The historical background of Robert Musil’s novel “Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften“ (The Man Without Qualities) is the competition between Austro-Hungary and the German Empire. A “Parallel Action” is being prepared to celebrate the 70th jubilee of Kaiser Franz Josef. It is to put Kaiser Wilhelm II of Prussia’s 30th jubilee entirely in the shade. Ulrich, the novel's central figure, who shares certain autobiographical traits with the author, is involved in the preparations for the “Parallel Action”, which increasingly turns out to be a empty shell.

“Book 1” was published by Rowohlt Verlag, Berlin, in 1930, “Book 2 Part 1” in 1932. The novel's complex form with numerous narrative strands and the author’s attempt to tell a story broken up in the manner of a series of essays meant that progress was slow. However, the publisher was pushing for partial publication of the second book.

After the National Socialists came to power, Rowohlt stopped paying the advances for the completion of the work. In 1937, the rights to the work were taken over by publisher Gottfried Bermann Fischer, an émigré in Vienna. The Viennese edition of the first book, shown here, was published at the end of 1937/beginning of 1938. Book 2, which was now to be published in its entirety, was already being typeset when the annexation of Austria made publication impossible. Both Bermann Fischer and Musil were forced to flee once again. While in Switzerland, Musil began another revision of the last part of his novel. He did not manage to complete the project.

Further reading:
Nübel, Birgit/Wolf, Norbert Christian (Hg.): Robert Musil Handbuch. Berlin: De Gruyter 2016.