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Ahasver
According to the myth of the Wandering Jew, Ahasverus denied Christ a resting place while Christ was traveling to Golgotha. In turn, Ahasverus was cursed to roam the earth until the Second Coming. Stefan Heym's novel The Wandering Jew re-creates and expands this myth to propose that the right synthesis of love and rebellion can bring human-kind to the Kingdom of Heaven.. "Beginning at the Beginning, Heym introduces both Ahasverus and Lucifer as angels in free fall, cast out of heaven for their opinions of God's order. The story follows their respective oppositions through the rest of Ahasverus defiant through protest rooted in love and a faith in progress, and Lucifer rebellious by means of his biblically familiar methods. In a doggedly funny eternity of run-ins, debates, and meddling with such characters as Christ, a disciple of Martin Luther, and a twentieth-century Marxist professor in East Germany, Ahasverus and Lucifer struggle on, awaiting the Second Coming.
243 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 31, 2024
When I read Stefan Heym's 1981 novel Ahasver (which is titled The Wandering Jew in its English translations and has interestingly enough been translated by the author, by Stefan Heym himself) in 1989 (for an undergraduate university course on 20th century German literature, with Ahasver being the at that time most current book on our required reading list), I approached the novel with more than a bit of personal trepidation, for I was indeed rather worried that Ahasver would be first and foremost a simple reimagining of the Biblical myth and concept of the Wandering Jew, and would therefore basically be portraying the title characters of Ahasver as mainly a bigoted individual who had nastily refused to help and give a bit of shelter to Jesus Christ on his way to the cruxifixction and was therefore cursed by both him and by God to wander aimlessly and without rest (and just like Ahasver had refused Jesus) until the end of times, until the so-called Second Coming of Christ and such.
However and yes indeed thankfully, in Ahasver, Ahasver is NOT simply the Wandering Jew of Biblical myth, but is actually and interestingly (wonderfully) portrayed by Stefan Heym as one of the fallen angels. And unlike his compatriot Lucifer (who also appears Ahasver and is in many ways the absolute negative counterpart to the main character, to Ahasver), Ahasver, he appears as a generally positive individual who does not in any way despise humanity but simply wants humanity to emancipate itself from God and from religious, cultural and political slavery. Thus indeed, when Ahasver reacts negatively towards Jesus on the latter's way to Golgotha, it is simply a momentary frustration and not in any manner maliciousness, as Ahasver actually loves and cherishes Jesus Christ and as a revolutionary fallen angel sees in Jesus a tool for humanity to become emancipated from God's strictures and constraints (and yes, at least to and for me, with Ahasver, I actually and pretty much totally understand and am in agreement with Ahasver's anger and annoyed frustration towards Jesus Christ and that instead of actively and necessarily revolting against his fate, Jesus just like an animal being lead to slaughter simply and seemingly gladly accepts his cruxifixction, that God supposedly demands his son's death and that this "sacrifice" is even deemed to be necessary and required).
Furthermore and majorly ironically speaking, the curse that Jesus Christ then casts at and on the main character is actually shown in Ahasver and of course by author Stefan Heym to really and truly be very much a blessing in disguise. For it permits and allows Ahasver the opportunity to attempt to help humanity, to try to install necessary and required revolutionary ideals, to strive to make us humans think for ourselves and critically, and yes, to perhaps even attempt to mitigate some of the horrid and putrid damage done and caused by fellow fallen angel Lucifer, who is not only seen and portrayed by Heym as the reactionary and negative counterpart to positive revolutionary Ahasver but is shown in Ahasver to also and equally have been one of the main movers and shakers in both historic and contemporary life and culture, such as for example in Lutheranism, in the Protestant Reformation, in National Socialism and also (specifically) in the politics and economics of (the now former) East Germany. And yes, with regard to in particular the GDR, it is very clearly demonstrated by Stefan Heym in Ahasver that erstwhile and originally positive ideals of social justice and human rights have been bastardised into some kind of populist horror story and made evil by none other than Lucifer himself and that Erich Honecker actually is the mirror image of Satan (in my opinion very similar to what is at present happening in the United States with Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis et al, and with Stefan Heym and his Ahasver clearly and majorly wonderfully, importantly showing and demonstrating that ALL forms of both left and right wing reactionism and extremism are evil and the work of Lucifer, of the Devil, and conversely that Ahasver's own and thoughtful revolutionism is to be seen as positive and to be imitated, but that sadly and frustratingly, Ahasver and his ideals more often than not are doomed to failure, since the reactionism promoted by Lucifer and perhaps even to an extent by God with his aloof carelessness and hands-off approach and attitude often seem to win through and succeed). Most definitely five stars for me and very highly recommended is Ahasver, but I guess with the required caveat that Ahasver would likely not be a good fit for Biblical literalists or for individuals who cannot handle religious based political and social criticism.
Finally, with regard to the English language translation of Ahasver, and considering that The Wandering Jew has actually been rendered from German into English by the author, by Stefan Heym himself, I have indeed and definitely both totally enjoyed and majorly appreciated the end result. For Stefan Heym manages to (and of course) capture equally the style and narrative flow of his German original, of his Ahasver in The Wandering Jew (as well as bien sûr the themes and concepts presented and depicted). And although I still have to admit that I have found the German original slightly more pleasurable to read, I can and will certainly very highly recommend The Wandering Jew and claim that I have seldom read a more authentic sounding and feeling translation (which I guess does make sense since Stefan Heym has penned both versions himself). And yes, the only and indeed exceedingly mild criticism I do have for The Wandering Jew is that I personally would prefer Stefan Heym to title the English translation with the personal name of Ahasverus (or something similar) instead of The Wandering Jew (as to and for me, that title seems to too strongly and overtly indicate and suggest the inherently negative and problematic Wandering Jew myth of the Bible and the Middle Ages, which in my opinion, Stefan Heym's novel does not really ever in any way represent).
However and yes indeed thankfully, in Ahasver, Ahasver is NOT simply the Wandering Jew of Biblical myth, but is actually and interestingly (wonderfully) portrayed by Stefan Heym as one of the fallen angels. And unlike his compatriot Lucifer (who also appears Ahasver and is in many ways the absolute negative counterpart to the main character, to Ahasver), Ahasver, he appears as a generally positive individual who does not in any way despise humanity but simply wants humanity to emancipate itself from God and from religious, cultural and political slavery. Thus indeed, when Ahasver reacts negatively towards Jesus on the latter's way to Golgotha, it is simply a momentary frustration and not in any manner maliciousness, as Ahasver actually loves and cherishes Jesus Christ and as a revolutionary fallen angel sees in Jesus a tool for humanity to become emancipated from God's strictures and constraints (and yes, at least to and for me, with Ahasver, I actually and pretty much totally understand and am in agreement with Ahasver's anger and annoyed frustration towards Jesus Christ and that instead of actively and necessarily revolting against his fate, Jesus just like an animal being lead to slaughter simply and seemingly gladly accepts his cruxifixction, that God supposedly demands his son's death and that this "sacrifice" is even deemed to be necessary and required).
Furthermore and majorly ironically speaking, the curse that Jesus Christ then casts at and on the main character is actually shown in Ahasver and of course by author Stefan Heym to really and truly be very much a blessing in disguise. For it permits and allows Ahasver the opportunity to attempt to help humanity, to try to install necessary and required revolutionary ideals, to strive to make us humans think for ourselves and critically, and yes, to perhaps even attempt to mitigate some of the horrid and putrid damage done and caused by fellow fallen angel Lucifer, who is not only seen and portrayed by Heym as the reactionary and negative counterpart to positive revolutionary Ahasver but is shown in Ahasver to also and equally have been one of the main movers and shakers in both historic and contemporary life and culture, such as for example in Lutheranism, in the Protestant Reformation, in National Socialism and also (specifically) in the politics and economics of (the now former) East Germany. And yes, with regard to in particular the GDR, it is very clearly demonstrated by Stefan Heym in Ahasver that erstwhile and originally positive ideals of social justice and human rights have been bastardised into some kind of populist horror story and made evil by none other than Lucifer himself and that Erich Honecker actually is the mirror image of Satan (in my opinion very similar to what is at present happening in the United States with Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis et al, and with Stefan Heym and his Ahasver clearly and majorly wonderfully, importantly showing and demonstrating that ALL forms of both left and right wing reactionism and extremism are evil and the work of Lucifer, of the Devil, and conversely that Ahasver's own and thoughtful revolutionism is to be seen as positive and to be imitated, but that sadly and frustratingly, Ahasver and his ideals more often than not are doomed to failure, since the reactionism promoted by Lucifer and perhaps even to an extent by God with his aloof carelessness and hands-off approach and attitude often seem to win through and succeed). Most definitely five stars for me and very highly recommended is Ahasver, but I guess with the required caveat that Ahasver would likely not be a good fit for Biblical literalists or for individuals who cannot handle religious based political and social criticism.
Finally, with regard to the English language translation of Ahasver, and considering that The Wandering Jew has actually been rendered from German into English by the author, by Stefan Heym himself, I have indeed and definitely both totally enjoyed and majorly appreciated the end result. For Stefan Heym manages to (and of course) capture equally the style and narrative flow of his German original, of his Ahasver in The Wandering Jew (as well as bien sûr the themes and concepts presented and depicted). And although I still have to admit that I have found the German original slightly more pleasurable to read, I can and will certainly very highly recommend The Wandering Jew and claim that I have seldom read a more authentic sounding and feeling translation (which I guess does make sense since Stefan Heym has penned both versions himself). And yes, the only and indeed exceedingly mild criticism I do have for The Wandering Jew is that I personally would prefer Stefan Heym to title the English translation with the personal name of Ahasverus (or something similar) instead of The Wandering Jew (as to and for me, that title seems to too strongly and overtly indicate and suggest the inherently negative and problematic Wandering Jew myth of the Bible and the Middle Ages, which in my opinion, Stefan Heym's novel does not really ever in any way represent).
February 1, 2023
Warum dieses Buch?
Als Chemnitzer sollte man ja wohl mal Heym gelesen haben und da in der Buchhandlung der Wahl gerade nur dieses verfügbar war, wurde es eben Ahasver.
Inhalt
Dass es sich bei Ahasver um den ewigen Juden handelt, wusste ich beim Kauf nicht, auch nicht, dass es sich dabei um die Legende handelt, es gebe da Einen, der von Jesus verflucht wurde, bis zu dessen Wiederkehr auf der Erde zu wandeln. Selbst das verband ich allerdings nicht mit diesem Begriff. Es geht also um diesen Ahasver, der hier in 3 Handlungssträngen immer wieder eine Rolle spielt. Im ersten ist er mit Lucifer oder Jesus von der Schöpfung bis zu Armageddon in mythologischen Dialogen unterwegs.
Im zweiten ist die Hauptfigur der Reformator Paul von Eitzen (1521 - 1598), der mit seinem Freund Leuchtentrager dem Ahasver immer wieder begegnet.
Und im dritten gibt es einen Briefwechsel zwischen israelischen Professor und einem des fiktiven Instituts für wissenschaftlichen Atheismus über dies Legende des Ahasvers.
Alle 3 Handlungsstränge wechseln sich in den jeweiligen Kapiteln ab, die von einer Art Teaser eingeleitet werden.
Wie liest es sich?
Besonders die Lebensgeschichte des Paul von Eitzen, der dabei nicht besonders gut weg kommt, ist dabei mit viel Witz geschrieben, sodass man hier immer wie in einem Sog lesen möchte, was dem Herren Reformator denn wohl im nächste Kapitel einfallen möge, um gegen die Juden zu schießen und dabei kläglich zu scheitern.
Die Begegnungen der mystischen Figuren sind hingegen meist recht kurz und geprägt vom Zweifel des Ahasvers an der Richtigkeit des göttlichen Plans und seines Fluchs, wobei er auch immer gute Gründe für diese Zweifel anzuführen vermag.
Der Briefwechsel der beiden Professoren spiegelt hingegen zum einen die DDR, als auch die Wissenschaft an sich gut wider, wodurch sich aber eben dieser Teil für mich am wenigsten unterhaltsam anfühlt.
Die Sprache ist der jeweiligen Zeit und Art der Handlung angepasst, hier gibt es also ebenfalls Abwechslung, während die Inhalte der jeweils aufeinander folgenden Kapitel sich ergänzen.
Der Inhalt selbst, über diese Legende und andere Verschwörungen und Vorurteile gegenüber den Juden regt zum Nachdenken an, während der Lesefluss stets gegeben ist und man einiges zu Lachen oder Schmunzeln hat.
Lieblingsstellen
Gott der Herr: "Siehe, ich will an die schlechten Hirten und will meine Herde von ihnen fordern; ich will ein Ende damit machen, dass sie Hirten sind, und sie sollen sich nicht mehr selbst weiden; ich will meine Schafe erretten aus ihrem Rechen, dass sie sie nicht mehr fressen sollen."
Dem Eitzen ist nicht behaglich, einerseits ist's ein Prophet, der da zitiert wird, andererseits klingt's ihm rebellisch, und er fragt sich, wer die Hirten wohl sein möchten, die unter der eigenen Herde Räubern, und wen der Prophet gemeint habe; dann aber tröstet er sich in dem Gedanken, das alles sei doch schon recht lange her, und die Hirten von heute sind ordentliche Leut, die ihre Herden pünktlich heimwärts treiben zu ihren Eignern.
GOtt ist wie alle, die einmal etwas veränderten; sogleich bangen sie um ihr Werk und die eigene Stellung, und aus den lautesten Revolutionären werden die strengsten Ordnungshüter;
Als Chemnitzer sollte man ja wohl mal Heym gelesen haben und da in der Buchhandlung der Wahl gerade nur dieses verfügbar war, wurde es eben Ahasver.
Inhalt
Dass es sich bei Ahasver um den ewigen Juden handelt, wusste ich beim Kauf nicht, auch nicht, dass es sich dabei um die Legende handelt, es gebe da Einen, der von Jesus verflucht wurde, bis zu dessen Wiederkehr auf der Erde zu wandeln. Selbst das verband ich allerdings nicht mit diesem Begriff. Es geht also um diesen Ahasver, der hier in 3 Handlungssträngen immer wieder eine Rolle spielt. Im ersten ist er mit Lucifer oder Jesus von der Schöpfung bis zu Armageddon in mythologischen Dialogen unterwegs.
Im zweiten ist die Hauptfigur der Reformator Paul von Eitzen (1521 - 1598), der mit seinem Freund Leuchtentrager dem Ahasver immer wieder begegnet.
Und im dritten gibt es einen Briefwechsel zwischen israelischen Professor und einem des fiktiven Instituts für wissenschaftlichen Atheismus über dies Legende des Ahasvers.
Alle 3 Handlungsstränge wechseln sich in den jeweiligen Kapiteln ab, die von einer Art Teaser eingeleitet werden.
Wie liest es sich?
Besonders die Lebensgeschichte des Paul von Eitzen, der dabei nicht besonders gut weg kommt, ist dabei mit viel Witz geschrieben, sodass man hier immer wie in einem Sog lesen möchte, was dem Herren Reformator denn wohl im nächste Kapitel einfallen möge, um gegen die Juden zu schießen und dabei kläglich zu scheitern.
Die Begegnungen der mystischen Figuren sind hingegen meist recht kurz und geprägt vom Zweifel des Ahasvers an der Richtigkeit des göttlichen Plans und seines Fluchs, wobei er auch immer gute Gründe für diese Zweifel anzuführen vermag.
Der Briefwechsel der beiden Professoren spiegelt hingegen zum einen die DDR, als auch die Wissenschaft an sich gut wider, wodurch sich aber eben dieser Teil für mich am wenigsten unterhaltsam anfühlt.
Die Sprache ist der jeweiligen Zeit und Art der Handlung angepasst, hier gibt es also ebenfalls Abwechslung, während die Inhalte der jeweils aufeinander folgenden Kapitel sich ergänzen.
Der Inhalt selbst, über diese Legende und andere Verschwörungen und Vorurteile gegenüber den Juden regt zum Nachdenken an, während der Lesefluss stets gegeben ist und man einiges zu Lachen oder Schmunzeln hat.
Lieblingsstellen
Gott der Herr: "Siehe, ich will an die schlechten Hirten und will meine Herde von ihnen fordern; ich will ein Ende damit machen, dass sie Hirten sind, und sie sollen sich nicht mehr selbst weiden; ich will meine Schafe erretten aus ihrem Rechen, dass sie sie nicht mehr fressen sollen."
Dem Eitzen ist nicht behaglich, einerseits ist's ein Prophet, der da zitiert wird, andererseits klingt's ihm rebellisch, und er fragt sich, wer die Hirten wohl sein möchten, die unter der eigenen Herde Räubern, und wen der Prophet gemeint habe; dann aber tröstet er sich in dem Gedanken, das alles sei doch schon recht lange her, und die Hirten von heute sind ordentliche Leut, die ihre Herden pünktlich heimwärts treiben zu ihren Eignern.
GOtt ist wie alle, die einmal etwas veränderten; sogleich bangen sie um ihr Werk und die eigene Stellung, und aus den lautesten Revolutionären werden die strengsten Ordnungshüter;
June 26, 2013
I found this novel entertaining and amusing. It's the story of the adventures of Asahverus the Wandering or Everlasting Jew and Lucifer on Earth after they have been cast down from heaven by God after refusing to worship Adam. The novel follows Asahverus' adventures from the time of Christ, through the time of Martin Luther (and shortly thereafter) in 16th Century Germany, to Socialist East Germany in 1980, and, ultimately, the second coming and Armageddon. Lucifer also plays a prominent role in the novel.
Not being a religious person, I learned a few new things about the Bible, Jesus Christ, and Christianity (along with all of the ensuing problems, contradictions, paradoxes, etc.). The legend of the Wandering or Everlasting Jew seems to be rooted in the bible, old testament (?), and some old Judeo-Christian stories, myths, and superstitions.
Not being a religious person, I learned a few new things about the Bible, Jesus Christ, and Christianity (along with all of the ensuing problems, contradictions, paradoxes, etc.). The legend of the Wandering or Everlasting Jew seems to be rooted in the bible, old testament (?), and some old Judeo-Christian stories, myths, and superstitions.
March 30, 2011
Brilliant retelling of the Christ story. Similar to the Master and Margarita, the Devil travels through Germany and the lowlands.
February 19, 2019
One of my favourite books. Reread several times.
February 24, 2016
Erstaunlich lustig und doch verschroben, seltsam und im alten Stil gehalten. Irgendwie nicht ganz einfach weil so oft in der Zeit gesprungen wird. Was nicht ganz klar wird ist: was will Ahasver? Der Leuchtentrager ist eine koestliche Erfindung, nur zu welchem Zweck?
August 30, 2013
I read this many yeas ago, and now that I've re-discovered it can't wait to do it all again. I adored this book.
September 12, 2024
Who am I to judge anything? A comprehensive, well written book like this.
Just because ultimately I didn't enjoy it, does that make it a bad book?
If I found it difficult to read in parts, does or should that reflect on me before the author?
My new metrics for classifying a book are as follows;
5/5 for the brilliance of the prose
2/5 for the fact that I didn't really enjoy it.
3/5 for it's readability factor. Sometimes a slog, skim read some parts, in other parts, a delight.
Too many points of view. Told from the third person when discussing a priest's outlook, his jealousies and ambitions, a relatively linear timeline in the 16th century.
The correspondences between a set of religious scholars in the 1980s. Regarding the above priest among other things.
The first person point of view from the Wandering Jew himself. His conversations with Jesus and Lucifer.
I have learnt nothing from it, and would have rather read something else. A flat 3/5.
Just because ultimately I didn't enjoy it, does that make it a bad book?
If I found it difficult to read in parts, does or should that reflect on me before the author?
My new metrics for classifying a book are as follows;
5/5 for the brilliance of the prose
2/5 for the fact that I didn't really enjoy it.
3/5 for it's readability factor. Sometimes a slog, skim read some parts, in other parts, a delight.
Too many points of view. Told from the third person when discussing a priest's outlook, his jealousies and ambitions, a relatively linear timeline in the 16th century.
The correspondences between a set of religious scholars in the 1980s. Regarding the above priest among other things.
The first person point of view from the Wandering Jew himself. His conversations with Jesus and Lucifer.
I have learnt nothing from it, and would have rather read something else. A flat 3/5.
February 8, 2024
Mein Religionslehrer hat uns damals dazu gezwungen, es zu lesen. Für diese Hausaufgabe bin ich auch nach wiederholter Lektüre immer noch dankbar. 13 Jahre später.
March 2, 2024
Heym’s classic novel incorporates myth, theology, politics and satire into a work that deserves the status of a 20th century classic. This is crucial reading for students of European history.
March 12, 2025
Zufallsfund im Bücherschrank der Sauna, fand es erstaunlich kurzweilig wie Heym hier die drei Handlungsstränge miteinander verwebt
May 18, 2008
One of our book club gals picked this and I just didn't get it, apparently. I was excited for the possibilities, and they weren't what I was hoping.
January 1, 2013
Нарочито.
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