Special exhibition: Ulrich Becher

Balder Olden to Ulrich Becher, Le Lavandou, 8 June 1937

Letter: Balder Olden to Ulrich Becher
Balder Olden, letter to Ulrich Becher, 8 June 1937
German Exile Archive 1933–1945 at the German National Library, Ulrich Becher estate, EB 85/147
Special exhibition: Ulrich Becher

Balder Olden to Ulrich Becher, Le Lavandou, 8 June 1937

Problematic foreword

However, I promise you to make the attempt once again once I have torn the introduction out of the book. (ed. trans.)

Balder Olden to Ulrich Becher on 8 June 1937


Ulrich Becher’s volume of short stories Die Eroberer (The Conquerors), published by Oprecht Verlag in Zurich in 1936, had a foreword by Ernst Glaeser with the title Die Kunst der Novelle (The Art of the Novella), in which he lamented that the novella, which focused on the destiny of the individual, was being superseded by the “sociological psychology of the novel”. “Some writers,” added Glaeser, “will be called upon to step away from current trends in their work. They will have to tell us of destinies that are not sociologically determined.” This was a position that Becher himself naturally did not wish to adopt. Balder Olden was another writer who had little sympathy with Glaeser’s remarks: “[...] I have twice attempted to write about your very vivid, enjoyable novellas, but keep stumbling over the outrageous foreword by Ernst Glaeser [...]. How can you preface your book with such utter nonsense?” he asked Becher, who had in fact distanced himself from the foreword. It was not only Glaeser’s remarks on the importance of the novella that were the subject of criticism, but also his increasing dissociation from anti-fascist exile.

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