The silence of a drummer - Günter Grass and his literary output as posthumously evaluated in the Polish and German press
Abstract
The article analyses reactions of both Polish and German media observable after the death of Günter Grass - one of the most accomplished German writers, the Nobel Prize laureate connected with the city of Gdańsk. The death of the controversial writer became another occasion for interpretation and evaluation of his numerous works, but also for a return to his turbulent biography and the discussion over his unspoken of and kept secret service in the SS. An analysis of the earliest pieces of information about the author's death included in German and Polish electronic sources indicates that there is a significant difference between the evaluation of the deceased writer in his homeland and in Poland. All of articles analysed refer to the basic facts from Grass' biography, call him one of the greatest contemporary authors and a great German, while The Tin Drum is perceived as the novel of the century. In both countries his social involvement, his political activity within SPD, and his support for Polish-German reconciliation are appreciated. However, the German press stresses more frequently the controversies surrounding Grass, the critical discussions after the publication of Too Far Afield, doubts surrounding Grass' reception of the Nobel Prize in Literature, or the global outrage after Grass' confession of having served in Waffen-SS. "Die Zeit" and "Der Spiegel" remind the readers of the negative commentaries after the 2012 publication of the poem "What must be said". Politicians and artists expressing their opinion recall Grass as an extraordinary figure, a merciless moraliser, a critic and provoker, and at the same time an unrivalled model for numerous writers, their authority and inspiration. Although many articles stress linguistic mastery and the rhythmic quality of Grass' prose, as well as the significance and the message of his most famous works, it is the writer's political activity that over-shadows the literary one from the perspective of his countrymen. In comparison, the evaluation of the life and work of the writer presented immediately after his death in the Polish press appears to be much different. People quoted concentrate on Grass' connections with Gdańsk, on his ongoing efforts to improve the Polish-German relations, which could be seen both during his visits to Poland and in his prose. Although the controversial subjects, such as the long-kept-in-silence cooperation with Waffen-SS or violation of national myths, are signalled, but they are overshadowed by Grass' literary achievements and activity, at least in the view of the authors of the articles analysed and the writers quoted by them. In the Polish press - unlike in the German one - the deceased Nobel Prize laureate from Lubeck remains, first of all, an accomplished writer, not a controversial politician.
er Politiker.
Keywords:
Grass, death, reactions of media, german literature.References
References
Bończa-Szabłowski J., Kolega z Gdańska. Paweł Huelle wspomina Güntera Grassa, „Rzeczpospolita” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.rp.pl/artykul/1193209-Kolega-z-Gdanska-Pawel-Huelle-wspomina-Guntera-Grassa.html#ap-1 [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Böttiger H., Ein Funke der Moderne, „Die Zeit” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/literatur/2015-04/guenter-grass-gruppe-47-blechtrommel/komplettansicht [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
„Das Schreiben ist eine schreckliche Tortur”, „Süddeutsche Zeitung.de” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/zitate-von-guenter-grass-das-schreiben-ist-eine-schreckliche-tortur1.2433174 [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Der Krieg war Grass ein Antrieb zu schreiben, „Die Zeit” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/literatur/2015-04/guenter-grass-zeit-interview-motivation-schreiben [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Eggebrecht H., Sechs Romane für die Ewigkeit, „Süddeutsche Zeitung.de” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/guenter-grass-wichtigste-werke-sechs-romane-fuer-die-ewigkeit-1.2433507 [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
„Ein einwilliger politischer Geist”. Reaktionen zum Tod von Günter Grass, „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/buecher/autoren/tod-von-guenter-grass-reaktionen-aus-politik-und-medien-13535576.html?printPagedArticle=true#pageIndex_2 [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
„Ein Monument für Deutschland”. Reaktionen zum Tod von Günter Grass, „Süddeutsche Zeitung.de” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/reaktionen-zum-tod-von-guenter-grass-trommle-fuer-ihn-kleiner-oskar-1.2432651 [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Ein wahrer Gigant, eine Inspiration, ein Freund, „Die Zeit” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/literatur/2015-04/guenter-grass-gestorben-reaktionen-israel [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Guenter Grass nie żyje, „Wprost” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.wprost.pl/ar/502265/Guenter-Grass-nie-zyje/ [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Günter Grass’ letztes Buch. Was der Dichter noch zu sagen hatte, „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/buecher/steidl-verlag-veroeffentlicht-das-letzte-buch-von-guenter-grass-von-endlichkeit-13536351.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Günter Grass nie żyje, „Rzeczpospolita” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.rp.pl/artykul/1193167-Gunter-Grass-nie-zyje.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Günter Grass nie żyje. Miał 87 lat, „Gazeta Wyborcza” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://wyborcza.pl/1,75475,17744558,Gunter_Grass_nie_zyje_Noblista_mial_87_lat.html?disableRedirects=true [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Hammelehle S., Zum Tode von Günter Grass: Abschied von einer Jahrhundert-figur, „Der Spiegel” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/guenter-grass-nachruf-abschied-von-einer-jahrhundertfigur-a-1028295.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Hieber J., Der große Grass, „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/buecher/autoren/ein-nachruf-der-grosse-grass-13535516.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Kijowska M., Gelebte Grassomania. Polen nimmt Abschied, „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” 14.04.2015. Google Scholar
Krzemiński A., Mit Grass lernte ich Deutsch. Warum er in Polen unvergessen bleiben wird, „Die Zeit” 2015, nr 16. Google Scholar
Kurz vor dem Tod sprach Grass vom dritten großen Krieg, „Die Welt” z 14.04.2015, źródło: http://www.welt.de/kultur/article139520371/Kurz-vor-dem-Tod-sprach-Grass-vom-dritten-grossen-Krieg.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Literaturnobelpreisträger: Günter Grass ist tot, „Der Spiegel” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/guenter-grass-ist-tot-a-1028275.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Literaturpreisträger Günter Grass im Alter von 87 Jahren gestorben, „Frank-furter Allgemeine Zeitung“ z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/buecher/autoren/literaturnobelpreistraeger-guenter-grass-im-alter-von-87-jahren-gestorben-13535353.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Literaturpreisträger Günter Grass ist tot, „Die Zeit” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/literatur/2015-04/literaturnobelpreistraeger-guenter-grass-gestorben, [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Lohr S., Der Literat Günter Grass: Besser erzählen und glaubhafter lügen, „Der Spiegel” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/guenter-grass-als-literat-romane-erzaehlungen-gedichte-a-1028357.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Michnik A., Adam Michnik wspomina zmarłego noblistę: Grass, przyjaciel Polski, „Gazeta Wyborcza” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://wyborcza.pl/1,75475,17748515,Adam_Michnik_wspomina_zmarlego_nobliste_Grass__przyjaciel.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Nie żyje Günter Grass. Autor „Blaszanego bębenka”, „Polityka” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kultura/1615613,1,nie-zyje-gnter-grass-autor-blaszanego-bebenka.read [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Niemczyńska M.I., Najważniejsze książki Güntera Grassa, „Gazeta Wyborcza” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://wyborcza.pl/1,76842,17745455,Najwazniejsze_ksiazki_Guntera_Grassa.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Nobelpreisträger Günter Grass ist tot, „Die Welt“ z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.welt.de/kultur/article139460730/Guenter-Grass-ist-tot.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Odszedł Günter Grass, przyjaciel Polski, „Rzeczpospolita” z 14.04.2015, źródło: http://archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/1273621-Odszedl-G%C3%BCnter-Grass-przyjaciel-Polski.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Pisarze o Grassie: Otwierał nam oczy na pogmatwaną historię, „Gazeta Wyborcza” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://trojmiasto.wyborcza.pl/trojmiasto/1,35636,17745530,Pisarze_o_Grassie__Otwieral_nam_oczy_na_pogmatwana.html#TRrelSST [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Posthum veröffentlichtes Interview: Grass warnte kurz vor seinem Tod vor Drittem Weltkrieg, „Der Spiegel” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/guenter-grass-warnte-kurz-vor-tod-vor-drittem-weltkrieg-a-1028519.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Radisch I., Man muss ins Herz treffen! Es war wie das Wunder von Bern, „Die Zeit” 2015, nr 16. Google Scholar
Rudenauer U., Ein Beschwörer und Mahner, „Die Zeit” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/literatur/2015-04/guenter-grass-nachruf [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Schmidt T., Der literarische Leitwolf einer ganzen Generation, „Die Welt” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article139498702/Der-literarische-Leitwolf-einer-ganzen-Generation.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Schuster J., Günter Grass nervte, aber Querköpfe wie er fehlen, „Die Welt” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article139614028/Guenter-Grass-nervte-aber-Querkoepfe-wie-er-fehlen.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
„Sein Vermächtnis wird neben Goethe stehen”, „Die Welt” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.welt.de/kultur/literarischewelt/article139478092/Sein-Vermaechtnis-wird-neben-Goethe-stehen.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Stimmen zum Tod von Günter Grass. „Er wird neben Goethe stehen”, „Der Spiegel” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/guenter-grass-reaktionen-gauck-gabriel-jelinek-rushdie-a-1028331.html [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Und immer mit Tobak, „Die Zeit” z 13.04.2015, źródło: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/literatur/2015-04/guenter-grass-nachruf-fs [stan z 14.02.2016]. Google Scholar
Statistics
Abstract views: 57PDF downloads: 24
Similar Articles
- Grzegorz KOWAL, German reception of Janusz Korczak , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 1 (2016): CIRCULATION OF GERMAN-LANGUAGE AND POLISH LITERATURE IN THE XXI CENTURY
- Bożena BADURA, Success of Morphine by Szczepan Twardoch in Germany , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 1 (2016): CIRCULATION OF GERMAN-LANGUAGE AND POLISH LITERATURE IN THE XXI CENTURY
- Aneta Garlikowska, Strategies for coping with the anxiety of death in the novel "What You Can See from Here" by Mariana Lekys , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 8 (2023): Anxiety and fear in contemporary German-language, Polish and Irish literature
- Ewa JAROSZ-SIENKIEWICZ, Karl Dedecius – The Post Mortem Recognition Tribute , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 4 (2019)
- Bożena Anna BADURA, Aesthetic Reduction in Narration and Immersion in the Latest German and Polish Debut Novels , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 2 (2017)
- Manuela Graf, A land where sweetness is mixed with bitterness. Ireland as an object of longing in German literature on the example of Heinrich Böll's Irish Journal , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 7 (2022)
- Gabriela JELITTO-PIECHULIK, Reception of the work of Ricarda Huch in Poland , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 1 (2016): CIRCULATION OF GERMAN-LANGUAGE AND POLISH LITERATURE IN THE XXI CENTURY
- Hans-Christian Trepte, Returning to the Past: Following Family Traces in Contemporary Literature of not only Polish Descent , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 4 (2019)
- Katarzyna LUKAS, Border Crossings in Intersemiotic Translation: the Graphic Novel Heimsuchung und andere Erzählungen von Bruno Schulz by Dieter Jüdt , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 3 (2018)
- Rafał Pokrywka, The Ironical Mode in the Contemporary Romance Novel , Transfer. Reception Studies: Vol. 5 (2020)
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
