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Thomas Bernhard: Eine Biografie
Polarisierender Skandalautor, Klassiker der Weltliteratur, weltberühmter Dramatiker, österreichisches Phänomen:
All das und noch viel mehr war Thomas Bernhard, dessen umfassende Biografie nun vorliegt. Der Thomas Bernhard-Experte Manfred Mittermayer fasst Leben und Werk des Autors in eine große Erzählung, die von Bernhards „Herkunftskomplex“ – der Familie seines Großvaters Johannes Freumbichler– bis zu seinem frühen Tod nach jahrelanger Krankheit reicht. Differenziert zeichnet Mittermayer das vielschichtige öffentliche Erscheinungsbild, aber auch die privaten Lebensstationen nach und setzt die wesentlichen Prosawerke und Theaterstücke in Bezug zu einem Lebensweg, der untrennbar mit der Nachkriegsgeschichte verbunden ist.
All das und noch viel mehr war Thomas Bernhard, dessen umfassende Biografie nun vorliegt. Der Thomas Bernhard-Experte Manfred Mittermayer fasst Leben und Werk des Autors in eine große Erzählung, die von Bernhards „Herkunftskomplex“ – der Familie seines Großvaters Johannes Freumbichler– bis zu seinem frühen Tod nach jahrelanger Krankheit reicht. Differenziert zeichnet Mittermayer das vielschichtige öffentliche Erscheinungsbild, aber auch die privaten Lebensstationen nach und setzt die wesentlichen Prosawerke und Theaterstücke in Bezug zu einem Lebensweg, der untrennbar mit der Nachkriegsgeschichte verbunden ist.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2015
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December 20, 2024
Ich hab’ mir darüber nachgedacht, ja, wie ist den das letzte Buch jetzt, das ich veröffentlicht hab’? Ist das ein Buch, mit dem man aus dem Leben gehen kann? (Pg. 293). Trans (mine): I thought about it, yes, what is the last book I published? Is that a book after which one can depart life?
–Thomas Bernhard’s “last” thoughts on a London-bound plane when an engine explodes.
While there are plenty of secondary sources on Thomas Bernhard, there is no authorized biography. Perhaps this is why Manfred Mittermayer’s biography is entitled Eine Biografie and not Die Biografie. Nevertheless, Mittermayer is about as thorough as one can be in delving into the life of the reclusive author who died in 1989. In addition to this biography with Residenz Verlag (more on that below), Mittermayer has an author credit with the formulaic Suhrkamp imprint for the BasisBiographien on Bernhard. For many German readers the short basic biography will be enough, especially if one supplements it with Jens Ditmar’s encyclopedic Thomas Bernhard Werkgeschichte which serves as a bibliography of Bernhard’s published works and summarizes initial critical reactions to his books and plays.
Additionally, there is Gita Honegger’s Thomas Bernhard: The Making of an Austrian, which has been translated into German, and which addresses Bernhard’s legacy in a series of non-chronological critical essays. I find all the above works essential; they are within easy grasp in my Bernhard bookcase. Nevertheless, for a long while I have wanted to carve out time to read the most thorough biography of Bernhard available; at this juncture there is no English translation.
Since Bernhard wrote his own autobiography in five volumes for the Austrian publishing house Residenz Verlag--which did not appear in chronological order (available in English as a one-volume set Gathering Evidence)--as well as other books that are basically autobiography, e.g. Wittgensteins Neffe, Mittermayer has the unenviable task of separating fact from the myths in Bernhard’s multivolume biography.* Additionally, Bernhard’s correspondence with his publisher at Suhrkamp Verlag, Sigfried Unseld, has been available since 2009. Mittermayer must dutifully rehash all the insane squabbles and bad behavior that is already well chronicled in this correspondence.
For those readers aching for another Bernhard work, but who are suspicious of collected letters, Thomas Bernhard Siegfried Unseld: Der Briefswechsel is so highly entertaining that some critics consider it a missing Bernhard book. Poor Unseld must constantly capitulate to Bernhard’s blackmail-like demands and help settle all the bizarre controversies he instigates; Bernhard has a point—however-- when, while asking for advances against future sales, he emphasizes that the requested sums are actually trifling considering the money Suhrkamp will make posthumously off an author with no offspring or immediate family beyond a half-brother and sister.** It’s not just your run of the mill author who pulls a play from contracted performance because the fire department will not allow emergency exit lights to be totally shut off during a final scene of the premiere; additionally, demanding the fee for the full contractual run is rather cheeky.
In sum, much of the book is about various controversies—especially controversies due to Bernhard’s ungrateful speeches at awards ceremonies, summarized in his posthumous work Meine Preise, and lawsuits that led to Bernhard being totally embittered with Austria, e.g. his caricature of one-time, friends, romantic interests, patrons and supporters in Holzfällen; there are, of course, two sides to these lawsuits and Mittermayer attempts to remain unbiased and above the fray. That he succeeds in his attempt does not make the biography any less entertaining. There are those who may justly opine that Bernhard deserves a biographer with a sharp hatchet.
Despite writing about himself voluminously, Bernhard remains an enigma, the enfant terrible of Austrian letters whose personal life remains a mystery. A man from an impoverished background who becomes a controversial voice of a generation, alienating even more readers than he attracts. His health was atrociously poor and led to his early death in 1989 just a few months after his last play premiered (and stirred up enough animosity for an entire posthumous lifetime as he was then commonly referred to as a Nestbeschmutzer, one who shits his own bed). His life companion and early patron, Hedwig Stavianicek, was a widow over three decades his senior; Bernhard often introduced her as his “aunt” to avoid uncomfortable questions when they traveled. Otherwise, Bernhard was never linked to any specific woman romantically and left no offspring. Those wanting salacious tales might be better served reading a biography of Saul Bellow.
All this considered, the Bernhard obsessed fan should know what he or she is getting into in picking up this Bernhard biography: a scrupulously researched work about an author who avoided the spotlight, except for controversies which were unavoidable due to his exceedingly difficult personality. It is hard to read either this biography of his correspondence with Unseld and come away feeling much pity for the author, though I did feel his pain, no matter how often unjustified.
The biography is most useful in uncovering obscure facts, e.g. that the tale related in the second half of Beton is based on a true story, or—and this impressed me the most—that Bernhard was just a non-farming gentleman farmer with a shoe collection that would make Imelda Marcos salivate. For most of the year he lived a humdrum existence in one of his houses in Oberösterreich. He churned out his famous works in spasms of creativity, often while on vacation, writing them often in a span of a few weeks, mostly abroad in the former Yugoslavia or, later, in Mallorca where he spent a lot of time due to his diseased lungs. In short, Bernhard sketched out works in his head while on his estate(s), would pitch Unseld, and then write the books in a feverish state while inhabiting in a foreign hotel room.
Mittermayer has done an admirable job in relating Thomas Bernhard’s life in under 450 pages. However, the author was so reclusive and private, that Mittermayer must largely rely on works that have already been published. Additionally, much of the biography summarizes the plots and reception of his books and plays. The plays are also discussed in depth to both understand critical reception and Bernhard’s enthusiasm for or disgust with various actors tasked with his misanthropic monologues. For those who have not seen many of the plays performed (few have been presented in English, though Vor dem Ruhestand has, a play that Bernhard once considered his finest), these lengthy meanderings could be tedious.
Since there is so little to relate about Bernhard’s personal life, Mittermayer’s work primarily rehashes information readily available, particularly in German. All the scandals are presented in loose chronological order and compared with how Bernhard presented them himself in autobiographical works. Thus, a reader learns little about Bernhard's private life but is treated to countless summaries of his epistolary tirades, his denigrations of contemporary authors, and the scandals involving his homeland, particularly in his later works as he progresses from vocal misanthrope to a moralist who calls out his government for being complicit Nazis.
A conclusion that many Bernhard obsessed readers come to is that, despite all the vitriol that Bernhard has for Austria and Austrians, he remains, at heart, an Austrian through and through. The concluding scene in Holzfällen makes that clear. There can be no Love Hate relationship without both the love and the hate. As Mittermayer’s biography points out, Bernhard is much more enigmatic that his scathing monologues would lead a casual reader to believe.
--------------------------------------
*That Bernhard’s autobiographical books were published by the niche Austrian publishing house Residenz Verlag caused Unseld a significant amount of grief. A reader will have to decide whether Bernhard was justified in playing publishing houses off each other. However, since only Bernhard’s correspondence with Unseld is readily available, Bernhard’s motives are not crystal clear. I’m apt to assume that Bernhard was just too prolific and that Suhrkamp could not keep up with so many volumes yearly. Also, one has to respect an author for not being totally indebted (quite literally) to one publishing house.
**Bernhard’s thoughts on children is well known. In one interview he stated, “Man müßte alle Leuten, die Kinder kriegen, die Ohren abschneiden.” (pg,. 212). Trans. (Mine): The ears should be cut off of all those who have children.
The rights to Bernhard’ works did remain with Suhrkamp following Bernhard’s death. His fame has increased dramatically posthumously and Suhrkamp has a permanent windfall.
–Thomas Bernhard’s “last” thoughts on a London-bound plane when an engine explodes.
While there are plenty of secondary sources on Thomas Bernhard, there is no authorized biography. Perhaps this is why Manfred Mittermayer’s biography is entitled Eine Biografie and not Die Biografie. Nevertheless, Mittermayer is about as thorough as one can be in delving into the life of the reclusive author who died in 1989. In addition to this biography with Residenz Verlag (more on that below), Mittermayer has an author credit with the formulaic Suhrkamp imprint for the BasisBiographien on Bernhard. For many German readers the short basic biography will be enough, especially if one supplements it with Jens Ditmar’s encyclopedic Thomas Bernhard Werkgeschichte which serves as a bibliography of Bernhard’s published works and summarizes initial critical reactions to his books and plays.
Additionally, there is Gita Honegger’s Thomas Bernhard: The Making of an Austrian, which has been translated into German, and which addresses Bernhard’s legacy in a series of non-chronological critical essays. I find all the above works essential; they are within easy grasp in my Bernhard bookcase. Nevertheless, for a long while I have wanted to carve out time to read the most thorough biography of Bernhard available; at this juncture there is no English translation.
Since Bernhard wrote his own autobiography in five volumes for the Austrian publishing house Residenz Verlag--which did not appear in chronological order (available in English as a one-volume set Gathering Evidence)--as well as other books that are basically autobiography, e.g. Wittgensteins Neffe, Mittermayer has the unenviable task of separating fact from the myths in Bernhard’s multivolume biography.* Additionally, Bernhard’s correspondence with his publisher at Suhrkamp Verlag, Sigfried Unseld, has been available since 2009. Mittermayer must dutifully rehash all the insane squabbles and bad behavior that is already well chronicled in this correspondence.
For those readers aching for another Bernhard work, but who are suspicious of collected letters, Thomas Bernhard Siegfried Unseld: Der Briefswechsel is so highly entertaining that some critics consider it a missing Bernhard book. Poor Unseld must constantly capitulate to Bernhard’s blackmail-like demands and help settle all the bizarre controversies he instigates; Bernhard has a point—however-- when, while asking for advances against future sales, he emphasizes that the requested sums are actually trifling considering the money Suhrkamp will make posthumously off an author with no offspring or immediate family beyond a half-brother and sister.** It’s not just your run of the mill author who pulls a play from contracted performance because the fire department will not allow emergency exit lights to be totally shut off during a final scene of the premiere; additionally, demanding the fee for the full contractual run is rather cheeky.
In sum, much of the book is about various controversies—especially controversies due to Bernhard’s ungrateful speeches at awards ceremonies, summarized in his posthumous work Meine Preise, and lawsuits that led to Bernhard being totally embittered with Austria, e.g. his caricature of one-time, friends, romantic interests, patrons and supporters in Holzfällen; there are, of course, two sides to these lawsuits and Mittermayer attempts to remain unbiased and above the fray. That he succeeds in his attempt does not make the biography any less entertaining. There are those who may justly opine that Bernhard deserves a biographer with a sharp hatchet.
Despite writing about himself voluminously, Bernhard remains an enigma, the enfant terrible of Austrian letters whose personal life remains a mystery. A man from an impoverished background who becomes a controversial voice of a generation, alienating even more readers than he attracts. His health was atrociously poor and led to his early death in 1989 just a few months after his last play premiered (and stirred up enough animosity for an entire posthumous lifetime as he was then commonly referred to as a Nestbeschmutzer, one who shits his own bed). His life companion and early patron, Hedwig Stavianicek, was a widow over three decades his senior; Bernhard often introduced her as his “aunt” to avoid uncomfortable questions when they traveled. Otherwise, Bernhard was never linked to any specific woman romantically and left no offspring. Those wanting salacious tales might be better served reading a biography of Saul Bellow.
All this considered, the Bernhard obsessed fan should know what he or she is getting into in picking up this Bernhard biography: a scrupulously researched work about an author who avoided the spotlight, except for controversies which were unavoidable due to his exceedingly difficult personality. It is hard to read either this biography of his correspondence with Unseld and come away feeling much pity for the author, though I did feel his pain, no matter how often unjustified.
The biography is most useful in uncovering obscure facts, e.g. that the tale related in the second half of Beton is based on a true story, or—and this impressed me the most—that Bernhard was just a non-farming gentleman farmer with a shoe collection that would make Imelda Marcos salivate. For most of the year he lived a humdrum existence in one of his houses in Oberösterreich. He churned out his famous works in spasms of creativity, often while on vacation, writing them often in a span of a few weeks, mostly abroad in the former Yugoslavia or, later, in Mallorca where he spent a lot of time due to his diseased lungs. In short, Bernhard sketched out works in his head while on his estate(s), would pitch Unseld, and then write the books in a feverish state while inhabiting in a foreign hotel room.
Mittermayer has done an admirable job in relating Thomas Bernhard’s life in under 450 pages. However, the author was so reclusive and private, that Mittermayer must largely rely on works that have already been published. Additionally, much of the biography summarizes the plots and reception of his books and plays. The plays are also discussed in depth to both understand critical reception and Bernhard’s enthusiasm for or disgust with various actors tasked with his misanthropic monologues. For those who have not seen many of the plays performed (few have been presented in English, though Vor dem Ruhestand has, a play that Bernhard once considered his finest), these lengthy meanderings could be tedious.
Since there is so little to relate about Bernhard’s personal life, Mittermayer’s work primarily rehashes information readily available, particularly in German. All the scandals are presented in loose chronological order and compared with how Bernhard presented them himself in autobiographical works. Thus, a reader learns little about Bernhard's private life but is treated to countless summaries of his epistolary tirades, his denigrations of contemporary authors, and the scandals involving his homeland, particularly in his later works as he progresses from vocal misanthrope to a moralist who calls out his government for being complicit Nazis.
A conclusion that many Bernhard obsessed readers come to is that, despite all the vitriol that Bernhard has for Austria and Austrians, he remains, at heart, an Austrian through and through. The concluding scene in Holzfällen makes that clear. There can be no Love Hate relationship without both the love and the hate. As Mittermayer’s biography points out, Bernhard is much more enigmatic that his scathing monologues would lead a casual reader to believe.
--------------------------------------
*That Bernhard’s autobiographical books were published by the niche Austrian publishing house Residenz Verlag caused Unseld a significant amount of grief. A reader will have to decide whether Bernhard was justified in playing publishing houses off each other. However, since only Bernhard’s correspondence with Unseld is readily available, Bernhard’s motives are not crystal clear. I’m apt to assume that Bernhard was just too prolific and that Suhrkamp could not keep up with so many volumes yearly. Also, one has to respect an author for not being totally indebted (quite literally) to one publishing house.
**Bernhard’s thoughts on children is well known. In one interview he stated, “Man müßte alle Leuten, die Kinder kriegen, die Ohren abschneiden.” (pg,. 212). Trans. (Mine): The ears should be cut off of all those who have children.
The rights to Bernhard’ works did remain with Suhrkamp following Bernhard’s death. His fame has increased dramatically posthumously and Suhrkamp has a permanent windfall.
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May 22, 2018The childhood scenes were the most illuminating; once it reaches the point of Bernhard cexercising his public agons in print and keeping his private agons hidden for good, a biographer can only summarize the subject’s own words.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews