Das Bettelweib von Locarno

by Heinrich von Kleist

Bei diesem Werk handelt es sich um eine urheberrechtsfreie Ausgabe und um ein Kurzwerk.

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Horror, Fiction, German Literature

5 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1810

About the author

The dramatist, writer, lyricist, and publicist Heinrich von Kleist was born in Frankfurt an der Oder in 1777. Upon his father's early death in 1788 when he was ten, he was sent to the house of the preacher S. Cartel and attended the French Gymnasium. In 1792, Kleist entered the guard regiment in Potsdam and took part in the Rhein campaign against France in 1796. Kleist voluntarily resigned from army service in 1799 and until 1800 studied philosophy, physics, mathematics, and political science at Viadrina University in Frankfurt an der Oder. He went to Berlin early in the year 1800 and penned his drama "Die Familie Ghonorez". Kleist, who tended to irrationalism and was often tormented by a longing for death, then lit out restlessly through Germany, France, and Switzerland.

After several physical and nervous breakdowns, in which he even burned the manuscript of one of his dramas, Heinrich von Kleist reentered the Prussian army in 1804, working in Berlin and Königsberg. There he wrote "Amphitryon" and "Penthesilea."

After being discharged in 1807, Kleist was apprehended on suspicion of being a spy. After this he went to Dresden, where he edited the art journal "Phoebus" with Adam Müller and completed the comedy "The Broken Pitcher" ("Der zerbrochene Krug") and the folk play "Katchen von Heilbronn" ("Das Käthchen von Heilbronn").

Back in Berlin, the one time Rousseau devotee had become a bitter opponent of Napoleon. In 1811, he finished "Prinz Friedrich von Homburg." Finding himself again in financial and personal difficulties, Heinrich von Kleist, together with his lover, the terminally ill Henriette Vogel, committed suicide near the Wannsee in Berlin in 1811.

[From http://www.heinrich-von-kleist.com/]

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The English version can be found below.

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German version:

Sehr kurz, aber dafür eine wirklich schöne Geistergeschichte! Kleist schafft es tatsächlich innerhalb 3 Seiten (dtv-Edition) eine unheimliche Atmosphäre zu erzeugen, was durchaus beeindruckend ist!

Gesamt: 5,0🌟

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English version:

Very short, but a really nice ghost story! Kleist actually manages to create an eerie atmosphere within 3 pages (dtv edition), which is quite impressive!

Overall: 5.0🌟

[Maren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vor wenigen Monaten als Buddyread gelesen.

[Plateresca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is considered to be one of the first ghost stories, so I didn't expect much, but, actually, it's not bad; a little naive, maybe, but very very short :)
In another review Keith very helpfully provided the link where one can read it or listen to it.

[Federico DN · Rating 3 out of 5]

No good deed goes unpunished.

A wealthy and prosperous married couple in Locarno one night offers shelter to an ailing beggar in calamitous state. When the poor woman unexpectedly dies at night, weird events starts happening at midnight around the place.

Hey, not bad! Not bad at all. This had all the vibes of one of Poe's finest, but without the alienating vocabulary, or the convoluted writing, so inevitably characteristic of him. I'm impressed. For something written in 1800 this was delightfully simple and grounded. Apparently also considered one of the first modern ghost stories. Finely done Heinrich von Kleist, whoever you are sir.

It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.

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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1800] [4p] [Horror] [3.5] [Conditional Recommendable]
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Ninguna buena acción queda impune.

Una noche, un matrimonio rico y próspero de Locarno ofrece refugio a una mendiga enferma en estado calamitoso. Cuando la pobre mujer muere inesperadamente por la noche, extraños acontecimientos comienzan a suceder a medianoche en el lugar.

Wow, ¡nada mal! Para nada mal. Esto tuvo toda la vibra de uno de los mejores de Poe, pero sin el vocabulario alienante, o la escritura enrevesada, tan infaltablemente característica de él. Estoy impresionado. Para algo escrito en 1800, esto fue deliciosamente simple y nivelado. Aparentemente también considerada una de las primeras historias modernas de fantasmas. Muy bien hecho Heinrich von Kleist, quien quiera sea usted señor.

Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.

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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1800] [4p] [Horror] [Recomendable Condicional]
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[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Significant as one of the earlier modern ghost stories. For what it's worth however, it's very run-of-the-mill. Certainly to today's standards.

[Suay Erkusoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cagindan beklenmeyecek derinlikte birkac hikayenin de yer aldigi eglenceli bir kitap. 19. yuzyil baslarinda insanlari eglendiren masallar, oykuler annelerimizin gunlerinde babalarimizin kahvehanelerde anlattiklari 'ibretlik' hikayalerden pek de farkli degil. Bu acidan teknolojinin ve degisen yasam kosullarinin o kadar da cok degistirmedigi bir insan 'psyke'si gormek pek eglendiriciydi benim icin.
Ayrica ilk hikayenin incelikli sonu modern hikayelerde bile rastlanmayabilen bir derinlige sahipti. Bu beklenmedik proto-feminist (feminist demeye dilim varmiyor) cikis icin von Kleist'i tebrik etmek lazim belki de.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio version at http://listentogenius.com

[wakeupf*ck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Considering the author's mentality and life story, I started reading with great expectation. but unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations, I didn't like any of the stories except the story about the beggar and frankly I couldn't understand it very well. i found it silly and simplistic... i expected more from this author

[Beyza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitaptaki Locarno Dilencisi öyküsü en güzeliydi. Diğer öyküler de oldukça keyifliydi fakat tür olarak korku değillerdi. Hepsi korku türünde olsaydı beş yıldız verecektim; çünkü kapağa bakınca insan böyle bir algıya kapılıyor.

[Canan Elif · Rating 1 out of 5]

Michael Kohlass’ı ne kadar beğendiysem bu öyküleri de o kadar beğenmedim. Çok kötü

[Ilya Solovyev · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable piece of literature if you regard it as the first ghost story ever written. Being very concise, it does transmit the atmosphere nicely.

[Vie · Rating 2 out of 5]

SoSe 22: "Lernen, mit den Gespenstern zu Leben". Das Gespenstische als Denk- und Erfahrungsmodell.

[Timo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,15

[syrinxelite · Rating 4 out of 5]

zaczątek opowieści niesamowitej prawdziwie nieprawdziwej

[Anne Cordelia]

Note to myself: check the length of the e-book before you think you are settled for a 7h+ train ride

[— lucrecia — · Rating 2 out of 5]

Das Bettelweib von Locarno (or The Beggarwoman of Locarno) is a very short but engaging ghost story with a message. These short stories are a nice introduction to Heinrich von Kleist's work. It's a pity he wasn't acknowledged as one of the pioneers of German Romanticism when he was still alive, but what a tragically poetic end he had...