Une dangereuse rencontre

by Ernst Jünger

Gerhard, a Prussian attaché, wanders Paris in a fog of youthful naiveté. A chance meeting with Léon Duchasse, a jaded dilettante, sets in motion a series of sordid events. Duchasse arranges an affair for Gerhard with an unstable, married countess. During their encounter, a murder occurs in the hotel, exposing everyone to scandal.Though billed as murder mystery, Jünger uses the story as an allegory in order to explore the themes of innocence lost, scandal and crime in society, and polished darkness.Translated by Hilary Barr.

Genres: Fiction, Literature, Novels, German Literature, Germany, 20th Century

186 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Ernst Jünger was a decorated German soldier and author who became famous for his World War I memoir Storm of Steel. The son of a successful businessman and chemist, Jünger rebelled against an affluent upbringing and sought adventure in the Wandervogel, before running away to briefly serve in the French Foreign Legion, an illegal act. Because he escaped prosecution in Germany due to his father's efforts, Junger was able to enlist on the outbreak of war. A fearless leader who admired bravery above all else, he enthusiastically participated in actions in which his units were sometimes virtually annihilated. During an ill-fated German offensive in 1918 Junger's WW1 career ended with the last and most serious of his many woundings, and he was awarded the Pour le Mérite, a rare decoration for one of his rank.

Junger served in World War II as captain in the German Army. Assigned to an administrative position in Paris, he socialized with prominent artists of the day such as Picasso and Jean Cocteau. His early time in France is described in his diary Gärten und Straßen (1942, Gardens and Streets). He was also in charge of executing younger German soldiers who had deserted. In his book Un Allemand à Paris , the writer Gerhard Heller states that he had been interested in learning how a person reacts to death under such circumstances and had a morbid fascination for the subject.

Jünger appears on the fringes of the Stauffenberg bomb plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler (July 20, 1944). He was clearly an inspiration to anti-Nazi conservatives in the German Army, and while in Paris he was close to the old, mostly Prussian, officers who carried out the assassination attempt against Hitler. He was only peripherally involved in the events however, and in the aftermath suffered only dismissal from the army in the summer of 1944, rather than execution.

In the aftermath of WW2 he was treated with some suspicion as a closet Nazi. By the latter stages of the Cold War his unorthodox writings about the impact of materialism in modern society were widely seen as conservative rather than radical nationalist, and his philosophical works came to be highly regarded in mainstream German circles. Junger ended his extremely long life as a honoured establishment figure, although critics continued to charge him with the glorification of war as a transcending experience.

Reviews

[Seligmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ernst Jünger versucht sich an einem Balzac'schen Gesellschaftsspiel kombiniert mit einem Doylesquen Mordfall im Paris des 19. Jahrhunderts. Dieses Paris erinnerte Jünger wohl an sein eigenes, 100 Jahre später. Die Aura des Verfalls umgibt die Stadt. Wie der den zwielichtigen Ducasse zum jungen deutschen Diplomaten bemerken lässt ist der Zweifel über sie gekommen, den er mit dem Schimmel vergleicht. In den dunkelsten Ecken sammelt er sich und verbreitet sich langsam aber sicher bis über den Plafond aus. Selbst die letzten Reste der aristokratischen Sitten werden durch die neuen bürgerlichen Verhältnisse zerstört und die alten Stände geben sich der Sünde hin, die alten Sitten sind nur noch leere Signifikanten.

Der erste Teil ist großartig, der zweite fühlt sich teilweise etwas überhastet an, das Tempo wird im dritten noch höher. Dennoch der Jünger Roman, der mir am besten gefällt. Dass das Porträt der Gräfin von Odilon Redon gemalt wurde und Karganés Sammlung von Schiffsbildern denen von JMW Turner nicht ähnlich sind, fühlt sich wie ein Nicken des Meisters in die eigene Richtung an. Bei den französischen und britischen Romantikern kann man sich einig werden.

[Ademption · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jünger explores how crime must be contained in order for society to function. This meditation on scandal is placed within the framework of a detective novel. If this were simply a detective novel, it would fail. The form is more of a jumping off point for Jünger to ruminate about lies society uses as currency. the importance and danger of idealistic youth, and the role of police as shrewd fact collectors.

If you are already a fan of this brutal, darkly funny guy, this novel will provide more of the same. A Dangerous Encounter is too precious as meta-fiction to stand on its own. Better introductions to Jünger are The Glass Bees or Storm of Steel.

[Rudi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine seltsame, nicht unspannende und durchaus lesenswerte Hommage an den Kriminalroman.

[GAMA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado, pero este es un Junger distinto. No esperéis al Junger de Acantilados de mármol ni al de sus diarios. Es Junger rindiendo homenaje a todos esos maestros franceses decimonónicos que tanto le interesaban y a París.

[Franzi (alt) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Stil, die Charakterisierungen und der Plot: 5/5
Abzüge für Jüngers misogyne und konservative Haltung, die zwar kein Fokus der Geschichte ist, aber immer mal durchdringt.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best books I have ever read, but certainly a fun one. It starts out more of a character study until the plot gets going with a murder of a young ballerina in a less than reputable hotel. The young hero of the story Gerhard is in over his head with the husband of his supposed love interest seeking vengeance with a good old fashioned duel. The detective, a bit of a latecomer to this novel, in the style of Sherlock Holmes figures out who the killer is in the nick of time and rescues young Gerhard from certain doom.
Yes this book is a bit melodramatic, a bit detective story and a little bit psychological story. The writer could be a bit more skilled at constructing a novel but oh well.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written, aphoristic novel that's completely wasted on flat characters and a plot that can't decide between being Bel-Ami or an alternative history of Jack the Ripper.

[Jonathon Swanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great writing, dull story. Probably about what you'd expect from someone 97 writing their zillionth book - great technical skills but pedestrian plot

[Petrus Forsgren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Farligt möte av Ernst Jünger (1984). Boken handlar om en ung man som blir indragen i en otrohetsaffär samt mordgåta under 1880-talets Paris Frankrike. Gerhard är hans namn och utstrålar en oskyldighet – livets nyanser är ännu något ovant för honom. Han råkar hamna upp med en stark kvinna Duchese som är gift med ännu mer stark karaktär hetlevrad sjöman Kargané. Som med två starka viljor – hamnar de ofta i luven på varandra och Ducasse söker uttryck för sitt känsloliv på andra ställen – i vissa fall gigolos. Gerhard och Ducasse hamnar på ett hotell mitt i mordgåtan. Kargané får reda på detta och utmanar till duell. Gerhard övertygar då Goldhammer att bli sin sekundant (alkoholiserad före detta militär och aristokrat). Två detektiver Dobrowsky och hjälpredan Etienne undersöker sedan mordet.

Inspirationen från Sherlock Holmes är tydlig. Även moraliska dilemman. Motsättningen mellan tjuv och polis (jägare och bytet). Jag tänkte på filmen Heat från 1995 med Robert De Niro samt Al Pacino. Boken rekommenderas mestadels ifall man läst Jüngers böcker tidigare då det finns många teman samt ”meta-referenser”. Stålstormen eller Sturm är i sådanafall en bättre introduktion till Jünger. Som berättelse är den tämligen ”händelselös” liknar Dostojevskijs stil starkt – Raskalnikov tas även upp i förbifarten. Men spännande och intressant är definitivt denna korta roman.

Citat från boken; ”Gång på gång häpnar jag över hur mycket intelligens som förslösas på en kriminell handling. Insatsen står ju inte i någon proportion till risken. Så även i det här fallet..”, ”Den människa, för vilken allt är tillåtet, behöver inga förebilder”, ”Lombroso har rätt: brottslighet är en usel gåva, ett lyte”, ”Under dessa vandringar genomkorsade de de olika sociala klimat som skiljs åt av ekvatorn Rue Royale. De såg skökor och bondfångare som försökte få napp, en gubbe som släpade sig fram som vore han ute på sin sista promenad, en kvinna som grät, en herre i päls som bad dem om eld till sin cigarr, och unga människor i alla stadier av fylleri”.

[Horatio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mein Lieblings-Jünger.

Von den rechten Jünger-Fans ignoriert, da politisch nicht nutzbar (aus dogmatischer rechter Sicht sogar kontraproduktiv). Von den Jünger-sowieso-Hassern und von den Nur-Marmorklippen+Stahlgewitter-Lesern bisher unentdeckt. Somit eine Perle aus dem Alterswerk, die gemeinhin noch im Verborgenen liegt. Der einzige Jünger-Krimi.

Für mich als Jünger-Fan und Krimi-Fan natürlich ein Jackpot.

Und ich muss sagen: das Buch funktioniert für mich als beides: als ästhetisches Jünger-Buch mit anspruchsvollen Beobachtungen des Wandels der Zeiten. Und als Krimi, da ist es sogar ein recht spaßiger (für Jünger ganz untypisch. Sogar humorvoll!), funktioniert das Buch auch. Ich konnte mit den Figuren durchweg gut "connecten". Allein Etienne bleibt vielleicht ein ganz bißchen blass. Und von Dobrowsky hätte man privat gerne noch etwas mehr erfahren. Aber Bücher sind nun mal kein Wunschkonzert und Jünger hat es eben so gewollt, und nicht anders.

Und das Resultat lässt sich wie gesagt sehen. In diesen rund 200 Seiten steckt so viel Geist, so viel Paris, so viel Ästhetik, plus kluge Beobachtungen der Menschen und interessante Ideen über das Verbrechen. Und Humor und Liebe zu den Figuren.

Daher für mich glasklar 5 aus 5 Punkten.

[Bob Woodley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is set in late 19th century Paris, and was written by Jünger in 1985. Jünger is not well known in the USA but his writing style is delightful.

This is really 2 stories. The first story concerns the lead-up to a disastrous tryst. The second story is that of a Parisian detective and his military attaché side-kick as they investigate what happened in the first story. The first story is the better one.

Both stories are character led; one character after another is sketched in believable detail such that their motivations are clear and the outcome is almost inevitable.

So many novels are set in this late 19th century milieu of crumbling social strata. But Jünger's story is fresh and compelling because of his focus on the people. None of them are types, they are all individuals. Plus his style is cosmopolitan, intelligent and witty. Someone you'd like to have over for dinner.

I want to read more Jünger.

[sergeist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una de las pequeñas novelas tardías de Jünger. Pequeña en número de páginas y complejidad de la trama; no así en cuanto a sustancia, pues si hubiera que definir con un trazo común a los principales personajes de la novela este sería, sin duda, "sustancioso". El bagaje vital del autor impregna todo lo que escribe de forma más -diarios, ensayos- o menos -el presente título- acentuada, dotando a todos los personajes de un trasfondo más que verosímil.

Agradable lectura, recomendable sobre todo para los habituales del sabio de Wilflingen.

[Martin Madridejos · Rating 3 out of 5]

No es lo mejor de Jünger pero está bien.

“El temor a envejecer era un prejuicio europeo. La vida se hacia más placentera con los años, gracias entre otras cosas a la experiencia –con la edad no sólo gozabas sino que sabías que gozabas. Era como si en el teatro de la vida fueras actor y espectador a la vez. En la juventud gastabas la pólvora en excesivos bríos y tenías ideas que te deparaban más quebraderos de cabeza que alegrías”

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro de época, curioso pero ya un poco anticualla. Me quedo con la primera parte entre todas ellas y así la descripción y circunstancias del bueno de Gerard

[Jorge Maia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um Encontro Perigoso foi publicado quando Ernst Jünger tinha já 90 anos. O romance tinha sido começado vinte anos antes mas o autor, sem saber muito bem a razão, deixara-o incompleto. A obra coloca ao leitor um problema cuja resolução, mesmo que temporária e conjectural, é importante para a compreender. A primeira parte do romance move-se na tensão entre um jovem diplomata alemão, belo, meditativo mas ingénuo, e uma condessa francesa de temperamento fogoso, irascível e volátil, tensão mediada por um aristocrata arruinado, que se entrega ao prazer de suscitar estes encontros entre personagens improváveis, encontros que contêm sempre uma dimensão de perigo e derrocada. Tudo isto tem como pano de fundo Paris dos finais do século XIX. O problema é posto pela segunda parte da obra. Por que motivo Jünger transforma o romance, que pareceria ser uma reflexão sobre a educação sentimental do jovem diplomata num romance policial, com uma espécie de Sherlock Holmes francês no centro da intriga?

Continuar a ler em:

http://kyrieeleison-jcm.blogspot.pt/2...

[Left Sr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as successful as a novel of suspense as it is as a novel of psychology and conscience. This book highlights both Junger's incredible crystalline prose, and his truly psychic ability to fluidly seep from the consciousness of one character to another, to show us many different perspectives on a situation without the reader feeling a sort of mechanical "camera one, camera two" operation. Also interesting is to note the ways in which the various male characters portray parts of Junger's own psyche and vision of himself.

[Juan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ernst Jünger es un excelente escritor pero esta es su peor obra, mejor invertir el tiempo en leer otra obra suya. Aún así la primera mitad del libro está entretenida, pero a partir del crimen se hace aburrida.