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Franco Quinto

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Die Komödie einer Privatbank, die Gaunerei zur Geschäftsgrundlage gemacht hat und Pleite zum rentabelsten Geschäft. Eine prophetische Vision von Friedrich Dürrenmatt, heute aktueller denn je.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

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About the author

Friedrich Dürrenmatt

408 books1,026 followers
Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921 – 1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist.

Dürrenmatt was born in the Emmental (canton of Bern), the son of a Protestant pastor. His grandfather Ulrich Dürrenmatt was a conservative politician. The family moved to Bern in 1935. Dürrenmatt began to study philosophy and German language and literature at the University of Zurich in 1941, but moved to the University of Bern after one semester. In 1943 he decided to become an author and dramatist and dropped his academic career. In 1945-46, he wrote his first play, "It is written". On October 11 1946 he married actress Lotti Geissler. She died in 1983 and Dürrenmatt was married again to another actress, Charlotte Kerr, the following year.

He was a proponent of epic theater whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author gained fame largely due to his avant-garde dramas, philosophically deep crime novels, and often macabre satire. One of his leading sentences was: "A story is not finished, until it has taken the worst turn". Dürrenmatt was a member of the Gruppe Olten.

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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Kathi.
237 reviews70 followers
November 6, 2019
Hmmm...tricky! I'm probably one of Dürrenmatt's biggest fans, I simply adore the author and most of his novels, but this one was somewhat of a disappointment...even though I really wanted to like it, having been super glad about finding another play by my favourite author that I haven't had read yet. And the topic sounded SO intriguing and exactly like something that should be tackled by Dürrenmatt of all people, because usually there's no one better at critisizing society, especially not in such a manner that is just the right amount of mixture between absurdity and subtletity, being supported by his trademark use of satire that is often perfectly combined with a tragic(ally) fitting outcome of the story. But this play just really wasn't my cup of tea and I'm not sure if it's my fault or Dürrenmatt's, considering that even a genius like him has several works that have missed their mark (Die Ehe des Herrn Misissippi, Ein Engel kommt nach Babylon...). So now I don't know if I'm just not used to reading and appreciating Dürrenmatt anymore or if this play really isn't all that great after all. I somehow fear that it's the latter, and that even a reread in a couple of years won't make me understand or appreciate it any more. Money and corruption are just so powerful topics; I really wish they had been given an equally masterful representation. The disappointment already began with the sometimes quite confusing writing, and I had to send my friend Benedict several WhatsApp messages asking what the hell Dürrenmatt meant with this or that line; and him being even more irritated than I was because yeah, what DOES he mean really? The characters were bland caricatures, not comparable to the likes featured in "Die Physiker" and "Der Besuch der alten Dame", feeling more like uninspired copies that lack the zappiness and unique Dürrenmatt'scheness of his other protagonists. And lacking was also the ultimate message of the book, which according to Dürrenmatt's afterword to the critics discusses the matter of (un)justifed freedom, desperation and spirit within a "gangster institution" and the attempt at retrieving one's decency under those circumstances. Quite a handful of messages, isn't it? None of them being easy to grasp in neither detail or essence, however, and it doesn't help that they are not well-delivered either. The dialogue in the key scene between Frank V and Böckmann feels forced and too on-the-nose whilsz at the same time being confusing and too vague and far-fetched in its meanings. Dürrenmatt says that whoever doesn't understand the intrical points of this scene doesn't understand him as a person, which he delivers as the ultimate battle line against the critics of this novel. Even though I have always prided myself on sharing or at least following Dürrenmatt's line of thoughts on basically every topic, it seems that having read most of his works as well as his biography still doesn't make me understand the man himself. Or maybe he just couldn't live with the fact that this play just isn't his best work and defended himself the way most proud people do, by dropping quite unnecessary and exaggerated (childish) word grenades. Whatever it is, it's just a real shame! At least the book had exactly the kind of satirical humour Dürrenmatt's works are famous for, as well as as the just right amount of weirdness that always make me appreciate his books no matter how insane(ly bad) the rest of the writing is. I guess it's only natural for an author to not only deliver masterpieces but the occasional "failure" (in comparison) as well, and even though it wasn't utterly terrible (it's worth its three stars!) it doesn't reach what I usually expect from Dürrenmatt and his works. I guess it sucks to be so good an author that even mediocre pieces of writing are already considered disappointments; and it sucks even more because the general message really had so much potential! The real tragedy is indeed the waste of it.

Edit: Actually I prefer this summary and interpretation of Frank V to Dürrenmatt's own, I feel like it delivers a much more coherent and meaningful explanation than the vague talks of freedom and spirit in Dürrenmatt's "defense talk". In the end, the book is the ultimate critique of the incompatibility of money (power) and integrity/humanity. In this sense, the poor person is being presented as the exact kind of rolemodel whose fate we (should) all strive and envy him for; because after all, the poor man is the only one who can still laugh in a society where the rest is corrupted and tainted by the power of money; even though letting themselves be corrupted is their own choice after all. Indeed, us humans are born free, we "just" get captured by the system along the way (the "system" being represented by Frank V's descendants here). That's why in the end, there is no real escape from the webs of capitalism. It wouldn't be a Dürrenmatt book if it weren't for the exact same kind of dire outcome that we face in society today.
"Ach, in dieser rohen Welt, hat der Arme nur zu lachen für sein Geld"


Edit2: I can't get rid of the annoying feeling that I haven't understood the novel as much as I should; that I somehow missed intricate details that would make the message an even more layered one. Damn it, Dürrenmatt, for putting me into this position! In school I have always been one of the very few who understood every meaning of every novel we had to read. I'm not used to this and I really don't like it.

Profile Image for Andrea.
183 reviews64 followers
December 28, 2021
La banca privata Franco, una delle più antiche della Svizzera, da generazioni si regge sulle truffe ai propri clienti e sui comportamenti criminali dei suoi dipendenti, che insieme ai loro dirigenti formano una vera e propria associazione a delinquere. Inganni, corruzioni, falsificazioni, frodi, raggiri, ricatti, prostituzioni, persino uccisioni: sono molte le terribili nefandezze di cui si macchiano gli impiegati della banca Franco. Oggi come non mai, la banca naviga in cattive acque, è ad un passo dal fallimento, le casse sono vuote e i debiti insanabili. Ma i proprietari, il direttore Franco Quinto e la moglie Ottilie, hanno un'idea geniale: simulare la propria morte, scappare con i soldi nascosti e con nuove identità, e far ripianare allo Stato il buco di bilancio generato da una gestione pessima.

Il piano sembra procedere al meglio, ma il Caso ancora una volta capovolgerà le sorti dei dipendenti della banca, e imprevedibili colpi di scena faranno scoprire ai coniugi Franco che in questa vicenda c'è qualcuno ancora più furbo, spregiudicato, senza scrupoli e diabolico di loro.

Franco Quinto è una commedia musicale dalle tinte farsesche, sinistramente profetica alla luce dei recenti scandali che hanno scosso le banche e i risparmiatori di mezzo mondo, un dramma sulle malefatte e i vergognosi segreti della finanza. Un mondo dove “rapinare una banca è roba da dilettanti. I veri professioni, una banca la fondano”. Un mondo molto simile al nostro, una landa caotica e grottesca, dove gli uomini si ingannano, si truffano nei termini di legge e sono in spietata competizione fisica, intellettuale e morale. Un mondo che è “una polveriera in cui non è vietato fumare”. Un microcosmo dove non valgono le regole sociali e lo stato di diritto, dove a dettar legge è solo il denaro. Una realtà molto vicina ai più o meno recenti fatti di cronaca. Durrenmatt ci offre uno spaccato terribile e senza pietà di questo mondo, dipingendo dei personaggi molto realistici, che vanno a comporre una banda di truffatori grotteschi e canterini, un campionario di criminali ed esseri spregevoli, un repertorio molto simile all'umanità inetta, squallida e immorale presente in altre sue tragicommedie (La visita della vecchia signora e I fisici su tutte).

La logica delinquente dei coniugi Franco non si ferma dinnanzi a nulla: non valgono sentimenti, amicizie, parentele, legami di famiglia e di sangue, non si considerano tradimenti quelli perpetrati ai danni di chi si dice di amare, persino chi ti ha dato la vita e chi ti ha aiutato in passato può essere considerato un ostacolo ai propri piani ambiziosi, da eliminare senza troppi patemi d'animo. Il freddo calcolo di questi personaggi disumani deve rendere conto soltanto al profitto.

E forse, sono le debolezze e le inadeguatezze dirigenziali di Franco Quinto a portare la banca ad una crisi irreversibile: egli, a differenza degli avi (ma anche dei suoi successori), pur essendo un criminale della loro stessa bassa lega, tituba del proprio operato e ammette di essere attratto da altre cose diverse dal denaro e dallo sfruttamento, ad esempio la letteratura. Inoltre, i comportamenti malvagi e diabolici logorano chi decide di compierli: tutti i componenti della banda di criminali lamenteranno danni fisici e morali, dovuti alle loro scelte.

In effetti, i coniugi Franco e tutti i loro complici sembrano non aver scelta libera delle loro azioni, ritengono che il loro comportamento sia necessario e obbligato, che tornare indietro non sia possibile, che tutto ciò che conta è il Profitto, nel solco dei loro predecessori, seguendo l'esempio degli avi della dinastia Franco, mentre le loro azioni criminali sono libere. In nome dell'arricchimento tutto può essere giustificato, anche l'omicidio più efferato, e Durrenmatt è un maestro nel creare delle situazioni in cui l'essere umano trova delle scusanti alle proprie azioni disdicevoli, minimizzandole e giustificandole. Dunque, ancora una volta l'autore svizzero indaga i rapporti tra giustizia, morale e libertà nell'essere umano.

Sembra che la critica nei confronti del mondo della finanza, operata da Durrenmatt, sia un pretesto per scagliarsi a più ampio raggio: sul suo paese, la Svizzera, fondata sul culto del denaro; ma anche sulla natura umana in toto, una natura priva di etica, che viola ogni norma legale e morale, la cui indole porta spontaneamente all'inganno e alla sopraffazione, un atteggiamento riassumibile nel motto latino “homo homini lupus”. Una denuncia necessaria di una realtà terribile e disumana, una farsa tragicomica amarissima e cupa, in pieno stile Durrenmatt.
Profile Image for Fabio.
468 reviews56 followers
August 24, 2019
Troppo irrealistico per essere divertente.
Banchieri che fanno qualsiasi cosa in nome del profitto?
Truffatori, manigoldi e assassini della peggior risma che lottano per salvare la propria banca - o almeno i propri illeciti guadagni?

Inverosimile.



(onestamente, ho trovato l'opera poco divertente perché sovente superata dalla realtà - magari non omicidi...no, aspetta, Sindona, Calvi. Magari non l'utilizzo di prostitute...no, credo che anche quello sia abbastanza diffuso, vedi i dubbi su MPS e festini allegri)
Profile Image for Sandra.
964 reviews334 followers
December 4, 2014
Franco Quinto e sua moglie Ottilie sono gli epigoni di una dinastia di banchieri che da secoli hanno coltivato una vincente tradizione criminale con profitti e successo, ed ora la banca Franco è in piena crisi, sull’orlo del fallimento. L’ultimo esponente della famiglia di banchieri si trova con l’acqua alla gola: mai arrendersi, occorre salvare banca e profitti, e quale migliore soluzione che far ricadere le perdite sullo Stato? Per realizzare questo scopo la banda di gangster capeggiata non tanto da Franco Quinto quanto da sua moglie Ottilie, fredda e spietata peggio di un killer professionista, e formata dai fedeli dipendenti della banca, è pronta a tutto, a qualsiasi delitto anche il più efferato. La grandezza di Durrenmatt sta anche in questo, nel presentarci i peggiori crimini, le peggiori bassezze umane quasi sminuendole, descrivendo situazioni apparentemente inverosimili ma in realtà del tutto credibili ed avallando, con una visione lungimirante, quell’esclamazione che spesso in noi sorge quando pensiamo alle banche: “che branco di ladri!”
Non potrebbe essere più attuale questa commedia scritta a metà del secolo scorso, inutile stare a dire il perché, a partire dalla Lehman Brothers nel 2008 fino alle banche europee attualmente in forte crisi di liquidità quotidianamente siamo bombardati dalle notizie sulla più grande crisi economica globale legata alle attività dell’alta finanza internazionale, i cui esponenti pensiamo siano così diversi dalla banda di gangster dei Franco?
Profile Image for Nadja.
1,916 reviews86 followers
June 11, 2017
Eine noch immer aktuelle Parabel über die Macht/Machenschaften der Banken im Zusammenhang mit Habgier und dem Bösen (des Reichtums). Wie immer meisterlich gespannt und dennoch unterhaltsam vom Herrn Dürrenmatt.
Eine Notiz am Rande: Frank der Fünfte hat mich wegen den Chorpassagen sehr an Brecht erinnert. Wäre sicherlich spannend, das Stück auf der Bühne zu erleben.
Profile Image for Ahmed.
121 reviews73 followers
March 11, 2017
"لقد علمت ان الحياة البسيطة تصنع المعجزات , من يعيشها لا يعرف متاعب سوء الهضم و ولا امراض الاعصاب ولا اختلال الدورة الدموية و اضطرابات القلب .. لكن اذا نظرت الي مانحن علية .. فاننا نعيش حياة الكلاب "
اقتباس علي لسان احدي شخصيات المسرحية
كعادة دورنمات الاسلوب الفلسفي الساخر البسيط اللاذع للضمير الانساني
Profile Image for بسام عبد العزيز.
974 reviews1,363 followers
February 13, 2017
كانت قراءة لطيفة تلك المسرحية.. ليس فقط لقصرها.. فأنا شديد التوقير للكتب القصيرة!
لكن أيضًا لأسلوبها التهكمي الذي يبعث على التبسم..
فرانك الخامس هو مدير لأحد البنوك العريقة.. وأسلافه من "الفرانكة" كانوا رجلًا عظماء في مجال التجارة والمال..
لكن فرانك الخامس يتخذ طريقًا آخر للنجاح... وطريقته هى ببساطة سرقة البنك.. والسرقة ليست سرقة بالإكراه.. لكن عن طريق الإختلاس وخديعة عملاء البنك..
فرانك الخامس ليس وحده هو من يفعل هكذا.. بل نجد كل من يعمل في البنك شريكًا في هذه الجرائم..
المسرحية في اسمها الآخر "الذئاب والعدالة" تبدو أكثر تعبيرًا عن مغزاها.. فالحياة كانت تسير بشكل وردي جميل بين موظفي البنك.. ثم فجأة تهظر رسالة من مجهول يقوم بابتزازهم فيها.. فهو يعلم كل جرائمهم.. وهنا تظهر الذئاب على حقيقتها .. فالجميع لا يثق بالجميع.. الجميع يتشكك في نوايا الجميع.. فلا شرف بين اللصوص..
لغة المال التي يتحدث بها كل شخوص المسرحية تجعلهم يضحون بكل شيء في سبيله.. فهم مستعدون للقتل من أجله.. مستعدون للتضحية بالحب من أجله.. أي شيء في سبيل حفنة أوراق نقدية...
والمدهش أنه دومًا هناك تبرير لكل جريمة.. ففرانك الخامس هو و زوجته لا يتوقفان عن ترديد جملة أنهما يفعلان هذا من أجل أن يعيش ابنيهما حياة جيدة... فهما لا يبحثان عن المال من أجلهما.. لكن لحياة أولادهما من بعدهما.. أنا كنت دومًا أتساءل عن هذا الشخص الذي يرتكب جريمة.. كيف يتعايش مع نفسه؟ أعتقد أنه يوهم نفسه دومًا بأنه ضحية وأن كل ما فعله إنما فعله تحت وطأة الظروف.. ولأسباب قاهرة... قد يكون هذا صحيحًا في حالة شخص يعيش في الفقر المدقع مثلًًا.. لكن عندما تأتي هذه الأفكار على لسان مدير بنك فهنا تصبح مفارقة هزلية لا يمكنك سوى أن تضحك عليها..
كانت هناك نظرة شديدة التشاؤمية في المسرحية بالرغم من تهكمها... لكن الملاحظ أن جميع شخصو المسرحية فاسدة.. وحتى عندما تم تعيين موظفًا جديدًا ووجدوه يرفض المشاركة في الجرائم فكان نصيبه القتل.. و في النهاية بالرغم من كل تلك الجرائم فإن البنك وموظفوه يظلون أحرارًا ينعمون بكل أسلابهم حتى بعدما اعترفوا بها.. وكأن دورنيمات يجد في النظام المالي المصرفي بأكمله نوعًا من الفساد العام الشامل الذي لا يمكن إصلاحه..
Profile Image for Ahmedovic Qutub.
19 reviews
November 4, 2018
سرد جميل
يجب عند قراءة الكتاب اخذ في الاعتبار انها مسرحية كتبت للمسرح في بعض طرق الإلقاء و الغناء الجماعي
رواية جميلة و غير مملة ع الإطلاق
الغايات لا تبرر الوسائل
و صعوبة الخروج من مستنقع الخطيئة و كيف أن الأمور المغرية ليست كما تبدو فكل من مات منهم كان يمتلك الكثير من المال و لكنه مات مثقلا بالخطايا
و أجمل ما في الرواية أن أبناء فرانك الخامس الذي تجشم كل هذا العناء للحفاظ على فطرتهم سليمة كشرفاء و في نفس الوقت يدبر لهم المال الذي يقيهم العوز كل هذا ذهب هباءا و قتله هربرت ولده الذي أشير إليه بفرانك السادس فيما بعد
Profile Image for Ahmedovic Qutub.
19 reviews
November 4, 2018
سرد جميل
يجب عند قراءة الكتاب اخذ في الاعتبار انها مسرحية كتبت للمسرح في بعض طرق الإلقاء و الغناء الجماعي
رواية جميلة و غير مملة ع الإطلاق
الغايات لا تبرر الوسائل
و صعوبة الخروج من مستنقع الخطيئة و كيف أن الأمور المغرية ليست كما تبدو فكل من مات منهم كان يمتلك الكثير من المال و لكنه مات مثقلا بالخطايا
و أجمل ما في الرواية أن أبناء فرانك الخامس الذي تجشم كل هذا العناء للحفاظ على فطرتهم سليمة كشرفاء و في نفس الوقت يدبر لهم المال الذي يقيهم العوز كل هذا ذهب هباءا و قتله هربرت ولده الذي أشير إليه بفرانك السادس فيما بعد
Profile Image for Marta.
896 reviews13 followers
March 20, 2018
Frank der Fünfte (1960)

Banchieri fraudolenti che cantano mentre compiono misfatti di varia natura (me li immagino così quelli della mia banca mentre mi tolgono soldi per fantomatiche spese che sicuramente non hanno sostenuto)
18 reviews1 follower
August 7, 2022
4,5/5
Großartig, klassischer Dürrenmatt
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews

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