Karl Tekusch (1890–1977), his concept of Sprachechtheit, and the purism movement in Austria

Abstract

Summary The discovery of Karl Tekusch as a key player and significant link in the history of Austrian and German linguistic purism is the subject of this article. Tekusch was the last chairman of the Vienna Branch of the Deutscher Sprachverein (DSV), from the Austrian Anschluss until its dissolution, and he was also the first chairman of its post-WWII successor, the Viennese Verein Muttersprache, which is still active today. The existence of the hitherto lesser-known Germanischer Sprachverein, founded and chaired by Tekusch for 15 years, proves that the alleged ’gap’ in organised Austrian linguistic purism does in fact not exist, and that Austrian linguistic purism must indeed be regarded as a continuous phenomenon. Strongly influenced by the völkisch movement and later the national socialists, Tekusch had developed and continuously worked on his concept of Sprachechtheit, ‘linguistic authenticity’. The concept was very influential on purist organisations in Austria and Germany until at least the late 1970s. Moreover, Sprachechtheit was discussed beyond the realm of linguistics purism, by academics in German Philology, Sociology, Social Psychology, and German Folklore Studies / European Ethnology.