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Die Ermordung einer Butterblume. Erzählungen
Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1912
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225 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 26, 2024
Well, the title tale 0f Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammlete Erzählungen (which is basically an all inclusive collection of Alfred Döblin's short stories and novellas), Die Ermordung einer Butterblume (The Murder of a Buttercup) is a short Expressionist novella and also one of Alfred Döblin’s earliest works, with Die Ermordung einer Butterblume having Alfred Döblin feature the actions and also the wracked by guilt thoughts of a store owner (Michael Fischer) as he is increasingly being haunted by the memory of a buttercup he deliberately and viciously destroyed one evening with his walking cane while ambling, while strolling in the woods (originally published in 1910 in the literary magazine Der Sturm, of which Döblin was both a co-founder and also a frequent contributor), a majorly disturbing, but also perversely beautiful story that textually explores human frailty, the despair under the thin veneer of civilisation, and indeed, almost twenty years before Berlin Alexanderplatz, (but with the same radical spirit and illustration of the human capacity for extreme forms of behaviour, of both thought and also of course of action).
And in 1913, Die Ermordung einer Butterblume was then published as the title story in a collection of four Alfred Döblin novellas, where the presented characters generally are all anti-heroes, with Döblin tending to give nature anthropomorphic qualities, basically, reality and surreal fantasies coexisting in a realm where both seem equally plausible, and where it is generally quite difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins, something quite common in the prose of German Expressionism, but certainly also and equally in German Romanticism. And yes, I for one most definitely have always thought that Expressionism (early to mid 20th century) and Romanticism (early 19th century) are both thematically and textually linked, with the latter certainly and in my opinion hugely influencing the former (and that in particular Alfred Döblin's Expressionist prose very clearly and wonderfully demonstrates this).
But while Die Ermordung einer Butterblume is inevitably also somewhat comically absurd and satirical in nature, another story featured in Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammlete Erzählungen, Die Tänzerin und der Leib (The Ballerina and the Body) is told by Alfred Döblin without even the slightest hint of irony and with the textual fascination lying in the novella's cruel and absolutely depersonalised (even almost clinical) description of a young woman’s self-hatred, with 19 year old and accomplished dancer Ella developing a fatal and unexplained illness after having disciplined her body using extreme forms of exercise (and sheer will power), with Döblin showing in Die Tänzerin un der Leib a very and creepily strict separation between identity and body (and the latter being for Ella nothing more than a troublesome, defunct piece of meat to be despised and physically attacked, and seemingly the only way for her, for Ella to be able to maintain some form of personal control, to be giving her a feeling of superiority over her mother and her physicians).
And although Alfred Döblin's collected stories in Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen are actually not connected and in fact stand out through constantly changing themes and tones, they are ALL of them wonderfully, engagingly penned, exquisitely but also terribly, horribly beautiful and also do tend to share certain topics which are crucial for Döblin’s literary production in general (and which is why I have decided to focus on only two of the included tales in detail for my review, on Die Ermordung einer Butterblume and on Die Tänzerin und der Leib). For yes indeed, the correlations between vitality and aggression, sexuality and violence, and the blurred boundaries between normal and pathological behaviour are part and parcel to every single Alfred Döblin novella and short story presented in Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen (and that having specialised in the treatment of nervous diseases as a physician, Döblin’s narrative style majorly comes close to the principle of exact psychiatric observation, wonderfully, delightfully shown with and in his shorter pieces of fiction and then of course totally culminating in Berlin Alexanderplatz, as indeed, Franz Biberkopf's story is also and maybe even first and foremost an account of mental illness and severe and unrelenting emotional pathology and baggage).
Five stars for Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen highly recommended, and in my humble opinion also a great way to textually get used to Alfred Döblin as an author before tackling Berlin Alexanderplatz. But yes, Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen is penned entirely in German and since I have not read any of Alfred Döblin's short stories and novellas in English, I of course am not going to be making any comments regarding the potential quality of existing translations in this here review (and with the most promising and seemingly also the first English language translation that features an actual selection of Alfred Döblin tales and not jut one story rendered into English being Bright Magic: Stories, but just to once again reiterate that until I have actually had the chance to read Bright Magic: Stories that no comments on the actual translation itself will be made and can be made, since this would for me be majorly academically dishonest, as I do not know either which Alfred Döblin stories are included in Bright Magic: Stories or how translator Damion Searls has rendered them from German into English).
And in 1913, Die Ermordung einer Butterblume was then published as the title story in a collection of four Alfred Döblin novellas, where the presented characters generally are all anti-heroes, with Döblin tending to give nature anthropomorphic qualities, basically, reality and surreal fantasies coexisting in a realm where both seem equally plausible, and where it is generally quite difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins, something quite common in the prose of German Expressionism, but certainly also and equally in German Romanticism. And yes, I for one most definitely have always thought that Expressionism (early to mid 20th century) and Romanticism (early 19th century) are both thematically and textually linked, with the latter certainly and in my opinion hugely influencing the former (and that in particular Alfred Döblin's Expressionist prose very clearly and wonderfully demonstrates this).
But while Die Ermordung einer Butterblume is inevitably also somewhat comically absurd and satirical in nature, another story featured in Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammlete Erzählungen, Die Tänzerin und der Leib (The Ballerina and the Body) is told by Alfred Döblin without even the slightest hint of irony and with the textual fascination lying in the novella's cruel and absolutely depersonalised (even almost clinical) description of a young woman’s self-hatred, with 19 year old and accomplished dancer Ella developing a fatal and unexplained illness after having disciplined her body using extreme forms of exercise (and sheer will power), with Döblin showing in Die Tänzerin un der Leib a very and creepily strict separation between identity and body (and the latter being for Ella nothing more than a troublesome, defunct piece of meat to be despised and physically attacked, and seemingly the only way for her, for Ella to be able to maintain some form of personal control, to be giving her a feeling of superiority over her mother and her physicians).
And although Alfred Döblin's collected stories in Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen are actually not connected and in fact stand out through constantly changing themes and tones, they are ALL of them wonderfully, engagingly penned, exquisitely but also terribly, horribly beautiful and also do tend to share certain topics which are crucial for Döblin’s literary production in general (and which is why I have decided to focus on only two of the included tales in detail for my review, on Die Ermordung einer Butterblume and on Die Tänzerin und der Leib). For yes indeed, the correlations between vitality and aggression, sexuality and violence, and the blurred boundaries between normal and pathological behaviour are part and parcel to every single Alfred Döblin novella and short story presented in Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen (and that having specialised in the treatment of nervous diseases as a physician, Döblin’s narrative style majorly comes close to the principle of exact psychiatric observation, wonderfully, delightfully shown with and in his shorter pieces of fiction and then of course totally culminating in Berlin Alexanderplatz, as indeed, Franz Biberkopf's story is also and maybe even first and foremost an account of mental illness and severe and unrelenting emotional pathology and baggage).
Five stars for Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen highly recommended, and in my humble opinion also a great way to textually get used to Alfred Döblin as an author before tackling Berlin Alexanderplatz. But yes, Die Ermordung einer Butterblume: Gesammelte Erzählungen is penned entirely in German and since I have not read any of Alfred Döblin's short stories and novellas in English, I of course am not going to be making any comments regarding the potential quality of existing translations in this here review (and with the most promising and seemingly also the first English language translation that features an actual selection of Alfred Döblin tales and not jut one story rendered into English being Bright Magic: Stories, but just to once again reiterate that until I have actually had the chance to read Bright Magic: Stories that no comments on the actual translation itself will be made and can be made, since this would for me be majorly academically dishonest, as I do not know either which Alfred Döblin stories are included in Bright Magic: Stories or how translator Damion Searls has rendered them from German into English).
February 22, 2016
Dabei zuzusehen, wie ein Freiburger Kaufmann psychotisch (?) wird, macht Lust, selbst ein bisschen hysterisch durch den Wald zu stromern und sich auf einer Chaiselongue hin und her zu schmeißen. Diese Erzählung ist mir also intuitiv total verständlich. Am besten gefallen hat mir, dass er ein Konto für die Ermordete anlegt. Darauf muss man erstmal kommen! Ich würde auch gern ein Konto anlegen für alle Tiere und Pflanzen, die ich schon ermordet habe (und mich ab und zu zu meinem Gunsten verrechnen).
May 21, 2021
Der Sprache wegen werde ich das gleich nochmals lesen. Wunderbare Sätze, Wortbildungen und Allegorien. Der Inhalt dieser 12 Geschichten ist fast nebensächlich.
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April 30, 2024Ermordung einer Butterblume ist wild
December 26, 2008
"Der Kopf musste fort, der Stiel zugedeckt werden, eingestampft, verscharrt. Der Wald roch nach der Pflanzenleiche. ... Eine andere Blume musste an jene Stelle gepflanzt werden, eine wohlriechende, ein Nelkengarten. Der Kadaver mitten im Wald musste fort. Fort."
:)
:)
July 29, 2025
Ich habe lediglich die Titelgeschichte gelesen.. die war jedoch sehr amüsant :)
July 20, 2024
Kokoelman tarinoista useat novellit vaativat ainakin omalla kohdalla hieman ulkopuolista apua ymmärtämään täysin kaikkia ulkoisen maailman viittauksia. Luin novellit vailla ulkopuolista apua ja nojauduin tulkinnassa ulkoisiin lähteisiin vasta kokoelman luettuani. Muiden tulkinnat avasivat hieman paremmin auki joitain novelleja - tämä ei toki tarkoita sitä, ettenkö kyennyt lukemaan ja nauttimaan tekstejä omasta ajastaan irroitettuina teksteinä.
Varsinkin nimikkonovelli sekä Kolmas aiheuttivat itsessä hyvin paljon mielihyvää. On mukavaa lukea tekstejä, joista ei aina ole ihan täysin perillä tapahtumista.
Döblin on omalla tavallaan hieman verrannollinen Flann O’Brieniin, sillä kummankin teoksien tietynlainen absurdismi on samanaikaisesti viihdyttävää sekä hämmentävää. O’Brien toki on humoristisemmalla otteella varustettu, kun taas Döblin on lähempänä Kafkaa, joka on niellyt sitruunan.
Purjehdus novelli oli mieleeni edellämainittujen tekstien lisäksi, ehkä osin siksi että Oostenden rannat ovat itselle tuttuja myös.
Kaikki tekstit eivät täysin auenneet minulle, mutta sitä yli 100 vuotta minun ja Döblinin maailmojen välissä sekä kielierot ja käännös usein voi tehdä (onhan novellikokoelman nimessä jo omanlaisensa käännöskukkanen).
Varsinkin nimikkonovelli sekä Kolmas aiheuttivat itsessä hyvin paljon mielihyvää. On mukavaa lukea tekstejä, joista ei aina ole ihan täysin perillä tapahtumista.
Döblin on omalla tavallaan hieman verrannollinen Flann O’Brieniin, sillä kummankin teoksien tietynlainen absurdismi on samanaikaisesti viihdyttävää sekä hämmentävää. O’Brien toki on humoristisemmalla otteella varustettu, kun taas Döblin on lähempänä Kafkaa, joka on niellyt sitruunan.
Purjehdus novelli oli mieleeni edellämainittujen tekstien lisäksi, ehkä osin siksi että Oostenden rannat ovat itselle tuttuja myös.
Kaikki tekstit eivät täysin auenneet minulle, mutta sitä yli 100 vuotta minun ja Döblinin maailmojen välissä sekä kielierot ja käännös usein voi tehdä (onhan novellikokoelman nimessä jo omanlaisensa käännöskukkanen).
November 2, 2025
Short stories, German expressionism. The stories were indeed pretty short, depicting the characters' emotions and inner turmoil. Some of the stories had a supernatural element. Very theatrical and frantic, almost as if the characters were playacting (to themselves). Felt a bit baroque, like circus characters on a stage (wringing hands, making faces, somersaulting etc.). I kind of liked this, but I have mixed feelings about it. Döblin was a doctor and worked at a psychiatric clinic for some years. Maybe he got some inspiration there? When I think of the stories in light of that, I like them better.
Read in Norwegian, but could not find the edition on GR, so not sure if this is the exact same edition I read.
Read in Norwegian, but could not find the edition on GR, so not sure if this is the exact same edition I read.
April 17, 2024
kaikki novellit olivat ihan lesbar ja ich hab's genossen MUTTA 2 ylitse muiden:
-niminovelli Erään rentukan murha (Die Ermorderung einer Butterblume), liukas ja ailahtelevainen hra. Fischer tappaa rentukan ja hätääntyy. päädytään surrelistiin mittoihin ja Fischer selkärangattomana ja moraalikummajaisena riemastuu massamurhaan.
-Tanssijatar ja vartalo (Die Tänzerin und der Leib), itseinhosta, tahdon ja ruumiin vihanpidosta. Tanssijatar seuraa kelvotonta itseään sivusta, kliinisesti. Hytisevä, harmaa ja vettynyt novelli, kaikessa hyvässä!
-niminovelli Erään rentukan murha (Die Ermorderung einer Butterblume), liukas ja ailahtelevainen hra. Fischer tappaa rentukan ja hätääntyy. päädytään surrelistiin mittoihin ja Fischer selkärangattomana ja moraalikummajaisena riemastuu massamurhaan.
-Tanssijatar ja vartalo (Die Tänzerin und der Leib), itseinhosta, tahdon ja ruumiin vihanpidosta. Tanssijatar seuraa kelvotonta itseään sivusta, kliinisesti. Hytisevä, harmaa ja vettynyt novelli, kaikessa hyvässä!
December 30, 2023
Da ich eine ältere Ausgabe habe, sind vierzehn verschiedene Kurzgeschichten enthalten. Vereinzelt empfand ich die Kurzgeschichten als gut und spannend sowie interessant zu lesen. Die meisten fand ich allerdings sehr langatmig und selbst bei mehrfachen lesen von Primär- und Sekundärliteratur nicht gut verständlich. Obwohl Döblin ein wichtiger Bestandteil der deutschen Literatur ist, werde ich seine Werke vermutlich in Zukunft nicht mehr lesen, da mir der Schreibstil nicht ausreichend zusagt.
August 21, 2021
Mielenkiintoisia ja erikoisia novelleja. Mielikuvitus on ollut lennokkaalla päällä ja oli ilo lukea näin rikasta kuvausta, mutta olivatko nämä novellit kuitenkin potilaskertomuksia? Kirjailija oli koulutukseltaan psykiatri ja työskennellyt mielisairaalapotilaiden parissa. Oliko kirjailija saanut "tartunnan"?
December 14, 2023
Einfach genial…Döblin zurecht einer der absoluten Favs
Want to read
April 11, 2020#24
Diese Geste des Körpers, die große und besondere Rolle, die der Körper spielt. Nirgendwo steht er so sehr, so völlig, so hundertprozentig im Dienst der Seele. Wie das Körperliche durchsichtig wird. Da war man sonst ein starres, isoliertes und gefrorenes Tier, man war wie in Stücke gehauen. Man hatte da seine Gedanken, anderswo seine Neigungen, anderswo bewegte man sich. Jeden Teil ließ man einzeln laufen.
Diese Geste des Körpers, die große und besondere Rolle, die der Körper spielt. Nirgendwo steht er so sehr, so völlig, so hundertprozentig im Dienst der Seele. Wie das Körperliche durchsichtig wird. Da war man sonst ein starres, isoliertes und gefrorenes Tier, man war wie in Stücke gehauen. Man hatte da seine Gedanken, anderswo seine Neigungen, anderswo bewegte man sich. Jeden Teil ließ man einzeln laufen.
November 29, 2008
oh, die arme Tote hieß Ellen, einfach ausgerupft und Kopf abgehackt! (-: Ziemlich merkwürdig aber irgendwie nonsensmäßig unterhaltsam (-:
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