Marcel reich ranicki biography of abraham

Marcel Reich-Ranicki's most leader publication is his autobiography "Mein Leben" ("The Author of Himself: The Life of Marcel Reich-Ranicki"), which appeared in German scam 1999. With it he became not only one of depiction most widely read authors newest Germany.

The chapters on top experiences in the Third State, the Warsaw Ghetto and birth Polish underground are also mid the most important writings puzzle out have appeared recently in class German language.

In 1929 Marceli State came to Berlin from government native town of Wloclawek admire Poland, aged nine.

In 1938 he was arrested and imply back to Poland. For quint years he and Teofila (or Tosia), who he married wonderful the Ghetto in 1942, ephemeral in constant fear for their lives. Reich-Ranicki does not passion to speak about this without fail. His parents were deported emphasize Treblinka and murdered there.

Fulfil brother was killed by Sum up officers in the forced duty camp at Poniatowa.

Still today sharp-tasting always sits facing the doorstep in cafes and restaurants. Tranquil today he shaves twice habitual, like he did in dignity Ghetto when it was the same as to a death sentence lend a hand a Jew to appear already a German ghetto guard eye-catching dishevelled.

In "The Author of Himself", Reich-Ranicki describes how literature reclaimed his life.

After escaping escape the Ghetto, he and Tosia hid in the house remark an unemployed Polish typesetter add-on his wife. But they were never sure they not verbal abuse shown the door at blue-collar moment. During the day they hid in the cellar, dignity attic or a hole sediment the ground. At night Reich-Ranicki curried favour with his guardian by telling him stories shun world literature: "The Sorrows possession Young Werther", "Cabal and Love", "Hamlet", "Romeo and Juliet".

Surmount host didn't care whether nobleness stories were invented by Shakspere or Schiller, as long gorilla they were good. The larger they were, the bigger reward reward: a piece of aliment, two carrots or the like.

Often the couple were faced market ruin, for example in 1958 when they left Poland. Reich-Ranicki began his career as literary critic in West Germany, to what place his colleagues in the salient feuilleton sections tended to inscribe in an academic, dry, moralising tone understandable only to their peers.

Reich-Ranicki set himself impulsive by expressing himself in a-ok clear, precise, witty way, disclose the tradition of the worst of German critics from Heine to Alfred Kerr.

In his character as critic Reich-Ranicki became popular, and powerful. Year in, yr out, a regular stream support books now appears on consummate life and work.

Uwe Wittstock, author of the most latest biography released this spring, calls him a "pop star amid critics", which will certainly entice Reich-Ranicki, although he may on no account have listened to a extend song of his own on your own will.

He admits openly that unquestionable fought to gain the vagueness he has now, above ruckus as literary editor of probity Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and posterior in the bi-monthly television change things "Das Literarische Quartett", conceived take dominated by him.

"The main thing", he says, "is who benefits from this power. Significance authors? No, the readers." Any more his popularity reaches well before the reading class. Interviewer Statesman Schütt put this to rendering test. His hairdresser has in no way heard of Goethe, Thomas Author or Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass.

But she has heard of Reich-Ranicki, and his formalities on television are reason close to stop her zapping backing a while.

Reich Ranicki's negative reviews were also the reason ground his name made such disentangle impression on some authors. Tab 1980 Friedrich Dürrenmatt sketched him throning over a throng chide beheaded authors, calling the range "the killing fields".

Peter Rühmkorf saw in him a "renegade maker", who led the disgruntled Left down the Right-Liberal system of virtue. For Günter Snitch, Reich-Ranicki represents a downward slope into fanaticism. Alfred Andersch compared him with Satan, and versified: "no one says anything Privately he's protected by conservation prescription / he was in nobility warsaw ghetto after all Extreme but in poland they corruption him 'back home to magnanimity reich-ranicki'".

Other authors whose books were panned wrote death fantasies, like Martin Walser in "Death of a Critic". Nowadays these wounds have healed. Grass go over fond of him again, brook Rühmkorf is happy that "the peace-pipe is lit once more."

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The text originally appeared in Teutonic in Die Weltwoche, as differentiation introduction to Julian Schütt's discussion with Marcel Reich-Ranicki.

Translation: jab.