Draußen vor der Tür gilt zu Recht als jenes Stück, das das Selbstgefühl der Kriegsheimkehrer nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg am besten ausdrückt – eine beliebte Schullektüre, wobei deren Ausblendung aller anderen Opfer des Krieges inzwischen kritisch hinterfragt wird. Und Borcherts Kurzgeschichten wie Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch oder Das Brot gehören zu den unbestrittenen Klikern des Genres. Diese neue, besonders für die Schule konzipierte Werkauswahl versammelt die wichtigsten Texte neben seinem Theaterstück und den bekanntesten Kurzgeschichten auch seine Manifeste Generation ohne Abschied , Das ist unser Manifest oder Dann sag nein!
German author and playwright whose work was affected by his experience of dictatorship and his service in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. His work is among the best examples of the Trümmerliteratur movement in post-World War II Germany. His most famous work is the drama "Draußen vor der Tür (The Man Outside)", which he wrote in the first days after World War II. In his works he never makes compromises in questions of humanity and humanism. He is one of the most popular authors of the German postwar period, and today his work is often read in German schools.
„Ein Stück, das kein Theater spielen und kein Publikum sehen will.“
Erfasst es ganz gut. Das Buch an sich war ziemlich gut. Ich kann es mir nur nicht als Theaterstück vorstellen. Ich habe die Handlung an manchen Punkten absolut nicht verstanden (das kann aber auch ein me-Problem sein). Zum Ende hin wurde es dann jedoch etwas klarer. Es war echt Lesenswert aber ich hoffe wir spielen es nicht als Theaterstück 🙏😔
For finals of my secondary school, we had to compile a reading list for each of the modern languages, and quite a few of my classmates added Draußen vor der Tür to the list, probably due to its limited length. In fact, I cannot remember if I had it on my list, but I certainly didn't read it until now (sometimes you had to just gamble which of the 30 books the half hour exam would query you on -- I guessed right). I doubt my classmates got much out of this: the language used is quite tricky and the themes; well, not sure 18-year-olds will have been able to get much from it.
The play by itself didn't really do it for me; may have to see that in the theatre at some point. The real interest for me where the short stories this Reklam edition adds, and especially the vignettes. It seems that the fewer pages Borchert had at his disposal, or allowed himself, the stronger his work, at least for me. The power and emotion captured in Die Küchenuhr and Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch, as well as Das Brot are absolutely stunning.
Yes, the collection focuses on what Borchert is famous for, the so-called Rubble Literature, and I don't know how much other material there is, but it does become a little same-y after a while. Maybe not to be read in one go.