Werner Vordtriede

Werner Vordtriede (18 March 1915 – 25 September 1985) was a German professor and an important translator, editor and writer born in the German Empire. He was persecuted as a half-Jew (Mischling) in the National Socialism period, and had to emigrate as young man.

External image
1957 portrait photographs of Werner Vordtriede held by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.

Life

Vordtriede cames from a rich family. Born in Bielefeld, he moved because of the First World War and the early divorce of his parents, 1922 to Todtmoos in the Black Forest and in 1923 to Freiburg im Breisgau. As from 1926, Werner grew up with his sister Fränze and their mother Käthe Vordtriede. Käthe Vortriede was to become famous as a journalist in post-war Germany, and Fränze Vortriede well known as a writer and professor. He was already interested at an early age, in German literature and corresponded frequently with literary greats like Kurt Tucholsky or Arthur Schnitzler.

Emigration and career

After the Nazis came to power, he emigrated to Switzerland in 1933 and to the United States later. He began his studies in Zurich and worked part-time as a house teacher. Meanwhile, he wrote articles and book reviews for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, using several pseudonyms because of prohibition of work. He earned his PhD and taught French and German Literature at various universities, including Princeton University and University of Wisconsin-Madison. During a journey to Europe, Vordtriede was surprised by the outbreak of the Second World War and interned as an Enemy alien in occupied France. By interventions, he became free months later and was allowed to go back to America. He met his mother in New York City late in 1941, who also emigrated to the USA. He received the American citizenship in 1946 and became a Guggenheim Fellow in 1957.[1] His sister Fränze emigrated in 1947 and went to Philadelphia.

Return and work

In 1960, he returned to (Germany) and taught literary studies at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, which conferred him the Emeritus Professor title in 1976. His publications include literary criticism (Novalis und die französischen Symbolisten), poetry (Gedichte), a diary of his exile in the USA (Das verlassene Haus. Tagebuch aus dem amerikanischen Exil 1938–1947) and novels (Der Innenseiter and Ulrichs Ulrich oder Vorbereitungen zum Untergang).

Death and legacy

He died during a study trip near Izmir in September 1985. Vordtriede was not married and did not have any descendants. Curator became the former friend and a student Dieter Borchmeyer. He bequeathed many letters and documents to the German Literature Archive in Marbach am Neckar. Vordtriede had kept everything as contemporary historical documents to Nazi Germany. Many letters to his mother Käthe Vordtriede was then processed into books and a documentary film in 2001. Käthe Vordtriede became well known in Freiburg im Breisgau and honoured with a Stolperstein and a street name. The grave of Werner Vordtriede was dissolved in 2015.

Vordtriede House Freiburg

The private initiative works in the interest of the emigrated family Vordtriede. They lived from 1926 to 1939 in Fichte Street Number 4 in urban district Haslach. Beside Käthe Vordtriede, the early children Prof. Frances Vordtriede-Riley and Prof. Werner Vordtriede also belong to it. The Initiator and also tenant is Jürgen Lang, who founded the project in 2014. In year 2015, the project won an City award for "Civic Engagement".[2] In the future, the former dwelling house could become a meeting place and museum. The motto is: Recollection, Research, Reminder.

Translations
  • John Donne: Metaphysische Dichtungen. Berlin 1961 (Englisch-German).
  • Andrew Marvell: Gedichte. Berlin 1962 (English-German).
  • William Butler Yeats: Liebesgedichte. Achim und Bettina in ihren Briefen. 2 Bände. München 1980 (English-German).
  • Stefan George: Werke. Ausgabe in vier Bänden. Band 2 und 3. München 1983 (French-German).

Editorship
  • of Achim von Arnim and Bettina Brentano: Achim und Bettina in ihren Briefen. 2 Bände. Frankfurt 1961.
  • of Jacob Grimm: Jacob Grimm über seine Entlassung. Berlin 1964.
  • of Quirinus Kuhlmann: Aus dem Kühlpsalter. Berlin 1966.
  • of William Butler Yeats: Werke, Band I–VI. 6 Bände. Neuwied 1970.
  • with Uwe Schweikert: (Heinrich) Heine-Kommentar. 2 Bände. München 1970.
  • of Therese von Bacheracht und Karl Gutzkow: Unveröffentlichte Briefe. 1842–1849. München 1971.
  • with Rudolf Hirsch: Dichter über ihre Dichtungen. Band8/II. Heinrich Heine. München 1971.
  • of Gabriele Bartenschläger: Clemens Brentano. Der Dichter über sein Werk. München 1978.
  • of Bettina von Arnim: Armenbuch. Frankfurt 1981.

Published books
  • Novalis und die französischen Symbolisten. Stuttgart 1963.
  • Der Nekromant. Text für eine Oper. München 1968.
  • Das verlassene Haus. Tagebuch aus dem amerikanischen Exil 1938–1947. München 1975.
  • Geheimnisse an der Lummer. Wien 1979.
  • Der Innenseiter. München 1981.
  • Ulrichs Ulrich oder Vorbereitungen zum Untergang. München 1982.

Secondary literature
  • Dieter Borchmeyer and Till Heimeran: Weimar am Pazifik. Literarische Wegen zwischen den Kontinenten. Festschrift für Werner Vordtriede zum 70. Geburtstag. De Gruyter, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-484-10521-6.
  • Gesa Schönermark: Telemachs Wandlung. Werner Vordtriede. Eine wissenshistorische Biographie. Herbert Utz Verlag, München 1995, ISBN 3-8316-7532-5.
  • Käthe Vordtriede: „Mir ist es noch wie ein Traum, dass mir diese abenteuerliche Flucht gelang.“ Briefe nach 1933 aus Freiburg i. Br., Frauenfeld und New York an ihren Werner. Published by Manfred Bosch. Libelle Verlag, Lengwil 1998, ISBN 3-909081-10-X.
  • Jürgen Lang: The Vordtriede Quiz. 50 questions and answers about the emigrated Freiburg family. BoD, Norderstedt 2016, ISBN 978-3-7392-1764-2.

References
  1. Guggenheim Fellowship of Werner Vordtriede. by John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Retrieved 18. Januar 2017.
  2. Brückenbauer und Lotsen. Die Stadt hat Ehrenamtliche und Freiwillige für langjähriges Engagement ausgezeichnet. by Badische Zeitung on Dezember 4, 2015. Retrieved Januar 17, 2017.
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