Gli amici di Bernhard

by Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Questo lieve e folgorante romanzo è il ritratto in movimento di un'inquieta e raffinata brigata di giovani artisti che, sul finire degli anni Venti, vivono con spregiudicata intensità i loro amori, desideri e turbamenti. Bernhard, che studia musica e sogna di evadere da una realtà troppo ristretta, ne è il magnetico ma inconsapevole punto focale. Intorno a lui vortica una variegata esistenza corale alimentata da prove tecniche di storie d'amore e complesse dipendenze affettive; da generosi slanci e precarie velleità. Una giovinezza alla ricerca della propria identità, sia sociale che sessuale, e del proprio posto nel mondo, in un rocambolesco susseguirsi di viaggi ed esperimenti di vita tra Parigi, Zurigo, Berlino e Firenze.

Genres: Queer, Classics, German Literature, Fiction

186 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

Annemarie Schwarzenbach (1908-1942) was a Swiss writer, journalist, photographer and traveler.

Reviews

[BrokenTune · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up.


Bernhard is a student who has a talent for playing the piano and making friends with similarly artistically minded youths in the late 1920s. When school finishes, he persuades his family that he should receive musical training in Paris. With the move from Germany to Paris, however, begins Bernhard's journey of life on his own and he has to navigate not only his new home, new acquaintances, and difficulties making a living, he also leaves behind a circle of friends, who seem to be rather lost without him.

Freunde um Bernhard (Bernhard's Friends) is Schwarzenbach's debut novel. Written in 1930/31, Schwarzenbach had to divide her time between writing this novel and writing her PhD, an endeavour which left her close to exhaustion on many an occasion. At the time, Schwarzenbach was only 22, and it continues to astound me that she not only was in a position to submit a postgraduate degree at this point, but also that, by this time, she had already close friendships with Klaus and Erika Mann, both of whom discussed their work with her and critiqued her work. That is, at least the Manns discussed Schwarzenbach's previous novella (Lyric Novella) with her. It seems from the correspondence between Schwarzenbach and Erika, that Erika didn't get to read Bernhard until after it was published (if, indeed, she ever did read it).

Freunde um Bernhard is not a book that thrives on a gripping plot. Rather, it is a coming of age story of the main character Bernhard as well as of each of the friends surrounding him that is based on the development of the relationships between each of the friends. This is not a concept that I expected to work as well as it did, tho, it does require some patience on the part of the reader to bear with the characters. The characters, themselves, i.e. Bernhard and his friends, are well drawn out, even if they are somewhat naive at times. Then again, Schwarzenbach is fully aware of this but also describes to Erika Mann that some of the characters show much of her adolescent self and her own struggles coming to terms with the world around her.
Reading the story, this was fascinating because the set of characters, modeled - no doubt! - not only on the author but also on the relationship with her friends (particularly the Mann siblings) is such a mirror of the generation of its time. A generation of the inter-war years finding it difficult to conform to the societal norms of the previous Wilhelminian Era and trying to build a society of its own, yet, not accustomed to or comfortable with the idea of fully-fledged rebellion.

[Siv30 · Rating 3 out of 5]

לסקירה מפורטת בעברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -

https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/חוג-...

[Denis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schwarzenbach has become, in Europe, a cult figure for many people. Her short, tragic, yet brilliant, life has become symbolic of the malaise that a whole generation felt between the two wars, of the search for humanity amidst the irreversible destruction of the basic values in the hands of dictatorial regimes, and of the quest to find oneself outside of the traditional paths. This novel (which I read in its fine French translation, and which is not available so far in the US) is, in this sense, very representative of its writer, and is surprisingly modern in its style, its narration, as well as in its themes. At the same time, it is deeply rooted in the world of the thirties, which adds wonderful depth and meaning to its impact on us. Schwarzenbach’s portrayal of young people in search of who they are is as timely today as it was in her time.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

עוקבים אחרי חוג החברים והמכרים של ברנהרד, שרובם סביב גיל 20 בברלין ופריז, רובם אמנים ומוזיקאים ובכללי נפשות חופשיות וצמאות לחיים, וליטרלי כולם שם קווירים. לספר אין באמת עלילה, הוא פוט מתמקד בדמויות וברגשות שלהן ובקשרים בניהן וכל השיט הזה, שזה כמובן הסוג האהוב עליי של ספרים.
הספר הזה הוא מאוד אוטוביוגרפי ומשקף את אנמארי ואת מעגל החברים שלה, כמו גם את הקשיים והייאוש שהיא חוותה כצעירה המתחבטת עם הזהות שלה כסופרת (וכלסבית). היא מעבירה את החוויה בצורה שאפילו אני מנקודת הזמן והמקום שלי יכולה להזדהות איתה עמוקות, מתוך כמה שהיא נערית וצעירה ומלאת תשוקה לאומנות ולעולם, אך גם מלאה בדיכאונות חולפים ואכזבות וסטירות פנימיות וסערות נפש.
התוצאה הסופית של הספר מציגה את מרקם החיים של הצעירים הפרועים והנלהבים של שנות ה20 באירופה, באופן לירי ומרתק שמשאיר אותך ברצון לעוד…
קיצר הספר הזה קחי לי בול לטעם ואני מאוהבת באנימארי קשות
אה והיא כתבה את זה כשהיתה בת 22!!!!!! היא ככ מדהימה

[Jelka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das Nachwort bringt es auf den Punkt: "Das Buch ist eine Galerie von Porträtaufnahmen und Gruppenbildern [...]. Die Beziehungen wechseln: Liebe zu dritt, Liebe zwischen Knaben, Liebe zwischen Mädchen - und doch geht es keusch, ja fromm in diesem Liebesreigen zu. Die Erwachsenen mögen sich entrüsten, sie verstehen nichts. Der eigentümliche Charme des Buches liegt in seiner Unschuld."

[Beatrice (carvi bee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Si dovrebbe vietare ai giovani di dichiararsi soli”.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

1931 ist dieses Buch als erster Roman der damals 23-jährigen Annemarie Schwarzenbach erschienen.

Es handelt von einer Gruppe junger, priviligierter Menschen, von den einige ein künstlerisches Leben anstreben, die alle in Beziehung zu Bernhard, einem 17-jährigen liebenswerten Musikstudenten stehen.

Interessant sind in diesem Roman die Rollen der Protagonisten. Da ist das Geschwisterpaar, das wie ein Liebespaar wirkt, da sind Ines und Gert, die befreundet sind, aber wie Geschwister miteinander umgehen. Die Geschlechterrollen sind ganz und gar nicht traditionell angelegt.
Das Buch thematisiert Homosexualität, Melancholie und die Suche der jungen Menschen nach ihrem Platz im Leben. Es zeigt, wie wichtig dabei die freundschaftlichen Beziehungen sind, aber auch welchen Schmerz diese auslösen können.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dette var en utrolig deilig bok! Så engasjerende, elegant og full av liv. Den er også utrolig godt oversatt. En fryd å lese!

Jeg må innrømme at et par av karakterene gikk meg en anelse på nervene etterhvert, med all sin selvsentrerte og lammende lidelse, men såpass må man vel kanskje tåle fra en gjeng skeive misfits på 1920-tallet. Og Schwarzenbach var bare 23 år da hun skrev boka! Jeg vil lese mer av henne.

[Mette Løkeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein ung og lett roman sett i eit kunstnarmiljø delvis i Frankrike og Tyskland på 30-talet, og skrive av ei på 23 år. Det er ei brytningstid i dei unge, men òg i Europa. Vennskap, kunstnarleg utvikling, forelsking og søkande sjeler som ikkje følger dei tradisjonelle parkonstellasjonane på den tida. Føraren vert nemnd, så sett frå ettertida er det nesten som eit frampeik. Boka er sett på som eit av dei tidlege og sentrale verka i den skeive litteraturen står det på omslaget.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Du er veldig ung til å snakke slik", seier Gérald (...) Så svarer Gert: "Slik er det ikkje min herre. Vi unge er jo mykje meir sårbare, fordi vi er opnare, livet vårt er eit einaste stort spørsmål, og vi lever av det som rører seg i sjela vår åleine".

En veldig fin bok dette, både en tidsreise tilbake til 1920/30-åra og samtidig så allmenngyldig, om ungdommens sårbarhet og søken etter å finne seg selv, lengselen etter å høre til.

[Telemachus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually this is the only book that matters to me right now

[Lnrno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yaoi frå ei anna tid

[Torden · Rating 5 out of 5]

En nydelig bok! Anbefales