Broch, Hermann#
b. Vienna, Nov. 1, 1886, d. New Haven (USA), May 30, 1951, poet and cultural philosopher; textile technologist in 1907; 1916-1927 head of a textile company in Vienna, studied philosophy and mathematics, 1938 emigrated to the USA after a short time in prison, 1950 Honorary Lecturer at Yale University. In the trilogy of novels "Die Schlafwandler" (1932), where he outlined his theory of the decline of values, B. developed a new form of story-telling based upon his philosophical ideas. He dealt with mass psychology ("Theory of Mass Hysteria", posthumous 1979) and with the poet´s responsibility during times of crisis ("Der Tod des Vergil", 1945); worked for the League of Nations for a short period. In his essays on cultural philosophy B. connected social and political phenomena with ethical questions ("Das Boese im Wertesystem der Kunst", 1933).
Further works#
Novels: Die Schuldlosen, 1950; Der Versucher, 1954 (also published as "Die Verzauberung"). - Play: Die Entsuehnung (Denn sie wissen nicht, was sie tun), 1933. - Essays: Das Weltbild des Romans, 1930; Geist und Zeitgeist, 1943; J. Joyce und die Gegenwart, 1936; Hofmannsthal und seine Zeit, 1955 (posthumous). - Poems, novels. - Edition: Gesammelte Werke, 10 vols., 1951-1961; Kommentierte Werkausgabe, ed. by. P. M. Luetzeler, 13 vols., 1974-1981.Literature#
P. M. Luetzeler, H. B. Eine Biographie, 31987; M. Kessler and P. M. Luetzeler (eds.), H. B. Das dichterische Werk, 1987; M. Kessler and P. M. Luetzeler (eds.), B. theoretisches Werk, 1988; P. M. Luetzeler, Die Entropie des Menschen. Studien zum Werk H. B., 2000.