchen» The amorous adventures of this shrewd
- Lothario provide the reader with a .keen insight into the
morals and behavior of this type of human being; as
perceived by a satirical mind. As soon as his friend;
the veterinarian Buti^t, reports about, his good fortune
in having made a ddte with Juichen.; Mickefett displays
envy and plots to outwit his competitor for the favors
of the lady; Plumpl, sbtfaeilt- iltp wie ein Stein . Heidgefuehl- in ’ s. 'Harz, hinein. '. , . Aber'sageh: tut er ntphts e - ' ; Schelnbar heiterh Angeslchts Mischt er mancherlei Es senzen. Urn’s dem Freunde zu kredenzen.12
lickefett serves his friend the drink with a great show
of benevolence: , .,
' - Untef Glheck-und' SegenswUhschj ; ' Un'd dem Preunde schmeckt der Puhsche^ ... Hof f nungs voll s be re dt und he iter Schluerft er arglos' immer welter. Aber ploetzlich wird er eigen> 'Faengt sehr.peinlich an zu schwelgen Und erhebt sich von dem Sitz e ; ; . ; -tEi;H ruft Mi ckefett 5 "potzblitz I
The'pharmacist’s brew is effective and produces a sudden
■ Wilhelm Busch, Wilhe 1m Busch G-esamtausgabe, ill, . 443-M4. : :
Ibid,, pp. 444-445, : ' , attaok of stomach ache which incapacitates the
veterinarian, and our ’vlearnecL11 iiypocrite can .now proceed;.-
according , to plan. Hurriedly lie departs to .keep liis
friend * a date with .dulchen. ' f, " : i
Micfcefett: voll Iiist imd fuecke . . . Wartet nicht bis er suruecke, Sondern sciileiciit als falscher Freund, ■' ■ Wo. ibm filueck z u winken scheint .-^O.
Tliere is ’ really more salt- and pepper in Busch1 s verses ; v ’
. than the unobservant reader might; he awafe of ,,; hut the
author refrained from using outright obscenities*
. ; Seht, da, steigt er s chon hinein. ■ - : . t ; Freudig zitfert seln dehein. V-\'.. " ; ;.>^'■^'''■V■"tIrLd; er kuesst die zarte Hand = ; v''; Die er da. im 'Dunkeln- fahd.fi ; , :
Unfortunately the tehder. hand which Eickefett kisses in
the dark does hot belong to Julchen but to her old
spinsteh'/auht«, • Ihe hlderly. lady:: calls .for: help •and;; our':
herors adventure turns into shameful defeat and
humiliation* . V ■ : , . ' . ’. ’ ; . : .
In foGusihg. / attention on the hypocrite of the - ;
middle- class', • Busch did not oonGern himself with the
illustration of extremes - of human behavior or misbehavior®
He rather depicts the average' man. of. his time, the . ,
unimportant; small.tbwnsman with all his disguised little ' :
vices and shortcomings that - were so well .known to
; . ' ^^;Ibld», D^:446* ■ V '' ; . ' ■
•; ; : ^1; Ibid®, - plr447® ' ; ;■ ■ ■ ; - ■ ■ ; everybody. His intention, -was to hold up a mirror before
iiis contemporary readers in order' to compel them 'to take ■.
an occasional penetrating look at themselves. Busch's
reader can discover, in these amusing stories, a familiar :
image of himself, his "innocent” hypocrisy and indifference toward his fellow men® Busch's contemporaries were only subconsciously aware that they were laughing about their
own subservience to the law of the jungle, which the • author B^es6n*®^ as a , hilarious 'carhivalv His readers were taken in, at first, by the apparent innocence of the..
jovial looking Spiessbuerger.,
Busch's Enopp-Trilogie. is a satire of the idyllic life of the Spiessbuerger, • This Spiessbuerger paradise provides a detailed panorama of all the various kinds of :
.Philistines .in all sorts' of possible and impossible situations. In Berr Hhopp, we make the acquaintance of' a corpulent, bald, well-to-do bachelor who resolves to get ■married for many-., and' varied; reasons, It is true that
Dorothee his housekeeper looks after him very well:.
Zwar.fuer Stiefel, Bett, Eaffee .Sorgt die gute Dorothee; Hnd;auch, wenn e r ■danh und wann : Btwas nicht allelne kann, 1st sie gleich darauf bedacht, . ■ Bass sie es zurechte macht.22
However, the,thought that his death will cause discomfort
^ Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch G-esamtausgabe, III, 238. , . • , ' ■ .. . . 52 to n o ,one disturbs him constantly;
' \yv . Eein6r/vfi*d>'Tfe£in icti. begraben,' . Unbequeinlic)akeiten^haben;23 -
Eerr Ehopp, sets out to find a- suitable spouse«, How human to find out first what had become of his "old flame
Adele who, years:ago, had declined his amorous advances.
It is-quite disappointing for Ihqpp to discover that she had become an alcoholic old-maid who was determined to ensnare. him. ■ .
,!Hi m m e l !:I;' rUft sie = . "welches Glue ok! I11 ■:, . (Ehopp ...sein. Schweiss, der tritt zurueck): 11 Komm, ' gellebter Herzenss chatz, ' t v ; ' :■ , Ei#a auf %derv Berschaere - Platz : W. ■ : .
Herr Ehopp manages to escape and continue his search*
Busch?s technique of social satire and his skill' in illustrating the.hypocrisy of the Spiessbuerger are ' aptly demonstrated in Ehopp1s adventure with his happily mrriedVfriendy/yHueake'i'V. ‘ v ; ' ' " " . Eben hier , bemerken wir , ' ,- : Euesst ertsie und sprlcht zu ihr: • .. = v. - "Also Schatzt ade derweiil ' ' ; V A- Ich und. Khopp, wir haben Eil, ; - ■ Im historiSchen Verein Suenscht , er eingef.uehrt zu sein.?''25
Euecke, y the "'faithful" husband, doeS hot have the slightest:
intention of taking Ehopp to the historical society.
23 I b i d » , p*. .244 .
2 4 . ibid* ; p t 247V ; 7 " : .
25 ■ I b i d . , pp* 289-290. : ■ ' ■■ ■ : . ■ :. : . ' . .. . :' . ■ 33
SJaeig destination-is the Hotel z x m . blauen Aal ? where, in the intimacy of the ohambre separes Herr ffiuecke lets
Fraeulein Kathinka entertain him. Due to unforeseen tactical.manouvers on the part of Mueeke^ his embarrassed friend.Ehopp has to foot the bill, Hot only does this hypocrite deceive his wife with the historical society and betray her> but he even lets his friend pay for the meal to which he •had invited him,,.
The amusing illustrations that follow depict the suspicious Frau Mue eke brandishing a broom as she awaits the return of her deceitful husband. The innocent Ehopp is sent ahead to s bout the situation and bears the brunt of the broom chargei
S o 5 so, sol Jetzt nur gemach, . Tritt hinein, ich komme nach, : Ehopp schiebt los. Indessen Muecke : Bleibt mit Listigkeit zuruecke,26
Ehopp, the disillusioned and disappointed bachelor-, finally returns home to ’’discover" his love for his housekeeper whom he . marries , Bus ch, who himself never
Aiarried, pokes fun at marriage but, at the same time, provides ,us with an Insight, concerning his -contemporaries 1 concepts of matrimony.
• • iS: Wehn zwei Beute, die vermoegend, , ; : Ausserdem mit sich zufrie.den, . - Aber vOn.Beschiecht verschleden, #enn nun diese, sag ich,' ihre
26 Ibid,, po 296, V: 3 4 Uazn noeiigen-Papiepe,; „ , •gowie' 'aueh die Haiisbaltsacben '■ •r.Endiicb; mai in. Ordnung machen' ; - - Und inEhrenundbeizeiten ' " - / } s chreiten, . / dd-. ■ ’ ' : Wie es: denens vrelehe liebe.ns v . Yom Gesetigie' yopgeseb.rieben; ■ Bann raft - jeder fneudiglicb.: ' V $1,G-ott sei Dank5 si© ‘haben, siebl^S? .
Buscli gaes'' oh to ■::.^e^H^in^:t'bey7Pead©2‘'' with; th© intimacies •
of married life as he Imagines .it. His written sdtire -
: is as - entertaining ahd pertinent as the accompanying
: caricatnresv; '■ ■ ' - ' i'i':’- 'il. in:,'. %
•v'' ; Um alsobald ialt einem sues sen ■ ; ^ Langwierigen, Enss.e'. sich zu begruessen.2^ ■ :
1 e 6 e o ■ © ® © . ® ' e e « © e ® © © & e © ■: . ; . Dorette dagegpn weish auch roll List ; ; \;:v' ■ Wo Ehopp" seine lustige Stella ist.^^ i .y- . .
' © © o © . 0 © .O' © Q . & . ® .© © e 9 - " © O ' i: . Ha ch diesen'gar schoenen Lus tbarlceiten^ . . . ; Wind8s- Zeit. . zup Toilette zu schreiten.30
We can feel the , shdtdoWf., comfortable atmosphere of the
home and dan almost smell the food which is: constmed
. with such pleasure ./by ■ the well-fed Philistines. &s a
- . matter of fact s hardly is one meal concludeds> when.; the
" next meal: is already' being prepared.' i
Scbnell. flieht der.Sorgen - IJnterdessen v .: r' 'Bereitet' man. das Hittagesseu.-. : ■. •' i;;- ; Was dies' betrifft,. so muss man sagen, ; r. Eann: Ehopp;isich: 'wirklicdi^^ n - beklagen n .. ' :;v;;-.I '. Ztmi Belsplel koennt er. lange suchen . ■
I b i d .:,: p«. 3B4. .
28 Ibid., p, ;'32-9. .
29 Ibid., p. 350.
50 Ibid. p ;.:;:33g.' ■ ITaeti. solcfoem'. guten PfamaenkaGhen. ; ' Hie pin 1st Doris ohne Fejalo \ ' S-tets nlmmt sle elnen Loeflel 'Mehl, Die noet/ge Milch, dazu drei Eier, . Ja. vier sogar, wenn sie nioht teuer, : : .. Quirlt Hies sodann und backt es hraun Mit Sorgfa.lt und mit Selbstvertraunj ' ' ■ Und jedesmal sprieh'b Ehopp .Yergnuegllehi , "Der Pfannekncben ist vorzuegliclil n31
It appears that Busch, a connoisseur of good food
himself , took delight in the■above description,,with all
its minute details. The accompanying hilarious caricature
of corpulent Ehopp,. enjoying his meal, is a masterpiece =
Grinning all over his' round face, Herr Knopp resembles
a pig. The likeness is enhanced by the fact that his
table napkin is tied around his neck in such a manner that
its pointed corners look/like pig's ears, He resembles a.’
fat hog at the feed/trOught' This, picture is just one of
many that illustrate.Busch’s ability to achieve the
desired comic effect with a few irell-plaoed lines,
/ Our author' begins / a new .chapter of Ehopp.’s-life ,
by using a descriptlbniof Frau Wehniut, the midwife as an
effective introduction^"
Kaum ertoent' an ihrer Kllngel .
t ' Das bekannte » ..PingelpIngell' G-leich so 1 st" Frau Ifehmut •;waeh.; : v / h Und geht ihrer. Hahrung nach® Heute 1st sie still erschienen. Um bel Enoppens zu bedienen,32 . . \ A; ^ . : 56
The arrival of the baby brings about quite a few changes in the Khopp family. Busch expresses his opinion with regard to parenthood by contrasting fatherhood with the empty fate of the bachelor. b •
. Onkel heisst er guenst ?gen Fallesy ' Aber dieses istauch allese- , « .© © e o ® 0 6 • • « , « © © © © © © Oh, .trie ahders 1st der Gntel- . Br erlegt mit frischem Mute . ■ , . ■ Die gesetzlioheb Gebuehren. Laesst sich redlloh kopulieren. Tut im stillen hocherfreut ■ Das, was seine Schuldigkeif, _ • Steht d'ann eines Morgens - da ^ : ; Als ein>Wter und Bapa - - TJnd '1st froh aus Herzensgrund ■ • Dass er dies so ^ gut: gekunnt . '
The many amusing scenes depicting the raising and , cleaning of baby elicit chuckles ;and'laughter. ■ Busch allows the reader to'watch the Khopp baby go through the various stages of development. He elaborates especially on details that can be exploited easily as vehicles of ridicule and humor. The toilet training of baby, for ‘
Instance, provides.hilarious elements for the
Bjlderges chichte. ,
Time goes by, and Tulchen Khopp grows into a ■ sensible girl. Entering the experimenting stage, she gets herself into all kinds of mis chief . Julehen’s activities include: spilling ink,.clipping her'father's coattails and the despoiling of her father's top hat by
52 Ibid., p d 3-99i sitting down on it:
Stattlich ist der Bibenhtiti Manchmal pas s t er nnr nioht gut . Hiemals soli man iiin benuetzen, .Um bequem darauf zu.sitzen.34
The author never loses sight of the main theme, although he takes time to include minor characters in - • - . ■ 6 the plot if they enhance his immediate objective of laughter and the more ulterior motive of satire«, Ee is keenly aware of the.importance of the time factor.
, Eins zwe idre i, im Sauseschritt Laeuft die: Ze.it | wir laufen mit ,=■
'Ohsre dieke^ nette .Jule „ . : G-eht beheits "bchon in die Schule = ^
o o 0 o & & o a ® e e @ e « o e © Julchen 1st nun wirklich grosss Pfiffig? fett und tadellos, End der Vater ruft:' 11 Was seh. ich? * Die Mamsell ist beiratsfaehig&36 .
A description of eligible marital possibilities follows with a humorous1 aha lysis of the criteria of their desirability. Of course, financial considerations are of prime importance for Herr- Khopp:
Einfach bloss als Hens ch genornmen Waere dieser hoechst willkommen; Mur muss Khopp sich dann entschliessen, G-anz bedeutend zuzus chie s s en»>- - '
Anderseits, wie das so geht, MangeIt jede Pietaet. Man i s t .fuerchterlIch verliebt, Ohne dass man Achtung gibt
^ ibid. p<> 421.
55 Ibid.,,. p. 425.
36 Ibid.-, p. 450. ' : . : Vv 58
. /Oder irgendwle 1jedeniCt;.5 \ : / :■ " 'v- O : Ob man’ -alte. beu-be kraenkt. V „ ' : : ' Belte.a fragt -sicii se ein Tor: ■ ‘was -geht in den 'Eltern vor??- . - da, so 1st die Jugend. iieute l- . Bclipecklicb sind die jungen Iieute Hinter Hhoppensv Jtileben Iiers Ond re.cht sebr gefaellt es der. -37
The chapter on. Julchen, which, en# happilsr* completes" a '•
revealing ;BlMerge.sohiehte7ot/'the Spiesshuerger family8s /
paradise. : : ■
■ Ghj,; das "war mal . eine sdhoene. . / : Suehrende ;Famillensz.ene I I I-' n1.
-The .caricatures arid descriptions of the Tarions
types of Splessbuerger are too numerous to "be dealt with
in detailHowevers all; of them s eem to evidence ,
■ Busch*s keen arid critical observation o f : his. contemporaries .
and his creative abilities in describing them and their .
behavior. Hermann'G-lockner summarized the Spiessbuerger
coneeptmost appropriately in a speech in commemoration of
Wilhelm Busch* s. 'hundredth birthday: '
■ ' ;Br Ist. der ideale - bntermeris c h ,: der auf selrie rirt ' ': . ■ in dem Paradiese" gluecklleh lebt^ aus dem wir ..alle natuerlicharwelse konmen hrid in das einige. von uns - ' : ' geis tlgerweise geheni das iaradies der ■. - Selbstzufriedenheit. Heber den Bhilister hat die Sorge keine Macht. . . ; Dean: _ , ' ' . ; . f',,/. ' , * **Die haben. Alles binter sich . , . • - ' Und sindj,’ gottlob I rech'b tugendlich! ?159
; : : - 37 Ibid., pp. ■ 452-435. ' : : .
; 58; Ibid., p.X458. ' : ' %'
Hermann G-lockner 3 ‘ Wilhelm Busch der Mens'ch, der Zelchner j der Eumorls t * Truebing^^ 1952), p> 55.. CHAPTER T¥
THE CLERGY
!!,A” pro test ant1 s a special Clinker; : r,It: serves for Sceptick, and Free-thinker/ "It serves for Stubble., Hay, and Wood, "Ev’ry thing , but what it should.1
Catholics consider Bus.ch’s criticism of the
Church in Per heilige Antonius von Padua an ugly attack on their religionV ,: Political groups with anticlerical tendencies like Die Antikatholiken. Deuts chgesinnten acclaimed Per heilige Antonius for the same reason and used it as an effective political weapon. Severe criticism of Busch1s works between his time and our own has been made of his attacks on the Catholic Church.1
There is little doubt that Per heilige Antonius is an unfair satire on Catholicism„ It is not surprising that some of Busch's work was censored in Austria, where
Roman Catholicism had been the state-religion for
Cinturiea and where the Austrian Emperor held the title
Apostolis che Ma.jestaet.' ‘ ■ ,
: Busch's stand Was courageous in that he as an '
1 Jonathan Swift, The Poems of Jonathan Swift, ed« Harold Williams, (Oxford, 1937), II, 550:® '.
39 ' . ; ' 40
indlTidual was attacking a powerful organization.
Per Jb.eI3.Ige Antonlus^ wJalch was .written in 1870^ Is t f a e ^ y ;
.biograpJay of a monk who. becomes a saint. The author :
Illuminates several phases of Antonius life In verse and
caricature= He ridicules the clergy by exposing in unmistakab1e terms the weaknesses in the character of
Antonius.. Antonius isl 'of course? only meant to represent ■ a type® • • ’ ' ' . '
In protestantIschen Ans chauungen aufgewachsen,. v: musste es mir' sonderhar erscheinen^ dass es im Ernste e inen wirklicheh Helligen3 einen Mens chen ohne Suende geben sollte. Aus dem Kontraste dieser • , . .•• • ' we it ve rbreltet ehy^ns ehauungmit: dem Be griff eines ' rfcbtigen Eeiligph ging .. .. . die mehr oder weniger.: ' komis che Lebensskizze hervors . « " " ' ;'V ,;
Some of the episodes. in.. Antonius1 s life ..are decried as
a design to desecrate.religion by the use of obscenity.
. . . . we gen dur.ch die Presse veruebter . . Herabwuerdigung - urid'; Erregung oeffentlichen Aergernlssas dureh ■unzuechf lge' Schriften.5 .
As ..a eons equence of. this much publicised attack/ Bus obis
book became an immediate, success. On the other .hand, why shouldn't the Church have been outraged? Ihe author of
Per belllge Antonius hot'only made a.laughing-stock of an
official; of the Catholic . Church' but ridiculed,, in a rather
profane way, the 'very'functions of its clergys
- - 2 Wilhelm Bus oh, Wilhelm. Busch Gesamtausgabe s I I , , s i s . : : : - ; : ..'3 ibid., p. 31b. . . . ’ (AcM das war aucli so e iner von denenl) Bechts and links begruesst er die laendllelien : • : . . ■ Sohoenen, ' y. : FasstAsie beim'Ea,nn>, .airniutlg^nilde^, Scb.enkt ibn.en. gar scboene Heillgenbirde, Und macht ancb wohl so bin and wieder Dominus vobiscaml ueber das MIeder? Wie man denn meistens auf der Reis' ■ Die.Scboenheit der Matar erst recht zu A . waerdigen weiss
Buscb expresses bis cynical attitude toward religious fasting with a'humorous illustration:
Aucb unser Toni zeigte frueb . ... ZtuTi Heil8 gen maneherle 1 G-enie« Man fastet^ well man melnt, man muss* Fuer Toni aber war's GenusS;15 ..f-
O © © © © ® e © © a ® © © e , © Den Freitag war er g e m allein, Um sich besonders zu kasteinfG
The confession receives similar treatment. The fledgling
"saint" also puts this practice to use for personal gain;
In alien Kireben nab und fern - Ging er zunDeichte oft und gern, Und gab der* Beiehte Zettel willig ", . ' An andre Knaben ^ aber billig.7
Similarly the hypecritlcal practice of attending - church for other motives than:communion with God is dealt with by the author: . . . .
Ifenn Messe war5 stets war er da; . Wo Julchen.kniete # stand er nah;
4 I b i d o ., p B ,546 .:;
^ -Tbicl*.,". p. 385."
6 Ibid., p . 326.
7 Ibid., p.. 327. : ’ '■ • ■ ; : ■ 42 Dean dieses Maedohea, ob es gleich
■ Sehoa aeltea war uad etwas bleieb, f ; ' 2og do ob. duroh. andaclitstrollea. Sian - • Dea froramen.vlaab.ea zd sieh iiin» i ' ' ■ ■ v . ■ IKir guten Maedplieai Acii.wie 'seiioen ' 1st dieses. BeispieX aazusairalS
Buscii denied that Per ■jieilige Antoaius iyas meant
to undermine the politioai position of the Catholie
ohuroh; ■ . '
Mi t t endenz i ob s en Sachen habe ioh raich nie , im Leben befasst . ' Wo .mir etwas komisoh erschiea, , habe 1 oh es in meiaer ®eis.e: zu behandeln gesucht ® ' So eatstand der Antonius ? well mir zufaelling •
' /^baserer lleben Prauen . Ealeader^ s - w l e ' ieh • "rermute . . , _ ■ aus dem Anfange. des . -rorigen odor dem Bade des; ': : ■ : vorvorigen:jahrhuaderts, ia die Haeade kam.9 1
However# the objective reader'of our time# which Is more
toleraat toward religious, criticism# can hardly avoid the
interpretation that this. particular work is an unfair
attack on Roman Catholicism® It is true that ithe church
bpuater^attacked quite effectivelyi Nevertheless
proponents of the Catholic chareh were at a considerable
disadvantage# for they could not employ ridicule .and
humor without running the risk of sacrificing the, dignity
• of the church. '
The author introduces a new situation by focusing
the reader ' s attention. on the, centerpiece of the picture<>
It is the; amorous, adventure of' the monk and H Sis ter
haurehtia"'. ' riV
8 Ibid0, pp. 327-328.
9 Ibid.# p.:316.' ' ■ ::. ‘ : ■■■■ • " y ' ' v , , \ ■ Sioa. KXbstep- lag Bleja’b- w©it, Ton' hiianeB,; Besetzt mit Karme 111eriRmeia, Ub S wap als Gustorln allda. M e fromrne Jirngfpan LaupeBlla«, - • ; . Besekelden, still mEid glaabensfpoja^ Hat sie -dep gute Amteiiio, Ben alles G-ute stets epg©etzt> Sohon laengsfc von Hepgen JaQehgesehaetzt. - ' v MatmePlieh. im allgemelnen und ueberhaupt 3 . . Ifle8s mnspe lieilige Kirehe. erlaubt . 10 • . ''
.' THe satire and inainmatien. e f ;tiie last three'lines are
open to the reader’s, interpretation® Everybody knew
that Per heilige Antonias was not meant to be an ■
enthmsiastie.doemmemtatien, of the high moral practices
within the da the lie chmroh, an& the' intent was obvious, -
The devils disgmised as Bis ter hamrentla s professes, to .
be in love with Antonins and visits him at night in
order to induce him to steal the sacred vessels and flee;
Bin aus Liebe zu dir und grossem Verlangen lit demSilbergeraet davongegangen.il .
It is not surprising that .Busch’s. enemies attacked him
for displaying an impious, and profane, attitude towards
religion, and for showing a, disregard for the,dictates‘
of deeprum and good taste 0 The. flight of Aritonlus and
’’Sister Laurentia” from their ecclesiastic shelter takes
an unexpected turn, when the amorous nuh is revealed, as.
the devil: _ '
1^ : Ibid., p :.. S 5 & t
11 Ibid. ;p. 559.. !,HeIiiei,v <= lactit; d'er • Teufelj, "so i s t Ts d e r ■ .-■•■'V - - B p a m c h . , . : . . : D u maltest; den; T e n r o l , . z n m zahlt% er aueiil"2-2
Bus o i l '; Indi: eat e d I n Ills: letlen o f Angus tv 12 5, 187 Q £0
Sehauenburg3 his publisher^ that, tie had directed his irony in Per, heilige Antonins ^ agaihst the concepts of . miracles and wondersg which were., described in Catholic
Wmderbnecher and had .satirized the Marienknltus because of'its'excesses.-® Busch;states that he had idealized the person of Mary® B6 dered his portraiture.of Mary.a great deal more ;vchnale>;ahd ;pure than what tie had seen in .
■ religious paintings, 'of‘the- old masters«
It: is possible >that;. his: criticism of. the clergy was far harsher ttiah'tid/tiad intended it to be® H is. , lampooning of pilgrimage: by .contrast ing the-/ideal ascetic . an d ; spiritual aspects of this - tradition with' the:,; realities; 'of human;' he e ds; is quite effect lye: - ..
G-en Padua, 'wenti;;Kireliwelh; Ist, . . ; ■ : Wailfahrten.die Bruderschaften; ^ '
‘ . ' e o o © © © © © „ .© © © © o & .0 © ' Die Bruderschaft und den Jungfernband;3 . • Die tut es g ewaltlg duersten; ' . .. ■ Drum 1st' ein ;Wirtsha.us allda zur Hand; - ;. ■ Mit Bier und Schwelnernen Wuersten®14 ' . ..
.; As on many previous occasions, our author , , . ridicules the abuses of the piouslphillstines and the uontradietions between the i3?.: aotions .and the in professed beliefSo He depicts the various methods used by these ;
self-righteous monks t o. deceive others and themselves6.
He .viras of the opinion that they attempted to find a n substitute for the vacuum in their lives in pretended piety and _in drinking. h ' . : . .
nAve Mar lap mundi spesl : n .. / ; - Erhalt uns.. anBien .loenctieh h' ' . ' - .. Du weisst es ja^ wir branchen es «- . ; . ; ■ • ' Den Wein in uhsern Toenncheni11 i5 .•
Busch had been brought up in a■strongly Protestant environment. . This fact may account for his highly ' sarcastic criticism of Catholicism and, especially his hostile- attitude tptrards . pbiltieal Gathblicism® ^;..However his- criti cism of the: Gathol ic; clergy wa s in no , way o r i g i n a l ....
in.. German literature. .; The rather heavy emphasis on the
culinary and drlhkln#"desires of"the Gatholie clergy^ ,:
Which is obvious in'his , critical sat ire 9 can also be v
found in other Protestant denunciations of Catholicism^ In'
the period af ter Mart in Luther': - - :. '/
: ' : . ' Sind aoehnich? ' nonnen> der faul hauffen,.." . Di e ire , gut@ jwerck verkauffen ' ' ; , 1 ' Hmb gelt 5 kaess s eyer., lie cht und schmaltz ? Dtob hueherj;-.‘fleisch/. wein^ koren,' salts ; - . • / . .Damit sie'in’dem VQllen. leben . . Hnd samlen adch gross'.schastz darnebenV'
" ' is ibid6». pt. 354a^ ' ';i ,/p a ., : ; ;h h :;'
. Hans Sachs.j Hans Sachs! Werke5 ed® Dr. B» Arnold? (Berlin and Stuttgart, ISVhfT**I> 120 . ;; ’ ; ' ■ ; . ■. ' ', ■ ■ ' : ■ 46 Hiklaus Manuel in his Yom.Papst und. seiner Priesterschaft; displays a similarly outspoken hostility towards the
Oatholio church; .
Ifenn mlr nit waer mit toten. wol j. so: la eg nit menger .acker vol <, die durch mieh und mine gsellen, so staet nach unfrid stellen, sind erschlagen und erschossen. Des han ich maechtig wol genossen,, dass ich so gern sach cristenbluot. Darum trag ich ein roten huot und han darvon vil nutz und erenp - elm jar Ewenzlgtusend guldin. zuo yerzeren. Kan ichs gfuegen,. ich will bass drank ich. muoss noch'zehentusend hanli^
It is not surprising that Johann Fischart frequently documented his anti-Catholic position in a . most vehement: fashion. His description of the Jesuits1 hypocrisy in Das Jesuiterhuetleln is quite blunt;
Sieh stellen Eusserlich Andaechtig, Aber im Hertzen s ein Schanddae chtig, ■ Im Sohein Eusserlich Phariseisch, Im Hertzen heymlich Saduceisch, . . Viermal si eh, G-eysseln in der Woehen, Das yngzaemt Fleysch zuvberpoGhem,. Eben gleloh wie die Baalspfaffen,
Vnd gleichwol, weyss nit 9 bei wem schlafeuo Vnter vermummter Hurerei G-eloben Grose Keusche Treu, Die Pfaff enkoe chin, schelten ho ch, - Vnd verkleyd Huren holten doch,2-8
In comparison.with the above Per helllge Antonius shows considerable moderation in content as well as language.
■- Werner Burkhards Schriftwerke deutscher Sprache, (Aarau,. 1957), 1/ 305.
. ^ Johann FIs chart! Johann Fis chart s .Werke, ed. :Dr . Adolf Hauffen, (Stuttgart, 1873)," II, S5iT ■ ' ■ ■ ■■ •" ■■■ - ■ ■ 47 •Busoh was a complete mastemofMs material, and
' he was quite untroubled with the immediate effect on any
individual or any causea He scrutinized critically the
social, cultural, or religious life of his contemporaries
with an intensity which is indicative of his independent
spirit. • '
The last five chapters of Per heilige Antonius .
contain more squibs and mockeries of the clergy and the
Catholic rites, with heavier emphasis on the concept of
the miraculous in the Catholic religion#. It appears
that. Busch found it difficult to. reconcile the new
scientific trends with conservative and traditional
concepts of faith and the belief in miracles.
v; All®in, mein .Frdund,. wie steht der Glaube?1’, Plugs nimmt Antonio seine Haube Und haehgt1sie, wie an einen Pfahl, An einen.warmen.Sonnenstrahl.19 . .
The accompanying caricatures supplement the words and
are as eloquent a s .the verses in this much debated little , . . ' ■ ■ . work. Some of Busch's critics contend that he had
overstepped the boundaries of propriety and that Per
heilige Antonius cdntaineci a measure of pornography. .
This was particularly stressed by Friedrich Theodor ■
Vischer, who was one of Busch'.s most severe critics r
Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, II,■357 o : 1 ^ ■■ ' _ 48 '
: »' Bs gibt einen" pornograpiiischen StrlcTaj es 1st r , ©in© A^tj, welbllcbeBorraen, Bewegurigen5' Mienen zn ' .. . ' [email protected], d.le; sehn verstaehdlloh, ,1st'; •dleser S'tnleh 1st hioht deutsoh; . ® » die, Deutsohen haben ihn, in ■ ' den modennen Zeit.;von den Pran^osen1 gelernt o » ® . G-ro eb©n und grue hdX1 ohe r eke-lhait sleht ma n . denselben Strlch wa.lten In den Art, wie in den : . , genannten Szenen der Bart' des 'heiligen Antonius - ' ’ " behandelt 1st ,20 ■ 1, ' • - ' / i • Z - ,
. Bus oh ts 'neaction to this type of criticism is succinctly :
des cpibed b.y Bans Balzep; % > ■; '
Bus ch. war bekannt gewopden, 'dass die s e p h e puehmt e >. Bppfessop dep • •Aesthetlk Ihm oeffentlich. popnogpaphische ■ ; - Se ig u n g e n n a chge s agt h a be (m i t b e s onde Pa m b i n # Is a u f die- G-es chlchte v o m h e i l i g e n ' Ant onius .undv.weist. fill t . ■ die sen'bhna chdhmllch laessigen Handbewegung:den -: - ; Anwupf:zupueck."v .. . . \ •'-■."'i
’ ' As. is implied , by ■the, title, Batep Filuclus:,
Allegopisches Zeltblld. 15 .a. partisans allegorical portrait
; of.the G-erman ETlLtupkampf, in which Busch cehsupes the ,
, political effopts df'the Gatholie.ehupeh and:©specially " /
/ of;;the . Jesuits, - id,-mak^ Pater Piiucius more' effective’ ; '
V , "asad more easily undepstandable s he provides:; a key t o ,
' his. allegory , IhiS 'kdy-'-bas apparently a necessity which; t
Bus eh had to be persuaded to furnish. It would be quite ■
’d i f f i c u l t ' to .’grasptth.e'iffieaning ;.bf :.the'' following, lines .
•' izibhout t h e - a l d : of. s uch: a ■ k e y : : t ,1-
, I ’S.ehpupp 1st wirklich auch; possieplleh, ■ . , ; ,1 11 .Bp, geho.p^etlauf das’ W o r t ’ ' '1 ;
2 Q Fpledplch Theodor Vlsoher, Altes und heues* ' . .(StuttgaPt, I B S ’S}., . pp,. 126~12:9 , , : . ; . . . . . ’ ’
'. Hans Balzepj Bs 1st allerlei ■Sichtbapes drln, . Pe 80e _ .. u ; ; v: v -r— , Wilhelm..Buschj Wilhelm. Busch Gesamtausgabe, 49
. . ' SpMilt ' etvra,® s m t d©r\Floet;e/- ; Hupft ei?? -was ©r hup fen kann.25
The knowledge that the dog, 8 ohrupp, represents democratic news coverage gives the above verses an entirely different meaning'® The subservience which
Busch believed the democratic press 'had shown to the commands of the Catholic factions is thus illuminatedo -
Man versteht diese allegorische Darstellung der kir chlichen Bewegung» w elehe si oh im Anfang der 70er Jahre abspielte, wenn. man fuer Gottlieb Michael den deutsohen Michel, fuer .Tante. Petrine die roemis eh e P a u l i n e die . evangelis che .Eirehe setstj die,Base Angelika 1st dann die freie Staatskirche.der Zukunft e " Der Jesuit Filucius fuehrt den Hund Sohrupp, die demokrat is ehe.Presse, ein und sucht mit seinen Eelfersbelfem, der Internatienalen und den Franzosen, den Haushalt zu stoerenj 'dagegen ruft Michel Hiebel den Wehr- • Fib el den Sehr-und B u l l er s t ie be 1 den Ha ehr s t and z u ' ; HilfeV mit deren Bnt erst met zung er aueh die gahz© ' ■ unsaubere Ifirtschaft sum Fens ter .hinauswirft
In- Pater Filucius Busch gives articulation to the popular conception as to the elergy1s greed and design on
Germany1s (GottliebfsI wealth®
: laemlich .dieser 'Jesuiter Merkt schon laengst ait Geldbegier . Auf den Gottlieb seln Vermoegen, - Denkend: "Ach, wo krieg ieh Birf2^
Pater Filucius;makes an attempt on Michel's life in
25 Ibid ® s p o, 81 - ' :
■ 24 Wilhelm Busch, -Humoristiseher Eausschatz, (Munich, 1924), p® 84.
flllhe 1m Bus eh, #ilhelm Bus ch Gesamtausgabe, III, 78. ;;-v.'-. - : ' ■ . , : order to; get Jais. Jaamds oa the latter's. wealth-j, but he ;
falls lalserably.V Finally the 'Jesuit resorts to a
/desperate step by conspiring :witja.;lmter-lazi (tke
International), and Jean: Eecaq (tbe Prencb) against it he
Q-erman Micliel: : •'' • - " y-'/' Pater bnsi; finster blickend, ; ' V ' / :; '^ Heimllcb s Gb.leiob.end. dm das Hans, vb ’I';\tee1alt'';zn ’:neneia/''Ea6ib.ez'wee)ce.'-- '.■ ■■■ ' . .Zw© verwogne Iium.pen aus »=<; - , v , ' . - /-. ■ f ."/ Biner beisst der Inter-Hasi < , , ' - - ;v ;¥nd ..der zwelte Jean Becaq,;#- ; All# belde 'wobl zm braneben, ; ’ ’; . ; ' I ^ , . ■ v ^‘ Denn ns mangelt Held im^Sack®^^ / , ’
Bus ch. apparently, did not feel tnat lie 'had gone too far
in his eritioism of the Jesuits o He actually' Insinuated
treason by letting Pater Piluolus.plot with the French
and the 'International against the German state. From -
;his letters to his publisher^ Basserraamn* it is evident .
that the work was not intended to be too drastic an
ezpr © s s i oh ' o f Bus' e h 1 s political tenets; Pater Fllucius '
was simply meant to Illustrate that the aims of the '
state were in conflict with the aims of the church®
Nevertheless, his' criticism of the methods employed by
the ultramontanistie’clergy appears outspoken and concise
HFamilIaer genommen 1s t er' wohl dras t is oh zu: nennen,
aber. poiitisch g enommen, meine I eh, ■ 1st er * s ; nicht.s er /
sprleht einfach die neuesten Suens ohe des Staates 'aus>
die all©rdings mit den W u e n s cheh der Kirche nloht gans. ' 51 uebereinstimmen k Q ennen.iJ27 Pater Filuclus Is one of
the few.stories of Busch that have a happy ending. The
conclusion in this Bildergeschichte is one of the rare
exceptions when Busch depicts1 people as being dependable
and genuinely helpful. It is a refreshing change in
Busch’s attitude, even if only a short-lived one. His -
approach in this plot.is a positive one, and h i s ■
criticism appears to be of a constructive nature, ' It is
possible that political motives and objectives such as
the Pouts che Staatskjrche and the Staatsgedanke induced-
him to deviate, from his habit of- attacking pettiness, hypocrisy and his other enemies, The soldier, teacher
and farmer, representing their corresponding segments of
. the population, really .do ■ com© to1 the ■rescue of the German
Michel, : - '-
Schleuhig sueht er seine Freunde, Glueeklleh trifft er si®, zu Haus, Waechter Hiebe'l; 1st der .•erste, Freudlg'‘rtift er:. "Babel raus. . Me is ter Fibel,. als der zweite, Yielerprobt im Amt der Lehr, Greift in die bekannte Ecke Mit den Horten: "Khueppel herSn Bullerstiebel 1st der dritte,~ -Kama vernimmt e r . so und so, Fasst er auch schon nach der Gabel Mit dem Rufe: "Hu man toV28
This enthusiastic affirmation of the Staatsgedanke
illuminates the author’s.belief In the political feasibility
^ Hans Balzer, Es 1st allerlej Sichtbares drin, p. 97e .
' 2 8 lbld«, ppe ,101 -1 0 2 . 1 ' . - of the Ktew Reich..' Busch, the connoisseur of saucasm and
of satire, seems to enjoy the change of direction with
regard to the process of justice in the distribution of
reward and punishment. In this .political censure of
the Jesuit the author makes it abundantly- clear where his
own sympathies in the Kulturkampf lie.. The plotting
’ Gatholic.and his conspirators are punished,
Blacksi da steokem sie imDrecke. , Aengstlich zappelt noch'der Puss.- - ' • Eihe Stimme hoert man klagen: . ‘ • n0h, Pllu - Pilucius i" -2.9
I n contrast to.the richly deserved fate of Rater
Pilucius Busch presented his readers with a happy ending
for all the forces which he considered good and showed
the happy union between■the State and the Preie •
Staatskirche (the engagement between-Angelika and the
German Michel): : • / . '
uEaenger'will ich nicht mehr hausen \ v 1 '-’ISie s either als J.unggesell. • . ■ ' - , "Eler Angelika,' die gute, ,!Werde Madam Miohaelo'*30 -
Pater Filucjus represents Busch’s rigorous
judgment of a political faction in his contemporary ,
Germany. As a rule he perceived, his immediate surroundings
and the whole world with good-natured prejudice and
without malice. Therefore it is all the more surprising
? 9 Ibid., p. 108.
30 .Ibid. , • pp .108-109. that he, basically a, modest man who did not claim public
approval or demand applause, should write a Work which
is as politically biased as Pater Filucius. He attacked
in Pater Filucius whatever appeared to be most
objectionable to him. ^Chus he took a definite stand .on
the side of Prussia in the Kulturkampf«,
There were various groups of critics' of Per j ' ■■ • - " ' - / ■ : heilige. Antonius. Some labeled It provocative and -
obscene * The most prominent was Friedrich Theodor
Vischer, the authority in aesthetics, whose above
mentioned devastating lines apparently established Per
hellige Antonins ': ill, repute amongst the Schoemgeister.
The following verses taken from Friedrich Theodor
Vischer’s 11A11ersgedichtshow his opinion in unmistakable
language:
. Ja mahcher‘elsige, spitzige Spoetter, Per Witze nur macht auf Menschen und G-oetter, Mancher verdorbne, mit Seelehgicht Behaftetezotensinnende Wicht, Mancher schaekernde, eitle Mann, Per ueber sich selbst nicht lachen kann.^l
It is the contention of this study that Per
heillge Antorius is a self-consciously partisan document.
in a political controversy. It gives evidence of Busch's
opposition to the Catholic church,, which he regarded as a
conservative and formidable social structure devoid of.
3-*- Hermann Blockner, Wilhelm Busch der Mens eh, der Zeichner., der Humorist , p 1 38 . ; '■ ■■■ , ~~~* •' ; " ' " pity, virtme and righteousness, presenting outwardly' united front of false pretense. v 0HAPIES V
' , : : • . GUI/PIES:' ' . \ : : ; • ; ■
How shall a mew Attempts# learn Qf different .Spirits to diseerny v - ; _ And How-distlngmlshj ’ wJaieii is wHiohs The Poet8 s Vein, or soribling Itchf Then hear an-,.old experienced Sinner • ■ Instructing'thne a young Beginner .1;
Wllhdlm Busch ridlemled almost everything,
ineluding himseif, "but usually without malicious intent.
Be took great pleasure in poking fun at the vises.of men
and especially at their relatively harmless faults. His
unsophisticated language contributed to the popularity,
of his writings, and it may have had a part in "the
gradual modification of the more contrived and artful
forms of literature' into simpler and more realistic
modes of expression.'' ' The modern cartoon, for example, . .
: seems to: be a trehd in literature which has been 1
influenced by Busch's particular method and approach.
Busch was a very outspoken critic of both
contemporary painters,and writers, and in view of his
■own performance and place in the circles of art and . :
literature one caianot deny his q.uallfi cat ions as- a critic
1 tTonathan Swift, The Poems of Jonathan Swift, h , ©42. . ' ■■ ; . ...' : ■ ; ■ ■; ■ • . ■ 56 in these fields. Certainly, his censure of society at large and his rigorous judgment of contemporary culture were subjective and were influenced by factors related to his philosophy and mood. However, the writer and painter Busch was well qualified to give us a competent critical evaluation of contemporary cultural endeavors e . -
■His appraisal of .his own . talent vir&s basically a sincere . one, even if he did underrate his potential to such an extent, that he failed to follow his calling:as a painter at a crucial time of his life 0
He had. a very pronounced distaste for artistic shallowness and a real contempt for pretense in cultural endeavors„ The problems underlying failure in the socialeconomic and artistic fields occupied Busch's mind extensively* It seems that he interpreted certain phases^ of his own life as the results of frustrated artistic endeavors.
In the hilarious story Balduin Baehlamm, der ■ ' verhinderte Djehter, Busch writes a bout a good citizen who desires to become a poet. This picture story seems to portray some of Busch's own experiences with frustrated poets. Be describes,'the- aim of the would-be poet in two verses, typical of his satirical short-hand;
'/lie wohl 1st dem der danh und wann ■ Sich etwas s choene s dichten kann«,2
" - 2 Silhelm Busch, Vilhelm Busch Q-e s amt a us gabe, IV,,556. ; •f/,; ' ■ : . ' 57 Bus ch. goes on to describe the shortcomings and imperfect ions of earthly existencewith, which : the. ordinary f citizen has' to contend: , - ' - . Pie Freude flieht auf alien Wegen; Per Aerger kozamt uns g e m entgegen. , Pie- Sorge, wie man Kahrung findet # 1st haenfig nicht so unbegruendet. Koimnt Einer dann und fragt: Wle gehts? Steht man gewoehnlich oder stets G-eviissermassen peinlich da, • Indern man spricht: Hun, so lalal Und nur der Eeuchler laeht vergnueglich; Und- glbt sur Antwort.; Ei, -vorsuegllchl , lm Purchschnitt ist- man • - : Und- weiss . nicht', was man macheh soil a-3 - The poet on the other hand, who floats through the upper regionsquite beyond the reach of ordinary _ people, is not concerned with everyday problems and tasks. He possesses■the means to escape from the misery of the commonplace to the "sublime. As Johannes Klein puts it: Noch sehlimmer 1st die Einleitung zu Balduin . Baehlamm, die das Unwahre ergoetzlich gelsselt "und mlt einem wahrhaft tolien Verglelch endet; . » e Dann faehrt er mlt den Worten fort,' die das - Wirkllchke11sfremde angreifen, in selnen beliebten. Khittelveraen, ih denen jedes. Verspaar in seiner - Gesehlif fenheit -ah: eine verdre.hte' Sentenz herankommt i
- Hlcht so der Bichter» Kaum missfaellt • Ihm diese ’altgebackne.Welt,-' So knetet er a us weichsr Kleie. ;. - ' Fuer sich privatim eine neue
3 Ibid., pp. 336-537 ' ' V , . 58
. Und zieht als freier MusensoJan In die Poetendimension,
Die fuenfte, da die vierte jetzt Von G-eistern ohnelain. besetzt .4
/It seems'evident, from'the above lines, that the realist Busch, whose artistic subjects are derived from material very much down to earth, makes- fun of the would-be romanticist, the prospective classicist, or the conventional creator of th® u.sublime11 B H e i n also states' that Busch’s task was not dissimilar to that of Heinrich
Heine, in that Heine had attacked the artificial pathos of the .PQpularromantik, just as. Busch censured the false classicism o f ;Emanuel. GeIbe1 and his followers:
Die Bart-und Haartracht Balduin Baehlamms ist genau die, welche man bei Geibels Julius Grosse usw» findet. Dergleichen war bei Busch kein grundsaetzltcher Angriff (dazu dachte.er nicht , : • literarisch gen'ug), sondern ein Ausdruck scharter / Aufmerksamkeit fuer das Verbrauchte, TJnwahne, fuer den 8chain statt des Seins, Busch hat die Aufgabe . Heines vollendet: er hat die romantizistische wie die klassizistische Lyrik in Deutschland fuer immer laecherlich gemacht. S .
In this matter, Busch’s critical literary judgment seems to have been shared by Gottfried Keller, who wrote in a letter addressed to Hettner on the occasion of G-eikells death : 11 Hun ist der, edle Geibel auch dahin, s owe it er hlnsein kann, und mit ihm eine letzte Gestalt einer
^ Johannes Klein, Geschichte der Deutschen Lyrik. von Luther bis ,zum Ausgang des zweiten Weltkrieges, Ttiesbaden, 1957}, p, 637. '5 Ibid. , pf 652. ; - ‘ ■ 59
Zeitepoche oder Kategorie verschwunden, die nioht ohne
tie 11 igen Ernst, aber aneb. nioht ohne ein wenig
uebersehuessiges. Pathos, gelebt hat ."6 . The poet who ::relies on form rather than
originality of expression and virility in his writing
lends himself beautifully td' the ridicule of the
satirist. The greater the pathos and the more "sublime"
the lyric, the more justified seems his satire:
Hier 1st es luftig, duftig schoen, Hier hat er niohts mehr auszustehn, Hier aus dem muetterlichen Busen Der ewig wohlgenaehrten Musen
Binnt ihm der Stoff.bestaendig neu In seine saubre Molkerei.7 .
Baehlamm symbolizes the mediocrity which is
frequently found in art circles and which, if all
fountains of inspiration are sealed, satisfies itself.
with the outward trappings of the poet:
Und schmueckt in seinem Kabinett Mit Joppe sich und Sammtbarett, Die wie die Dichtung Vers und Reim, Den Dlchter zieren, der daheim.8
Busch seems greatest where pathos can be readily
demonstrated as a contradiction of reality. However,
.this selfsame misanthropic attitude can perhaps not
8 Eduard Stemplinger, et al.. Per Muenchner Brels, (Leipzig, 1933), p. 168.
7 Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch G-esamtausgabe, iv, .337.; ■ , . ; ' ; "
8 Ibid,., p. 347. , " 60 always draw the line between :mediocrlty and genuine art, for if compassion and love are missing on the part of the satirist, the eritioism and sarcasm can sometimes destroy real values0 Bus oh1s critical intensity seems to Remonstrate his own limitations and his great disappointment at having failed to become a great poet or paintero It is as if he suffered because he was a clown instead of a great tragic actor in the theatre of life, Just because he was such a harsh self-critic, he was bound to treat those contemporaries who displayed similar aspirations with all the severity at his disposal, for he saw himself in therm Illch weiss selber zu gut welche laengel in meiner individuellen Art der
Ans chauung, welche Hi'ndernisse in der Schrift durch
Bilder ueberhaupt liegen, und mit dieser Selbsterkenntnis muss ich mich beruhlgeh, so gut es geht, und.mit
Geduld mein Paeckchen welter tragen.u9 Lacking Busch’s ability for self-criticism, these frustrated, poets and painters were not aware of their complete lack of talent,
Busch’s critical observation is confirmed, in Der
Muenchner Ere is-: "We r einigermass en mit ,der deutschen
Sprache umgehen konnte, dichtete; das Dichten wurde eine
9 Hans Balzer, Es 1st allerlei Sichtbares drin, p. ,101. . . Spielerei, ein Sport .u 3-© ;
So amoli :.It might not be too far-fetched to suggest that . Buseh ridiculed his own life and work in the two Bildergeschichiem Balduln Baehlamm and Zaler Heeksel. . . Apparently, it fitted his inclination to trifle with everybody and make fun of everything^ including his own creative endeavors, fhis could have, been particularly relevant in the literary field. Buseh was far too independent to care much about his contemporaries ©pinion, in .regard to his own poetic achievement, but he was an extremely_ keen.observers who could evaluate and. , appraise quite .objectively. He was, a completely down- to-earth realist .who did not claim or. desire poetic V laurels» He did not long for fame andpublicity„ but rather he seemed .happiest in the hidden seelusion.of little ■Wiedensahl. ■ '. , , .. ' , Busch has shown a great deal of restraint and ■ mederation in depleting the literary Splessbuerger. Other critics such as Swift reacted more violently to the sad products. ■ of some of their contemporaries. Jonathan SwiftJ s criticism of those of his contemporaries i© -Eduard Stempllnger> - et al. # Per Hue.nchner. -. Ere is; p. 168. . ■ : , : ; 1 11 W U h e 1m Bus eh, Wilhelm Busch desamtausgabe 9 • 62 who■dabbled In poetry is more biting than that of Bus eh: Consult yourself, and if you find A powerful Impulse, urge your Mind, Impartial judge within your Breast 'Shat Subjeet you can manage best; Whether.your Genius most inclines To Satire, Praise, or hum1 rous Lines ; To Elegies in mournful Tone, Or Prologue sent from Hand unknown. Then rising with Aurora's:Llght The Muse invok'd, sit down to write ; Blot out, correct., insert^' refine. Enlarge, diminish, interline; Be mindful, when Invention fails. To scratch your Head, and bite your Nails.12 Busch channeled his emotions through the media of caricature and satire and apparently derived some relief for his emotions by means of this humorous outlet. Where others erupted with anger or gave up in despair, Busch laughed and ridiculed. - ffie schoen,: wenn dann, was er erdacht Empfunden und zure chtgema cht, . Wenn seines deistes Kunstprodukt, Im Morgenblaettichen abgedruckt,15 For Busch’s poet the adoration by women is the ultimate reward for. his successful poetic endeavors. Busch goes to considerable lengths not, to let us forget that it is only recognition and the outward trappings of achievement which attract the devotion of the female sex - '' 12 Jonathan Swift, The Poems of Jonathan Swift, IT, .642 o : ' : • ’ ; ' 13 Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, IV, 339. ' Bin schoenes LosJ Indessen do da Las allerschoenst© blueht ihm nodi. . Lena Laura, seine suesse Qual, Sein HinrneistrauB, sein Ideal, ' Lie glne.liend ihm entgegen fliegt;, Besiegt in seinen Armen llegt, Sie fluestert schmaclitend inniglieh: '’G-oettlidier Henseh., ieh sehaetze Diehl Wnd dass Du so mein Herz gewannst, Maeht bloss, well. Du so diehten kannst!!6-!1! Picture and verse are used suoeessfully in Balduin Baehlamm to show how the prospective poet attempts to make his surroundings more congenial for his poetic endeavors, only to be frustrated in. his creativity by very amusing environmental circumstances which are frequently beyond his'control. , An introduction into Balduin Baehlamm's.past life is given in Busch's concise telegram style; Bin gqter Menseh, der Baehlamm hiess , Wnd Sehreiber war? durchschant© dies. . , • . Hieht, dass. es ihm. an Wahrung fehlt. Br hat ein Amt, er 1st vermaehlt. Und nieht bless dieses 1st und hat er$ Br 1st. bereits auch viermal Vater* Wnd dennoch.swingt ihn tiefes Sehnen, Sein Dlueck noeh welter auszudehnen. Br moechte dichten, moechte slngen, ' Br moechte was zuwege bringen Zur. Breude slch und, Jedermannes: ' :- Br fuehlt, er muss, und. also kanm es<,15 If we bear in mind that Baehlamm really represents (3-eibel and his group, then we perceive the misfortunes 14 Ibid., p. 540. 15 Ibid . , p h 341. 64 which, befall the frustrated poet as. thinly disguised expressions of hope that similar obstructions would prevent outpourings-of some of his contemporaries. Our accountant-p.oet feels j the. compulsion and artistic urge to'make, poetry . - He attempts to secure peace and quiet in a park but. finds all the benches occupied'. Then he; tZ’ies to settle down in a beer garden where he has to overcome the,temptations to flirt with an attractive waitress before he can work himself .' into the right mood. ' Busch uses the element of suspense within the comic situation with great skill. 8chon brennt der Kopf, sehon glueht der Sitz, Sehon sprueht ein heller Geistesblitz;i§ <9 6 ' ® ® 0 0 e The would-be sublime is successfully contrasted with everyday problems as the fruition of the poet's endeavors is hindered at the very moment when he is at last ready to Hcreate11. A large bill, which has to be honored in full as the cobbler is waiting for his money outside, is .unpleasant enough to spoil any. ^poetic" idea. A flight into the country, which holds; 16 Ibid., p. 345, ^ Ibid., p. 346. . v . ■ " :6S -for tlae proapeetiye poot all the false and ready-made' eoaeepts. of an Idyll, Is nadertaken by Baldnin Baehlamm. In order to escape the many disturbances which prevent his . creations from gushing forth.: Busch’s aptitude, in perceiving and transmitting descriptive details, even' if they are only of secondary importance, supplies the reader with a very complete picture of the character. For example, the'satirist calls attention to the poet’s. mode of dress: •lieleht- reisefertig' ist sumeist ' ■ _ . Ein Mens0h>ywenn er als Dlchter relst... ■■ © © • © « . . © © © ® , © a © © ® , a ® © e ® e ■ •, ' .-Ein Hut yon Stroh als Sommerxier, Ein Dlohterkragen von Papier, o p ® © © a a © © a ® © ® © « Ein Bleistift Hr, 4.und endlich Das Earaplue < slnd selbsiyerstaendllch.lS The paper collar could-be Interpreted as representlmg cheap, ready-made, poetic, aspirations'of third rate people who presume to be different from ordinary citizens without possessing the qualities which would entitle them to such a distinction,. As soon as Baehlamm arrives in the country, he' goes to' work on his'poetry,, while enjoying the . rustic peace. Busch mocks' the style of the pseudo- classicist and pseudo-romantic writers in (the following ■ ■ / ' Ibid., p . 555. , ; 1 ' - i9 Ibid., p. 554. /' ■ rerses;. Br s elawelgt im Sonnenmit ergamg, Ep lauscht dem Hepdemgloekenklang^ • . . , Und ahmmgsfpoh erapfinde t er' s: - Q-lueek aaf-l Jetzt koramt dep epste Vers i The above verses ppevlde an interesting example"of some of Bus eh.’s outrageous techniques. It is quite difficult to find an appropriate term for Busch's peculiar style. The author uses dialect contractions, wrong word order, freakish, colloquial German, or words he made up himself, such as Taschemmltraljoese^l or ”Geht Helene traurig™ heiterH22 order to achieve a humorous effect. Hans Balzer indicates .one of the most unique features of Busch's style: "Da redet er von 'Sehritterschnatter- ' schnabeltierchen*, und von anderen Dlngen, deren . . . Bezeichnungen halhe Zeilen und mehr einnehmen."20 The Ehuettelvers of which Busch was particularly enamored is studded with compounds of compound words, for example Jungfernbundesfahnens tange, ^ or: .20^ Ibid.,,p.1562. : 21 Wilhelm Busch, Humoristischer Hauss chatz, p . 8 1 . 22 Ibid., p. 31. 2^ Hams Balzer, .Wilhelm Buschs Spruchweisheiten, p . 6 0 . 2^ Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausga.be, ' II, 4 7 2 , Da 1st Micleefett; doeb. dleser' ' 1st Apotiiekerelprovlser Obviously Buseja hardly ever hesitates to change • arbitrarily a word ending if it facilitates the creation of a witty rhyme: . . • : Der Sehwarze aber ass sei't 'dieser Begebenheit nur Gremueser , Another- method of achieving the desired effect is to stress and accentuate words of secondary importance: Wnd ein gufes Herz ergoetat, . Prueft's erfaehrt und hat man jetzt ' ■ 1 , , Q © o 6 ® © @ A * Unbequeme Hinderniss e , ^ There is great variety but hardly any distinguishable method in his rhyme technique: , - . Wehel Selbst im guten Oester- h Reich® tadelt man die ELoester^-- It is not easy to analyse or define the effectiveness of Busch’s verses, but it is an established fact that the German people, young and bid, read his rhymes with ■: Wilhelm Bus oh s Wilhelm Bus ch Ge samtaasgabe, III, 451o. , : . • 26 n^lhelm Busch, Humor is t is che r Haus s chat z , p« 28Go ■ 2 7 Xbldo , p.e 119. ' . • • 2S, Ibido, p . 120. ; ■ 29 Wilhelm Bus ch». Ifllhelm Bus oh Gesamtausgabe, pleasmre o Busela? s perzna3ae.ney and popularity are evident in the colloquial use of some, of his humorous phrases: Vater werden ist nieht sehwer Vater sein" dagegen- sehr$50 •' 'It is obvious why a writer of Buseh?s ■ resourcefulness had little patience with the "poet% Baehlamm. Apparently it is always the ridiculous> commonplace occurrence which prevents the poor poet from .making poetry; his verses never materializes for Busch wishes to express his distaste for such art and show his readers a well-deserved, though ridiculous fate, which overtakes poor Baehlaramo For, even if the'poet is tender and sweet as a lamb, he must be shown to possess a stupidity truly reminis cent, in Bus eh's opinion, of Seibel and his circle:. - Klirrbatsehl Da liegt der llumentopf. Es zeigt sieh .ein^hoernter Kopf, Da s ■Maulwerk auf, die Augen zu, Und blaerrt posaunenhaft: Bamuhi Ers ©huettert gehen Vers und Reime Hitsamt dem Kunstwerk atis dem Leime, Das tut die Macht der rauhen Toene^ Die Saengerin: verlaesst die, Szene.,31 His swift, concise illustration is as .aimple, funny and descriptive as his verses', 'The: cow* s head is sketched quite close to the frightened t‘p©efc’fs“ ear» The . 50 Vilhelm Busch,: Vilhelm Busch Q-esamtausgabe III, 398. ' . ^ . Vilhelm Bus eh, Wilhelm Busch Qesamtausgabe, IV, 363. flowerpot whieb is aeeidentally bi’olcem by the oow^s . head land the aooompamyimg "Ramhhl" is apparently suffieaeni to nullify completely his poetic endeavors® He is depicted as being so devoid of .courage and imagination, so. entirely lacking in true perspective of the world and its inhabitants, ae not: even to see the humor of such an obviously' amusimg s itua-t 1 on> - Hus ch apparently, ■■•a censes his contemporaries of having been blind in situations which presented ample inspiration for the true and honest observer of man and nature0 He regarded those of his literary contemporariess who were not able.to laugh at the ridiculous^ with particular distrusto The paradox which presents itself her® is, ©f course^ that the misanthropic Bus eh had a special feeling for the ridiculous and an aptitude in depicting it, whereas those who appeared to sing the glories of heaven and earth ad nauseam, seemed unable to respond with laughter to a truly amusing situation.. ;.' ■; Thus it might be assumed that , his criticism , was directed at all those endeavors which did not seem rooted in life, and • at those concepts of art which held art to be .something quite divorced from earthly existence. Bus.ch' s method of tearing down the manifestations of thes© traits ©ught'ifo1-; he-:,understbod; in the light of his aversion to dishonesty of any klndo' Haturally, it is the ::. / / ' ; . '• ' ' ' ■. ■ ■ 70 Sehoengelst wfeip ' Is , Bus oh’s welcome target, and who. smsb : endure the pitiless ridicule of his sarcasm, ' It is a, matter of coarse that the poor son. of ■ the Muses is not depicted' as being blessed with a great deal' of native intelligence, for he consistently displays considerable clumsiness i n ,spotting the. sources of his. troubles, The physical aches which Baehlamm suffers are punishment for the m&n whose head is in the clouds, It seems that the poet who strives for the sublime is always completely abd devastatlngly bumbled. This evidences,Busch1s own resignation with regard to ‘ . achieving the sublime^ .(a resignation; which must, have t been the result of disappointing struggles).' - , Our humorous' critic brings his satire of the S-plessbuepger poet, to an end In a rather good-natured way; nobody was actually severely harmed or hurt * the author had fun and the- reader, got a good laugh o u t o f - ' the : f rustrated, ;poe t i.e as pi ra tlohs of the Spies s huerg er: : ; , ; . . Fr au Ba ehlamm huf t ^ a Is e r erwacht s - !tHeraus > mein' Schatz.t Bs ist schon AehtiH Urn leune wandelt Baehlamm1 so Wie. ehedem auf sein Buero»~32 If, we consider Busch to. be an art, critic, uve ought to examine his attitudes towards art on various levels, It will be necessary to.. investigate Busch’s relation to art and to h i s .soelety, with'due regard to v ' 52, Ibid., pp, 409-410, 71 social and political problems. In t h e process of this investigation, one encounters a pitiless lashing of half-educated mediocrity and contemporary cultural ' endeavors. Busch directs his attacks at the culture- bearers and toward the public pretense of enjoying the . manifestations of culture: . IJnd, was auch einer sagen mag. Genussreich 1st der Eaehmittag, Den ich inmitten schooner Dinge Im lieben Kunstverein verbringej ® © @ o e » ® o ® © e e e o o o "Ein leisterwerk der Phantasie, tvAch, bitte, seh'n Sie mur, Komtess I" Und die Komtess, _ si eh tinterdess ... Im duftigen Battiste sohneuzend, Erwidert schwaermhisch: "Oh, wie reizend!"33 Busch's aversion to mediocrity and his insistence on the highest standard prevented him from ever trying to exhibit his own excellent paintings. His personal tragedy appears to have been that the Dutch masters had used a similar style of paintinge His uncompromising perfectionism was responsible for his suppression of the urge to seek recognition, for he would rather have remained a caricaturist than to have seemed a second- rate copyist of the. creations of others. This perfectionism found expression in his pitiless criticism of second-rate artists„ Busch's relations to his society .and its social and political problems are well reflected 33 ibid., pp. 413-414. ' . 72 in h i s :work. Those members of the middle-elass who are too ppreoocupied with appearances and the desire to imitate the nobility in a pretense of pursuing cultural satisfactions are harshly treated. Maler Elecksel is an illustrated story of a frustrated painter. His ambitious parents had discovered his talent when he was still yin his cradle, and had planned the painter's career accordingly. After an , unsatisfactory apprenticeship.1 with a painter and interior decorator, young Kleckael attends an academy of arts only to discover there that he lacks both talent and money. . ■ . Recht gern empfaengt.die Musenstadt Den Fremdling, welcher etwas hat.-34 , Young Elecksel eventually marries a waitress whom he had admired as a student, and he becomes-an innkeeper; this career is much more in accord with his talents and inclinations than is painting. The first chapter of Maler Elecksel contains an overview of Busch's "concept of the cultural interests of his contemporaries. He 'is . . particularly concerned with the pretense of deriving pleasure from listening to music, for example, and he seems to sweep all. cultural and artistic interests of his contemporary society into an accumulation of pretense. 34 Ibid., p= 458. 73 boredom and vanity.\ The whole range of cultural hypocrisy is critically examined in a very concise and descriptive.manners which is strongly reminiscent of Heine: • , . Fern liegt es mir den Freund su ruegen, - Dem Tee zu-kriegen ein Vergnuegen Und im Salon mit geistverwandten Aesthetlsch durchgegluehten Tanten Durch Reden bald und bald durch Lauschen Die Seelen saeuselnd auszutauschen. - e o © © © e- d o » © » e © » e © © & Ihn faehrt die Droschke# zieht das.Herz . Zu schoenen Opern und Konzerts, Die auch im Grund, was nicht zu leugnen, . Zum Zwiegespraech sich trefflich eignen. © © © © © © ® ® © © © a o o © © © © © © Man 1st so voll humaner Waerme, Doch ewlg stoert uns das Gelaerme, • Das Grunzens Plaerren und G-egirre Der musikalis.chen Geschirre. Die eine Schar im schwarzen Fraeke ' lit krummen Fingern, voiler Backe, Vom leister Zappelmann gehetzt, Hartnaeekig • in Bewegung; ■ setzt -© • • * e » © » e © © * © @ © © e e . ®. ■ ‘ Der Architak.tv. ist hochverehrlieh/ . e .Weil er uns ums'reBrdenkruste, . . .Hit saubern Baulichkeiten schmueckt, lit Tuermen und Kasernen spickt. ©- e e o ©, ©, o • e ©, © » s » o o Der PlastikerV der uns ergoetzt, : ■ Weil er die grosser. Maenner setzt. Grauschwaerzlichs gruenlich oder weisslioh, . . .Dass jeder? der z.B. fremd, Soeben erst vom Bahnhof koemmt, In der ihm unbekannten Stadt - Gleich den bekannten Schiller hat.56 Busch hardly ever,writes with enthusiasm about music, which apparently seems to him just disturbing noise. The 55 ibid., p. 413. 56 Ibid. , p.. 414. ; ; ■ ' ; ■■ . . piano9 for example, jaas value., only as an attractive piece of furniture; ' ' . Mit rec]a.t ersciieint -uns das Klavier, Wenn’s schoen poliert, als Zirameraier. t Ob’s .aus serdem Genuss verschafftj; : ’ . Bleibt . bin und v^ieder zweifelhaft>37 Busch.1 s unsjinpatbetic attitude toward music appears as a definite blind-spot in one who is otherwise artistic. ' ■ Johannes Klein confirms this assertion when he states: M . . .er sah, aber er hoerte nieht Musik. - Buseh hat seine Abneigung gegen Musik noeh in der beruehmten Einleitung : zu Maler Klecksel dargestellt. Busch1 s rather narrow-minded attitude toward music^ which is another art form, is quite disappointing and almost reminiscent of the attitude of an intolerant Spie ssbuerger . Bin gutes Tier . . . : : - ; . r 1st das Kiavier, ;;h . o o © a e ® © ® ■ . Der Virtues " - , .Stuerzt darauf los/ . . • lit hoehgestraeubter. Maehne, - • e • » « o e o ; © ® . a e e e © " o : ifie, es. da schrie., . ; : ; . : : Das. arme Fieh,. : . ■ :/. - Und unter"Angstgewimmer . . Bald hoeh, bald tief , Urn Hilfe rief,.' Vergess* .ich'nie und nimmer.^9 .Much of the art .of his,,time.especially painting, was ; . by economic necessity:-. Reared to the tastes of the new rich 57 Ibid., p. lit)'; ' ■ 58 ■Johanhe.s Kleltiy 'Geschichte der Deutsohen Dyrlk, p . 638. . . t/. .vv'.v '59 Wilhelm Bus eh, Wilhelm Busch Ge s amt aus gabe » V,- ■891. : ■• ' : ' '' 75 or the decadent nobilitir. portraits and occasional 1 paintings of landscapes were tjae prevailing expressions of contemporary painters. The homo novus attempted to hide his'lack of taste behind a mass of accumulated art treasures. Thus quantity took the place of quality. Busch gives his attention to the art experts of his time and puts particular emphasis on their materialistic attitude. In Maler Klecksel art exhibitions and art galleries provided Busch with a hilarious stage« a panorama of experts, connoisseurs and other cultured . . enthusiasts who were superbly, suited to illustration and ridicule: - ‘ Hit .8charfear Blick, nach hennerweise, Seh ich zunaechst mal nach dem Preise, Und bei genauerer Betraehtung Steigt mit dem Preise auch die Achtung ' Ich bli.eke durch die hohle Hand, ' Ich blinzle, nicke: "Ah seharmant V "Das Koloritj die Pinse1fuehrung» _ "Die Farbentoene j,- die G-i’uppierung,40 Today, we can feel real sympathy with the creative minds Of a century ago who had.to witness mediocrity and stereotyped convention in almost all fields of. artistic endeavor. In spite of the'fact that Busch laughed at philistine forms of art which catered to the tastes of convention, the Sp1esshasfgertam and parvenus, he must have looked upon this state of affairs with great despair. 40 Wilhelm Bus eh, Wilhelm Busch Gesamtausgabe, IY, 414. ' ' ■ • 76 His satire and kramer seem to have provided the necessary outlet for the ■tensions created by his critical attitude^ , One should bear in wind that Busch had set his personal standards so high that when comparing his own art with what he had seen in,Antwerp in the art of the old masters, he must have begun to think in terms of retreat and - resignation. Consequently, it is not surprising that the artist in Busch ridicules and criticises his contemporary painters so intensely in- Maler■ KLecksel. He lashes at the Farbenkuenstlsr, with biting satire : ; ; y. ,. ■ Dbeh .groessem Ruhm wird der verdienen Der Farbeh kauft und malt mit ihaen. Wer weiss die Hallen und derglelchen So welthistorisch zu bestreichenf A1 fresko und fuer ewig fast, , - Se-nn ’ s mit tier we lie. ni eht verblas s t. 41 Today we can perhaps better understand his artistic pessimism and aversion for gaining the acclaim and admiration of the aesthetic hypocrites of his own age. Busch’s, own experiences i n :the field of painting are :,: projected into the pietupe~story:of■Maler Klecksei0 The v ‘ ’’gifted” Spiessbuerger,, as' presented in the story, is a reflection of Busch himself a , Busch could not help'ppking.fun at prevalent art■ trends. For example, by cleverly insinuating that even,; the baby impressionist noticed the effects of light in ■ ■ his cradle, Busch ridiculed the emphasis which the 41 Ibid,, pp® H i ”*415. • _ • 77 impressionists attached to the effects of light: Auch schlea's Ihm hoechst verwundersam? Wenn demand,mit der hampe kame Er staumt, er glotzt, er schaut verqaer, . Polgt der Erscheinnng hin und her Und weidetv'sich am hiehteffekt • Man sieht bereits, was In ihm steckto^S ■ In reviewing Busch's critical observations of the various fields of art of his time, it is safe to assert that he was justified in exposing and ridiculing the predominant mediocrity, shallowness and hypocrisy of his time. However, it appears that his perception of the world was one where,goodness and love were sadly lacking® 1 He seems to have seasoned his pessimistic .outlook with humor in order to make his reflections more congenial to his readers and to himself,' 42 Ibid., p. 417. CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION 11 Yet, Malice never was his Aim; -He lash’d the Vice but spar'd the Name. "No individual could resent, "Where Thousands equally were meant. , "His Satyr points at no Defect, "But what all.. Mortals may correct ; "For he abhorr'd that senseless Tribe, "Who call it Humour when they jibe: "He spar'd a Hump or crooked Nose, "Whose Owners set not up for Beaux. "True genuine Dulness mov’d his Pity, "Unless it offer'd, to be witty.1 A closer acquaintance with Busch’s work induces us to appreciate him as an artist par excellence who aimed at a critical.appraisal of his time and his contemporaries'. He appears as a laughing witness :of the foibles of his time; leaving, in his art,, a permanent remembrance which consists mostly .of negative criticism." , It would be erroneous to consider him a self-indulgent .. escapist despite the many years of.seclusion in quiet . liedensahl. On the contrary, he was acutely aware of the social questions of his day and delighted in * ridiculing the Spiessbuerger, clergyman, pedagogue, artist . 1 Jonathan Swift, The Poems of Jonathan Swift, II, 571-572. 78 writer and the world at large. The hypocrisy of these people was always the main target of his criticism. It is interesting to note that Bus eh usually' . .sounds moderate and almost resigned, in contrast to other satirical^ and social critics. A passionate plea'or call ■ of warning would he ;difficmlt to reconei.le with his . character and his strong desire for seclusion. Howeverg his work does not give the impression'that he had. avoided ■ the prohlems. of. his' day. His attitude towards Bismarck's Beichsgedanke furnishes adequate proof that Busch was a keen ohserver who took an active interest in the state of affairs ih Germany. - - : It appears that Bus eh1s inherent pessimism is the basic cause of his criticism of his society., It is this attitude which' finds expression in Eritik'des w v ' . - " - .'V:': ■ ;v" ■ : ■ Herzens: - ■ • Es sltzt ein Vogel auf dem helm, '■ Er flattert sehr und kann nicht heim. ' . , ., Bin sehwarzer Eater schleleht henzu, . ■ / Die.Eralien scharf, die Augen gluh. v ■ . Per Vogel denkt; iffeil das so 1st' Und well-mich doch der Eater frisst, . 1 So;will ich keine ,;2:eit , verlieren, • .; Will noch ' eiri wenig,'qulnquil!eren 1 ' ' . 1 . Und lUstig pfelfem wie zuvor.. Der Vogel^ scheint rnir., ■ hat Humor. ^ He seems to have perceiyed this, world as being devoid of 2 Wilhelm Busch, Wilhelm Bus oh Ge s amt ausgabe, V, 216., ' ; love* goodness and compassion. . \ . V Els mse of the mmderstatement la his verses.and, .eaplcdtsnes and- jais method of permeating the grotesqhe h with such wit.as to soften; his verbal blows quite . frequently deceive, th#; reader into assuming that a great many of his works are quite suitable for children's • ' literature« Since the greater bulk .of. his works contains mainly satirical 'crltieissi of his society* it would be erroneous to assume that Busch was primarily a writer of children's storiesi Busch’s, writings are hilarious and full of ridicule-but they are also filled ; with- thoughtful. ‘ : criticism. Although he is not didactic*, his mockery of m a n ’s inclination to be. immoral indicates that he is a . . moralist. He draws a. sharp .dividing line between illusion and- reality .by dire ch. ing thp whole force - of; his sarcasm at art if ice * hypocrisy and pretense . ...;' ■. .. . Busch depicts the world as being based on the ;. law of the jungle with the home homini lupus masquerading, under a thin, veneer of civilisation. In Zu guter hetst . he. comments thus: - '. ■ . ; ' ; v . - .. her Bauer sprach'zu seinem iungen: . , ' Heut in der Stadt da wirst du gaffen. Wir fahren hin und seh’n die Affen. Es 1st geiungen . . ' ■ - End urn si eh s chief zu .la Chen, \ .■ : ' Sas, die fuer Streiche ma.chen . % . E n d fuer Geslchter. ■ .v: - E e reehte Boes.ewi.ehter. : ; ' ; ■. - ' . ■ • ' ; 8.1 Sie teamen. slGb., ■ ; : ; Sle zamsem slQji, .. : '. ; " , v- ; : - Sie kamea sich, ■ : : 1' '. ; - "-v Sle lamaen. si eh, . • • [email protected] dleBstelmtippepn das3 - . . Und keIner goennt dem andern was, Und essen tun sle mit dep Hand, Und alles turn sle mlt Yepstand, - ' ; ¥ n d .jedep stlehlt.als wle.eln Babe« . ■ y ’• Pass auf>' das siejast du Heute e y’ 0 Vater,. ..plef dep Ehabe, ' y .y Sind Affen denn auch. Leute ? ^ 1 - Der Vatep sppach: Nun ja, . - Nlcht ganz, docb. so belmaH.® Busch, like- the modepn political eaptoonlst, who Is one v©fy the most detefmlned .'social critics of our times, uses y caricature and satIre not only as a means of pldicule but also as effective, weapons of accusation. The author of D##, heillge Antoni us and Pater Filuclus was very aware .. . ;y of the effectiveness of ridicule. His outspoken partisan stand in the Kultupkampf demonstrates his censure of the.If Gatholle clergy, and his support of Bismarck’s ' .Beichsgedanke is clearly illustrated In his Partikularisten^ Our analysis of his indictment and ridicule of the cultural endeavors of his time evidenced his pronounced subjectivity. I# spite,: of the fact that .his own performance in the fields of art and literature qualified. him as a competent critic, his rigorous judgment of contemporary culture was greatly influenced by personal, experlences of frustration in his own career and by an awareness of his own limitations.. These feelings are 3 Ibid® ,' p. 279. .expressed with character is tie’ conclseaess im Kritik des Herzens: , . ''"';" ... ■ Es yvoiinen die hohen G-edanken 1 IB' e ineni hohen Hans . Ich klopfte, do eh limner hiess es; Die Herrschaft fuehr eben aus! Hun klopf ioh ganz besohelden ■ Dei klelmeren Deutem an° Ein.Stueckel Brot* eia Grosohen Ernaehren aneh ihren Mann=4 Busch had been influenced to such an extent by. past literature that the resemblance of some of,his work with that of earlier satirists appears astounding. He leaned heavily on themes that had been used in Sehwamkliteratur and German folktales, and also- on fables •' that had been rewritten by renowned writers. "Der Dornstraueh” 5 a fable by 'Aesep, was rewritten by Des sing in the following form: Der Dornstranch Fabo Aesop 42. ■ Aber sage mlr doch, fragte die Seide den ■ ; Dornstranch., warum du na c h • den Kleidern des vorbeygehenden Menschen s©'begierig blst? Was willst du damit? Was koennen sie dir helfen? - ■ Hichts-I sagte der Dornstranch. Ich will sie ihm nur zerreissen.5 Dessing rewrote this fable about one hundred years before;; . Busch wrote in his Zu guter Detzt; • 4 Ibid. , p, .215. ' y ' y - / S Gotthold Ephraim Dessing/ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Saemtliche Schriften, eds Karl Lachmann, (Stuttgart, 1886J, iV 217. 83 Ber Sehadenfroihie v Bin. Bornbus o h stand, im Wiesental ; ' An ednen: Stiegev -weAeiae1 ®eBma:l? :: ' "• ■ Fnd glng’voraeber ingendweng ■ - ' Ben griff er. an mnd kratste er. Bin. .Laeimlein .kam dab.ergeianpftfe Bas hat er ebenfalls gerupft« Es'sient • ibn tranrig an und apriclifi ; . Bn nrannnst \ doen md-ine Bqiie nieht^ Bnd; ni.esia.Bs ' f at - icli dir: ein Beidj ■ " :A . ': ' ' - ' Sesbalb zerrupfst dn denn'raein .Kleidf Bs tut mir web. und ist aueh. sehad. • f El9; rief der Freche9 darum grad.S The similarity of gome motifs in Bnlenspiegel witb some . of Busch8 s' themes are just as striking, 'The rather well known plot, in thenBrltt.er Streieh'1. in Max und Moritz resembles the motif in one of Bnlenspiegelis adventures at huernberg very closely. Max and Moritz rip the narrow bridge.with a saf and tease the irascible tailor with'a loud ."meek, meek5 ..meek1' to induce him to pursue them; Max und,Moritz# gar nieht traege# • Saegen heimli.eh'mit der Saege # : ; Bitzeratze! voller Tuecke, . - • . In die Bruecke eine Luecke.- ■ '. Als nun. diese Tat vorbei , . ■ ' Hoert man ploetzlieh eln 8-eschrei; "He# herausl du Ziegen-Boeekl : ■ } Schneider^/‘Sehneider5 meek#, meek# meek! I"-? • . " The recognition • of the similarity with Eulehsplegel1 s pranks:in.Huernberg is further facilitated by the G #llhe 1m Bus oh# ' Wlihelm Bus eh G-e s amt aus gabe, V, 274, 1 ; ' ■ ' - ' *. ^ Wilhelm Busch# Wilhelm Busch lesamtauSgabe, .11, 92-95 . . . . ■ ^ - . : \84,y ao eompaBya-.ng pic.tTore in FIs chart1 s Per n e w . E^.Iea.splegel ./Beiraenweiss. Eulenspiegel removes a few planks from a, - bridge across the Pegnifz and provokes the guards on duly by nailing them names« '■' Er brack' in still vom selben. steg ■ Drey Dieleu fein bey naebt binweg ’ I' v Vnd warff sie in die, Pegnitz bnein, Gieng' fuer das Rabtbauss,, nara ein,stein Vnd warff vnd fluebet sebr darbey, "- Vnd macbet ein gross, wild geschrey,® The sleepy guardsmen ohase Eulenspiegel angrily across the - prepared bridge. ibe desired effect is the same as in Max: und,Moritz:,they fall into the river! Da dass die- Tffaecbter da. vernamen, Eieffends jm: nacb gleich allzusammen, Wolt jegliober der erste sein. .. . Der erst, der felt in Bach binein, , , Die andern jm nacb trewlicb flelenS " However s there is a vast difference in the presentation: of these rather similar themes * Whereas FIs chart!s Der new , Eulenspiegel Relmenwelss is not very'readable today. Bus eh;s Max und Moritz seems to be as popular now as it was a: hundred years agpv - ■ ■: - H o .other German writer has achieved the harmonious fusion of word and picture into a: swift, and .concise shorthand with the degree of perfection attained by Bus ch. It is significant that Albert Einstein wrote: "Wilhelm .Buseh, insbesondere der Schriftsteller Busch, ist elner 8 iohann FIs chart, Johann FIscharts Werke, 11,166 9 Ibid., pp. 166-16?;. - V- . : ; :; .;:.::-: : :. : \^ ^^ ^ ^,:;:: /::;;' \.'-'^ .: ;, \ -' 8S ' der groesstien Melster stllistlseher' Treffsiohepb.eifc. : leb. denke ausser viellelolit Lichtenberg- - hat es keiaea . Ebenbuertigen in dentscher Sprache gegeben.lQ . 10 Hans Dal&er, f/ilhelia B-nsQhs Spruchweisb.eiten> P o d-L e BIBLIOGRAPHY Adolf, Helene. Pern nenen Reich ent^egen, . . ed. Dr« H. Klndenmann. Leipzig, 1930. '■ -y- Im nenen Reich, ed« Dr* II. Kindermann. Leipzig,.1932o . Alexander , Thomas. The Hew Ednoation. in the German. Republic. Hew York, 1929.. Anlauf, Earl. Per Phllosoph von Wiedensahl. Berlin, 1939. Balzer, Hans. Es ist allerlei Siehthares drin.. Rudolstadt, 1956. . Wilhelm Busehs Spruchwelsheiten. . Frankfurt aolo, 1956. . Bieber, Hugo. Per Kampf urn die Tradition. Stuttgart, . 1928. Bohne, Friedrich. Wilhelm Bus eh. Zurich, Stuttgart, ■ 1958. Burkhard, Werner. Schriftwerke deutseher Spraahe. Aarau, 1957. Busch, Wilhelm. WiIhe 1m Bus ch Gesamtausgahe, ed. Otto NoedeIke, Munich, 1958. Wilhelm Bus ch Gesammelt e Werke . •Munich, 1959. ' Humor1stischer Hausschatz. Munich, 1924. Dangers, Robert. Wilhelm Busch sein Leber und seIn Iferk. Berlin-Orunewald, 1930.. Dangl, Hans. Die fllegenden Blaetter als Spiegel ihrer Zelt. Wuerzburg, 1938, Dekmatel, Toelot. Wilhelm Busch der lachende Phllosoph des Pessimismus. Rotterdam, 1940. 86 87 d*Ester, K. Zielttm^swesen.• . Breslau, 1928. . , Pisciiart, Joiiamii J'olaaiin PisobartS Werke , edQ .■ ' Dr6 Adolf Hauffen.. Stuttgart, 1873. Gloclmer, Hermann. - Wilhelm Busch der'Mens ch, der ZelGhner, . der Humorist. '■ Tuebingen, 1932. Klein, Jobann. ■ G-esob.icb.te der deutsoben Lyrlk. : Wiesbaden, 1957 v- ' : Kortum, Karl A. Die Jobsiade, edv Ft Bobertag., Berlin and Stuttgart,'; 1883. . ■ Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing SaemtTiche Schrlften, ed® K. Lachman,. Stuttgart, ■ '■ 1886. ■ \ ' '' : Martini, Fritz.. Deutsche Literaturgesohlohte. . Tuebingen, 1955. Meyer, Richard M. Die deutsche Llteratur dee Heunzehnten Jahrhunderts. Berlin, 1900. .. R o t o tny, Fritz. Wilhelm Busch als Zelchner und Maler. Wien, 1949. . ■ Sachs, Hans. Hans Sachs Werke., ad* Dr® B® Arnold, Berlin and Stuttgart, 1873. Stemplinger, Eduard. Der Muenchner•Kreis. Leipzig, : 1933. ■ ' ' Swift, Jonathan. The Poems of Jonathan Swift. Oxford, . 1937. " Vischer,. Friedrich Theodor . Altos und Reues. Stuttgart, 1 8 8 2 . ■ ■ '■■■ ■ ' ' ' ■ ' ' ■ Walzel,. Oskar, Die deutsche Llteratur von Goethes Tod bis zur Gegenwart. Berlin, 1929. . Winter, Fritz. Wilhelm Busch als Dichter, Kuenstler, Psyehologe und Philosoph. Berkeley, 1910.