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Aus dem Waldleben Amerikas #1
Арканзаски регулатори: Роман за живота в горите на Арканзас
Aus dem Waldleben Amerikas. Nach der Originalausgabe neu bearbeitet. Für Leser von 13 Jahren an.
351 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1845
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47 people want to read
About the author
Friedrich Gerstäcker
1,112 books7 followersFriedrich Gerstäcker (May 10, 1816, Hamburg - May 31, 1872, Braunschweig) was a German traveler and novelist.
He was the son of Friedrich Gerstäcker (1790–1825), a celebrated opera singer. After being apprenticed to a commercial house, he learnt farming in Saxony. In 1837, however, just younger than 21 and having imbibed from Robinson Crusoe a taste for adventure, he went to America and wandered over a large part of the United States, supporting himself by whatever work came to hand. He became fireman on a steamboat, deck hand, farmer, silversmith, and merchant. After wandering through most of the United States, spending some time as a hunter and trapper in the Indian territory, and in 1842 keeping a hotel at Point Coupée, Louisiana, he returned to Germany six adventurous years later in 1843.
To his great surprise, he found himself famous as an author. His mother had shown his diary, which he regularly sent home, and which contained descriptions of his adventures in the New World, to the editor of the Rosen, who published them in that periodical. These sketches having found favour with the public, Gerstäcker issued them in 1844 under the title Streif- und Jagdzüge durch die Vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerika. In 1845 his first novel, Die Regulatoren in Arkansas, appeared marking the start of a successful writing career. Henceforth the stream of his productiveness flowed on uninterruptedly.
From 1849 to 1852 Gerstäcker travelled round the world, visiting North and South America, Polynesia and Australia. He experienced the California gold rush, crossed the South Pacific on a whaler, and wandered through Australia and experienced a "gold rush" there. On his return to Germany, he settled in Leipzig.
In 1860 he again went to South America, chiefly with a view to inspecting the German colonies there and reporting on the possibility of diverting the stream of German emigration in this direction. The result of his observations and experiences he recorded in Achtzehn Monate in Südamerika (1862). In 1862 he accompanied Duke Ernest of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Egypt and Abyssinia, and on his return settled at Coburg, where he wrote a number of novels descriptive of the scenes he had visited.
In 1867-1868 Gerstäcker again undertook a long journey, visiting North America, Venezuela and the West Indies. He visited Mexico right after the collapse of the Second Mexican Empire, a situation about which he wrote a few passages in one of his books. On his return lived first at Dresden and then at Brunswick. While preparing for a journey to India, China and Japan, he suffered a fatal cerebral haemorrhage on May 31, 1872.
The widely traveled adventurer left an oeuvre of 44 volumes, which he edited himself for his Jena publisher H. Costenoble. His stories and novels inspired numerous imitators: Karl May profited from him and used landscape descriptions as well as subjects and characters. Even theatre and movie companies borrowed from his work: the plot of the musical Brigadoon (1954) was adapted from Gerstäcker's short story Germelshausen.
The Friedrich-Gerstäcker-Gesellschaft e.V. (Fr. G. society) founded in 1978 in Braunschweig offers more information about Gerstäcker and runs a museum about his work.
He was the son of Friedrich Gerstäcker (1790–1825), a celebrated opera singer. After being apprenticed to a commercial house, he learnt farming in Saxony. In 1837, however, just younger than 21 and having imbibed from Robinson Crusoe a taste for adventure, he went to America and wandered over a large part of the United States, supporting himself by whatever work came to hand. He became fireman on a steamboat, deck hand, farmer, silversmith, and merchant. After wandering through most of the United States, spending some time as a hunter and trapper in the Indian territory, and in 1842 keeping a hotel at Point Coupée, Louisiana, he returned to Germany six adventurous years later in 1843.
To his great surprise, he found himself famous as an author. His mother had shown his diary, which he regularly sent home, and which contained descriptions of his adventures in the New World, to the editor of the Rosen, who published them in that periodical. These sketches having found favour with the public, Gerstäcker issued them in 1844 under the title Streif- und Jagdzüge durch die Vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerika. In 1845 his first novel, Die Regulatoren in Arkansas, appeared marking the start of a successful writing career. Henceforth the stream of his productiveness flowed on uninterruptedly.
From 1849 to 1852 Gerstäcker travelled round the world, visiting North and South America, Polynesia and Australia. He experienced the California gold rush, crossed the South Pacific on a whaler, and wandered through Australia and experienced a "gold rush" there. On his return to Germany, he settled in Leipzig.
In 1860 he again went to South America, chiefly with a view to inspecting the German colonies there and reporting on the possibility of diverting the stream of German emigration in this direction. The result of his observations and experiences he recorded in Achtzehn Monate in Südamerika (1862). In 1862 he accompanied Duke Ernest of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Egypt and Abyssinia, and on his return settled at Coburg, where he wrote a number of novels descriptive of the scenes he had visited.
In 1867-1868 Gerstäcker again undertook a long journey, visiting North America, Venezuela and the West Indies. He visited Mexico right after the collapse of the Second Mexican Empire, a situation about which he wrote a few passages in one of his books. On his return lived first at Dresden and then at Brunswick. While preparing for a journey to India, China and Japan, he suffered a fatal cerebral haemorrhage on May 31, 1872.
The widely traveled adventurer left an oeuvre of 44 volumes, which he edited himself for his Jena publisher H. Costenoble. His stories and novels inspired numerous imitators: Karl May profited from him and used landscape descriptions as well as subjects and characters. Even theatre and movie companies borrowed from his work: the plot of the musical Brigadoon (1954) was adapted from Gerstäcker's short story Germelshausen.
The Friedrich-Gerstäcker-Gesellschaft e.V. (Fr. G. society) founded in 1978 in Braunschweig offers more information about Gerstäcker and runs a museum about his work.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 11, 2021
Pferdediebstahl und Mord - Arkansas war eine gerade erst erschlossene Region mit allerlei Verbrechen an der Tagesordnung, und das Gesetz musste in die eigene Hand genommen werden, um überhaupt etwas wert zu sein. Die sogenannten "Regulatoren" sorgten mit ihrer Mischung aus Milizmission und Vigilantismus dafür, dass Verbrecher die schnellst- und härtestmögliche Strafe für ihre Taten bekamen, statt darauf zu warten, dass sich ein Sheriff oder Richter in die hinterwäldlerischen Gebiete begab. Im Allgemeinen lief das letztlich immer aufs Lynchen hinaus.
"Voerst kenne ich aber nur das eine Ziel, jene Mörder aufzuspüren, und der Herr sei ihnen gnädig, wenn wir sie finden. Von den Menschen haben sie keine Gnade zu erhoffen." (S. 271)
So verfolgen wir in diversen Erzählfäden, wie die Bösen und die Guten, zunächst noch klar voneinander abgetrennt, unaufhaltsam am Fourche la fave und Petite-Jeanne aufeinander zusteuern. Spurenlesen und Anschleichen, zwei der scheinbar wichtigsten Aktivitäten der Westleute, kommen zwar zum Zuge, doch irgendwie wirken die Protagonisten in ihrer Bodenständigenkeit viel realer als die meisten Personen anderer Autoren dieser Gattung; da geht es um Kinderkrankheiten, das Anpflanzen und die Ernte, die Versorgung mit Lebensmitteln, den Bau und Aufrechterhaltung von Häusern und Zäunen, die Familienplanung und den sonntäglichen Gottesdienst.
Gerstäcker erzählt die Topoi des "wilden Westens", wie es Karl May später auch tat, mit unterhaltsamer Sprache, wilden Wendungen und vielen wunderbaren Details des Lebens im Territorium - allerdings mit sprachlich deutlich hochwertigerem Stil und weniger Moralisierung. Seine Helden sind keine Pseudomissionare oder Engel, herabgestiegen um die edlen Wilden zu erleuchten, sondern echte Menschen. Was die aufregenden Szenen im Buch, von denen es wirklich keinen Mangel gibt, noch aufwertet und spannender macht, denn man bekommt schonungslos mehrfach gezeigt, dass schon kleine Wunden große Folgen in der Wildnis haben können.
Ich lese Gerstäcker inzwischen lieber als May, auch wenn letzterer für mich immer einen Platz im Herzen haben wird. Doch Gerstäcker ist bei weitem der bessere Autor, mit sehr viel komplexerer Erzählstruktur und tieferer Charakterisierung der Personen und Orte, und das macht seine Romane zu besseren Zeugen einer vergangenen Zeit.
"Voerst kenne ich aber nur das eine Ziel, jene Mörder aufzuspüren, und der Herr sei ihnen gnädig, wenn wir sie finden. Von den Menschen haben sie keine Gnade zu erhoffen." (S. 271)
So verfolgen wir in diversen Erzählfäden, wie die Bösen und die Guten, zunächst noch klar voneinander abgetrennt, unaufhaltsam am Fourche la fave und Petite-Jeanne aufeinander zusteuern. Spurenlesen und Anschleichen, zwei der scheinbar wichtigsten Aktivitäten der Westleute, kommen zwar zum Zuge, doch irgendwie wirken die Protagonisten in ihrer Bodenständigenkeit viel realer als die meisten Personen anderer Autoren dieser Gattung; da geht es um Kinderkrankheiten, das Anpflanzen und die Ernte, die Versorgung mit Lebensmitteln, den Bau und Aufrechterhaltung von Häusern und Zäunen, die Familienplanung und den sonntäglichen Gottesdienst.
Gerstäcker erzählt die Topoi des "wilden Westens", wie es Karl May später auch tat, mit unterhaltsamer Sprache, wilden Wendungen und vielen wunderbaren Details des Lebens im Territorium - allerdings mit sprachlich deutlich hochwertigerem Stil und weniger Moralisierung. Seine Helden sind keine Pseudomissionare oder Engel, herabgestiegen um die edlen Wilden zu erleuchten, sondern echte Menschen. Was die aufregenden Szenen im Buch, von denen es wirklich keinen Mangel gibt, noch aufwertet und spannender macht, denn man bekommt schonungslos mehrfach gezeigt, dass schon kleine Wunden große Folgen in der Wildnis haben können.
Ich lese Gerstäcker inzwischen lieber als May, auch wenn letzterer für mich immer einen Platz im Herzen haben wird. Doch Gerstäcker ist bei weitem der bessere Autor, mit sehr viel komplexerer Erzählstruktur und tieferer Charakterisierung der Personen und Orte, und das macht seine Romane zu besseren Zeugen einer vergangenen Zeit.
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November 5, 2021Отмъщение на индианците
July 12, 2023
One of those blends of old where a German writer writes about cowboys. Not one of the classics in this niche genre, however.
But an intriguing story nonetheless. The regulators – followers of Lynch’s Law, self-proclaimed judges, jury and executioners of justice where the (otherwise) legal forces prove inefficient – are the backdrop of the story, neatly elaborated on by the author in the preface to the story. The dynamic is morally-ambiguous, as is the case with pretty much anything in life: without the regulators justice is not consistently served and crime blossoms, with the regulators judgments that are too harsh may be carried out and innocents sometimes suffer.
The book is lengthy, a tad too long, even. It seldom feels tedious, however, as the writing flows smoothly and enticingly. It’s not surprising that the edition that I read was part of a collection of novels targeted at youths. Several hilarious laugh-out-loud moments were present too.
The otherwise numerous characters are not burdensome to remember, because each has their own distinct personality and traits. The illustrations contained within the book also helped with the immersion.
Overall a good story of men, horses and thieves, justice, honour and chivalry. The days of old of which many a few often romanticise about. Gone with the wind, alas.
But an intriguing story nonetheless. The regulators – followers of Lynch’s Law, self-proclaimed judges, jury and executioners of justice where the (otherwise) legal forces prove inefficient – are the backdrop of the story, neatly elaborated on by the author in the preface to the story. The dynamic is morally-ambiguous, as is the case with pretty much anything in life: without the regulators justice is not consistently served and crime blossoms, with the regulators judgments that are too harsh may be carried out and innocents sometimes suffer.
The book is lengthy, a tad too long, even. It seldom feels tedious, however, as the writing flows smoothly and enticingly. It’s not surprising that the edition that I read was part of a collection of novels targeted at youths. Several hilarious laugh-out-loud moments were present too.
The otherwise numerous characters are not burdensome to remember, because each has their own distinct personality and traits. The illustrations contained within the book also helped with the immersion.
Overall a good story of men, horses and thieves, justice, honour and chivalry. The days of old of which many a few often romanticise about. Gone with the wind, alas.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews