Lion Feuchtwanger
Lion Feuchtwanger
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Lion Feuchtwanger was born Leopold Gordon Feuchtwanger on July 7, 1884, in Munich, Bavaria (now part of Germany). He is often referred to by his pen name, Lion Feuchtwanger.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: July 7, 1884, Munich, Bavaria
Died: December 21, 1958, Los Angeles, California
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Feuchtwanger was a German-Swiss novelist, playwright, and essayist. He is best known for his novels that combine elements of drama, history, and social commentary.
Early Life and Background
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Feuchtwanger was born into an assimilated Jewish family in Munich. His father, Leopold Feuchtwanger, was a successful merchant who had converted to Christianity. Lion's early life was marked by a love for literature and the arts, which he pursued at the University of Munich.
Major Accomplishments
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Feuchtwanger's writing career spans over four decades, during which he produced numerous novels, plays, and essays that explored themes such as German history, politics, and society. Some of his notable works include:
Erdgeist (Earth Spirit): A novel published in 1895 that examines the relationship between an aristocrat and a young woman.
Die Juden von Currwald: A play written in 1918 that deals with anti-Semitism in a small German town.
Notable Works or Actions
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Feuchtwanger's writing is characterized by its historical accuracy, philosophical depth, and literary style. Some of his notable works include:
Josephus Caesar, which tells the story of the Roman general Vespasian and the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.
**The Oppermanns, a novel that explores the lives of two German families during World War I.
Feuchtwanger's work was not limited to literature. He was an outspoken critic of Nazi Germany and advocated for democratic values in his writings.
Impact and Legacy
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Feuchtwanger's writing had a significant impact on European literature, influencing many authors who followed in his footsteps. His novels often explored themes that were relevant to the time period, such as German history, politics, and society.
Feuchtwanger was also a vocal critic of Nazi Germany. In 1933, he fled to France after the Nazis came to power, but he was eventually forced into exile in the United States.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Feuchtwanger's writing is widely quoted and remembered for its literary merit, historical significance, and philosophical depth. His novels often explored complex themes that continue to resonate with readers today.
In addition to his literary contributions, Feuchtwanger's life and work serve as a reminder of the importance of standing up against oppression and promoting democratic values.
Quotes by Lion Feuchtwanger
However small we made ourselves, we took space and air from our neighbours. We were a torment to one another.
But one should not trust first impulses. Instinct is not always a safe counsellor by any means.
It has always been a blessed experience with me after an illness to feel that I was recovering.
There were of course exceptions, but on the whole the “intellectuals” among us withstood the hardships of the journey resignedly and patiently. They proved to be tougher, quieter, more uncomplaining than many men from other walks of life who were physically stronger and physically better trained.
The years that had passed had displayed vividly before our eyes the fickleness of human attitudes.
I am a slow worker, but I could have written at least two books more in the time that I have been obliged to spend waiting around public offices and in the back yards of recruiting stations – waiting unnecessarily for unnecessary things.
Had I not been thinking always of the ludicrous aspects of my own plight, or of the plight of others, I could not have survived that depressing, degrading experience without spiritual harm.
I am always thinking of that remark of Theodor Lessing, which I quoted earlier in this book, that history is “the art of giving meaning to the meaningless.
There’s only a step from the sublime to the ridiculous, but there’s no road leading from the ridiculous to the sublime.