Max Brod in Prag. Identität und Vermittlung. Conditio Judaica: Studien und Quellen zur deutsch-jüdischen Literatur- und Kulturgeschichte 75 by Ga�lle Vassogne (review)

Abstract

Reviews 203 Max Brodin Prag.Identität und Vermittlung. By Gaëlle Vassogne. Conditio Judaica: Studien undQuellenzurdeutsch-jüdischen LiteraturundKulturge schichte75 . Tübingen:Niemeyer. 2009. 366 pp. €79.95.isbn 978-3-48465175 -З. GaëlleVassogne's monograph hasbeenpublished ata very aptmoment. After half a century during whichthememory oftheJewish poet,writer and philosopher MaxBrodseemed tohavebeencompletely erasedfrom publicmemory, hisnameis nowonceagainintheheadlines. Theoccasionisthefierce legalbattle between the Israelinational library andtheDeutsches Literaturarchiv inMarbachoverBrod's NachlasSy anarchive that contains notonly hisownworks butthoseofFranzKafka, hisclosest friend. BroddiedinTelAvivin1968, andhisarchive hasremained closedtohistorical andliterary research eversince.Vassogne, whowrote herdoctoral thesison Max Brodin theSorbonne, maynothavehad accessto his archive, butshehas still managed todepictina fascinating waytheimpressive development ofhisliterary, philosophical andpolitical career inPragueduring theyears1904-39. Unlikemost scholars, who analyseBrodfroma philosophical, religious, literary or Zionist perspective, orelseconcentrate onlyonhisclosefriendship withKafka, Vassogne focuses onBrod'sroleas a mediator between CzechandtheGermanculture. This activity, Vassogne argues, originated from hisidentity as a Jew inwhichmediation between cultures playsa central role. Vassogne divides her studyinto two parts. The firstpart, 'Max Brods Identitätssuche', describes Broďs spectacular riseto literary fame,starting with thepublication ofhisfirst short stories in German-language newspapers around 1905, whenhewasonlytwenty-one yearsold,through thegreat successofhisfirst novelSchloß Nornepygge (1908), andculminating withBrodfinding a newidentity as a Jew aroundtheyears1909-11. At first, Vassognesuggests, BrodadoptedSchopenhauer's deterministic and pessimistic philosophy, a worldviewthatwas typicalofViennesedecadenceat theturnof thecentury. This philosophy, whichBrodentitled 'indifferentism', gaveall phenomena intheworld an equalweight, without themoraljudgment of goodorevil.A turning pointis evident, however, in thenovellaEintschechisches Dienstmädchen (1909).Its hero,a young,alienatedman fromViennawho has beensentto Praguebyhis father, succeedsthrough his loveofa youngCzech maidservant in breaking out ofhis cold,gloomyinnerworldofreflection and thought and openinghimself up forthefirst timeto thewarmth andjoyofthe 'real'world.Andjustas thischaracter is awakenedto thebitter nationalrivalry between theCzechsandtheGermans in Prague, so toodidBrodhimself became aware,after thepublication ofthisnovella, ofthefactthathebelonged toneither nationality, butto a 'third* one,to Judaism, whichfromnowon gavehim'den Schlüssel zurBildung einerindividuellen undkollektiven Identität1 (p.46). Vassognededicatesa wholechapterto Brod'sunique views on Judaism. Brod developedhis opinions afterencounterswith the philosophersHugo Bergmanand MartinBuber,and theyare closerto the nineteenth-century 'philosophy of life' (Lebensphilosophie) movement than to religion.They led 204 Reviews to thepublication of Broďs firstnovelsto focuson Jewish themes, Jüdinnen (1911) and Arnold Beer.Das Schicksal einesJuden (1912). The central elements in Broďs philosophical perception of Judaism includetheimperative Thou shalt lovethyneighbour as thyself, an emphasis on freewilland action, and a strong senseofMessianism. Vassogneanalysestheseelements through different texts, including letters, articles and,ofparticular relevance, Brods mostfamousnovel, Tycho BrakesWegzu Gott(1915). She accountsforanother turning pointin the development of Brod'sphilosophical thought, whichoccurredafterthe shock and turmoil causedbytheFirstWorldWar.Froma worldviewthatdemanded thatman shouldstrive formoralreform and placedon his shoulders thesole responsibility forchange,Brod turnedto a view thatacknowledged man's impotence as wellashispower, a viewthat allowsfor divinemercy andunexpected intervention in the formof miracles.An expressionof this new approach can be seen in Brod'simportant philosophical studyHeidentum, Christentum, Judentum (1920). The second part of Vassone'sstudy,'Max Brods politischesEngagement*, comprises Vassogne's greatest contribution toresearch on Brod'swork. Shebegins thesection byanalysing Brod'sroleintheCzechZionistmovement after theFirst WorldWar.Brodwas electedas vice-president of theJewish nationalcouncil (Jüdischer Nationalrat) in thenewCzechoslovak republic immediately after the War,buthisfailure tobere-elected in1920madehimabandonthepolitical world fora careeras a cultural critic andcommentator. Through thisroleBrodtriedto promote Czechculture intheGerman-speaking world, for example bytranslating intoGermanthelibretti ofLeoš Janácek's operas,and byadapting forthestage Jaroslav Hašek'snovelTheGoodSoldier Švejk. Forall hisgood intentions and hardwork, successprovedelusive, and in her finalchapters Vassogne describes howBrodattempted toconfront thetideofantiSemitism andHitler's ascenttopowerbywriting a bookattacking racism, andby inventing a newphilosophical conceptthathecalled'Distanzliebe'. Thisconcept allowedBrodtokeephisloveofGerman culture despite events, andtomaintain at thesametimehisown'national'identity as a Jew. Realizing thegrowing danger, however, Brodmanaged tofleeonthelasttrainleaving Praguebefore Nazitroops entered thecity. He endedup in Palestine, wherehe worked as a dramaturgical advisor atthenational IsraeliTheater 'Habima'untilhisdeathin1968. VassogneseesBrodas a tragic figure. He failedtoforesee events, ortolookfor a refuge thatwouldallowhimto keephiscentral cultural position. In addition, Broddedicated himself to thepromotion ofotherartists, suchas Werfel, Kafka, Hašekand Janáček, butwiththerecognition and successoftheseartists hisrole endedandhewaslargely forgotten. Still, Brodisa fascinating figure, as Vassogne's research demonstrates. Mostofhis careerwas devotedto culturalmediation in theform ofcountless articles andessaysinPraguenewspapers andother Germanspeaking journals.The extent ofhis workis visiblein thevolume'simpressive bibliographical indexdocumenting allofBrod'spoems,short stories, novels, plays, philosophical worksand articleswritten between1904and 1939.Readingthis almostoverwhelmingly enormous indexbrings homeBrod'smastery ofdiverse Reviews 205 media and underscores Vassogne'scontribution to our understanding of his contribution toGerman-speaking culture andtoJewish history...