!!!Werfel, Franz

b. Prague (Czech Republic), Sept. 10, 1890, 
d. Beverly Hills (USA), Aug. 26, 1945, writer. One of the best known 
German-speaking authors of the period between the world wars; in 
Prague was a friend of F.  Kafka and M.  Brod. Reader at the K.-Wolff 
publishing house in 1912, in World War I soldier in eastern 
Galicia, member of the "Red Guards" of E. E.  Kisch in Nov. 1918. 
Married A. M.  Mahler-Werfel in 1929, emigrated to France in 1938 and 
to the USA in 1940. Books of poems, such as "Der Weltfreund" (1911), 
"Wir sind" (1913) and "Einander" (1915) made him one of the main 
representatives of  Expressionism, while his psychologizing dramas 
("Spiegelmensch", 1921; "Bocksgesang", 1922) achieved only mediocre 
success. His extensive epic work was written between 1920 and 1945. In 
novels, such as "Nicht der Moerder, der Ermordete ist schuldig" (1920) 
or "Hoeret die Stimme" (1937), W. sometimes uses historical subjects 
to show social developments of his period. Recurrent themes are human 
brotherhood and the struggle for Christian ethic ("Die 40 Tage des 
Musa Dagh" (The Forty Days of Musa Dagh), 1933), as well as 
perspicacious criticism of contemporary issues ("Barbara oder Die 
Froemmigkeit", 1929). In "Verdi" (1924) he attempts to interweave 
poetry and music. A novel about his travels, with autobiographic 
features, "Stern der Ungeborenen", was published posthumously in 1946.

!Further works
Poetry: Gesaenge aus den drei Reichen, 1917; Der 
Gerichtstag, 1916/17; Beschwoerungen, 1922; Schlaf und Erwachen, 1935; 
Zwischen Gestern und Morgen, 1942. - Plays: Der Besuch aus dem 
Elysium, 1911; Schweiger, 1922; Juarez und Maximilian, 1925; Paulus 
unter den Juden, 1926; Das Reich Gottes in Boehmen, 1930; Der Weg der 
Verheissung, 1937; In einer Nacht, 1937; Jacobowsky und der Oberst, 
1945. - Novels: Der Abituriententag, 1928; Die Geschwister von Neapel, 
1931; Der veruntreute Himmel, 1939; Eine blassblaue Frauenschrift, 
1941; Das Lied von Bernadette, 1941. - Tales: Der Tod des 
Kleinbuergers, 1927; Geheimnis eines Menschen, 1927; Kleine 
Verhaeltnisse, 1931. - Essays, translations. - Edition: Complete 
works, edited by K. Beck, 1989ff.

!Literature
L. B. Foltin, F. W., 1972 (bibliography); 
P. S. Jungk, F. W., 1987; N. Abels, F. W., 1990; 
W. Paulsen, F. W. Sein Weg in den Roman, 1995.



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