Kasimir und Karoline. Volksstück

by Ödön von Horváth

In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Literaturarchiv der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, an dem zur Zeit die neue historisch-kritische Ausgabe entsteht, erscheinen Horváths wichtigste Werke jetzt in der 'Universal-Bibliothek' - in einer anhand der Originale revidierten, verlässlichen Textgestalt, zusammen mit den wichtigsten Vorstufen und Entwürfen und einem Kommentar auf neuestem Forschungsstand.

In einer lockeren Szenenfolge um den arbeitslosen Kasimir und seine Verlobte Karoline, die im Trubel des Münchner Oktoberfestes spielt, beschreibt das 1932 uraufgeführte Stück schonungslos die gesellschaftlichen Probleme und die Wurzellosigkeit der Menschen in Zeiten der Weltwirtschaftskrise. Die Vorarbeit Karoline, die Schönheit von Haidhausen sowie die beiden früheren Fassungen des Stückes werden neben einigen anderen Quellen wie Horváths berühmter 'Gebrauchsanweisung für Schauspieler' jeweils vollständig abgedruckt und kommentiert.

Genres: Drama, Classics, School, Theatre, Plays, Fiction, German Literature

212 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Ödön von Horváth was a German-writing, Austro-Hungarian-born, playwright and novelist. Important topics in Horváth's works were popular culture, politics and history. He especially tried to warn of the dawn of fascism and its dangers. Among Horváth's most enduringly popular works, Jugend ohne Gott describes the youth in Nazi Germany from a disgruntled teacher's point of view, who, himself at first an opportunist, is helpless against the racist and militaristic Nazi propaganda that his pupils are subjected to and that dehumanizes them and, at last, loses his job but gains his identity.

Having always lived in fear of being struck by lightning, in Paris Horváth was hit by a falling branch and killed during a thunderstorm on the Champs-Élysées, opposite the Théâtre Marigny.

His famous quote:

"If you ask me what is my native country, I answer: I was born in Fiume, grew up in Belgrade, Budapest, Pressburg [Bratislava], Vienna and Munich, and I have a Hungarian passport, but I have no fatherland. I am a very typical mix of old Austria-Hungary: at once Magyar, Croatian, German and Czech; my country is Hungary; my mother tongue is German."

Reviews

[Meike · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Often times, there is that longing inside you – but then you come back with broken wings and life goes on, as if you had never been a part of it –“ (Karoline)

Ödön von Horváth`s folk play illustrates the situation of the German working class at the time of the Great Depression. The setting of the Oktoberfest becomes a stage on which the overall historical panorama is played out, and as in most of his works, von Horváth dissects how phenomena emerge due to the reciprocity between human nature and societal circumstances.

Kasimir and his bride Karoline visit the Oktoberfest in Munich, but instead of experiencing lighthearted fun, both of them struggle with their current situation: Kasimir has lost his job as a chauffeur, and Karoline dreams about a better life. The rides and attractions of the Oktoberfest are just a distraction for the hungry, desperate masses, as Kasimir contemplates when he watches a zeppelin flying over the area: “Up there are twenty leading businessmen, and down here millions are starving! (…) and when one of us sees that zeppelin, he feels like he was flying, too - but we only have crooked heels and we can hit our mouths on the table-edge.”

Meanwhile, those with money are celebrating while fooling themselves that democracy is not in jeopardy. Rauch (his name means “smoke”), councilor of commerce, feasts on grilled chicken that the working class cannot afford anymore and says: “Despite of crisis and politics – Brüning will not spoil my good old Oktoberfest. (…) a minister next to a worker – that´s how I like democracy!” (Brüning was chancellor from 1930-1932, the play was released in 1932, and Hitler became chancellor in 1933).

Although von Horváth describes a very specific time, his play is also timeless. He has warned his contemporaries incessantly of the evils of rising fascism, and while von Horváth `s work is always worth reading, it is particularly interesting to revisit “Kasimir and Karoline” in times when extreme right-wing politicians like Trump, Wilders, and LePen get a scary amount of votes. The interesting part is the sentiment von Horváth describes: That of being overlooked, exploited, and betrayed. It leads Kasimir and Karoline to make bad decisions, and we all know what happened in Germany after 1932. What decisions will we all take?

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

very sexist but good vibes ig

[Hannah Ursprunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trauriges aber wahres Abbild der Gesellschaft in den 30ern inkl. Situationskomik. Noch trauriger: viel hat sich nicht geändert und wir stehen immer noch vor den selben Problemen. Vor dem derzeitigen politischen Hintergrund in Österreich, Europa und der Welt ist das Drama aktueller denn je.

[Ivi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,9*

[Hans]

SBB 28

[Timo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,3

[luckey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun anti-capitalist play, exactly what I would expect from somebody called Ödön. I wasnt extrmely blown away but it was fun to read it.

[Nowosolow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I <3 Ödön von Horváth
I love/hate München.
Der Mann hatte einfach ein Verständnis für die Welt um sich herum.

[Ernsthafter Herr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mein Lieblingstheaterstück.

[John Berner · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting!