Schneider, Reinhold 1903–1958
Schneider, Reinhold 1903–1958
PERSONAL: Born 1903, in Baden-Baden, Germany; died 1958, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Religion: Roman Catholic.
CAREER: Novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist.
AWARDS, HONORS: Friedenspreis des Deutschen Büchhandels, 1956.
WRITINGS:
NOVELS
Die Holhenzollern: Tragik und Königtum, J. Hegner (Leipzig, Germany), 1933.
Las Casas vor Karl V; Szenen aus der Konquistadorenzeit, Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1938, translated by Walter Oden as Imperial Mission, Gresham Press (New York, NY), 1948.
Der Überwinder, Curt Brauns (Wedel, Germany), 1946.
Die Silberne Ampel, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1956.
SHORT STORIES
Die dunkle Nacht, Alsatia (Alsace, France), 1943, expanded, Alster (Wedel, Germany), 1946.
Die Nacht des Heils, Scientia (Zurich, Switzerland), 1947.
Das kreuz in der ziet, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1947.
Die gerettete Krone, Schnell & Steiner (Munich, Germany), 1948.
Der Stein der Magier: un andere Erzälungen, E. Salzer (Stuttgart, Germany), 1949.
Der fünfte Kelch, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1953.
Das Getilgte Antlitz, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1953.
Die Rose des Königs und andere Erzälungen, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1957.
Der ferne König, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1959.
Der Befehl, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1959.
Elisabeth Tarakanow und andere Erzählungen, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1968.
Zeugen im Feuer: Erzählungen, Insel (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), 1979.
PLAYS
Der Kronprinz, Karl Alber (Munich, Germany), 1948.
Der große Verzicht, Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1950.
Belsazar. Drama nach Calderon "Cena de Baltasar," Schnell & Steiner (Munich, Germany), 1950.
Die Taarnkappe, Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1951.
Der Traum des Eroberers [and] Zar Alexander, Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1951.
Innozenz und Franziskus, Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1952.
(With others) Homo Viator: Modernes christliches Theater, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1962.
POETRY
Sonette, Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1940.
Apokalypse, H. Bühler, Jr. (Baden-Baden, Germany), 1946.
Die Letzen Tage (title means "The Last Days"), H. Bühler, Jr. (Baden-Baden, Germany), 1946.
Die Neuen Türme, ausgewählte Sonette (title means "The New Towers"), Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1946.
Erscheinungen des Herrn: Sonette, Kemper (Heidelberg, Germany), 1946.
Herz am Erdsaume, F.H. Kerle (Heidelberg, Germany), 1947.
(With Bernt von Heiseler) Der Lampe der Toten: Gedichte des 20 jahrhunderts, Bertelsmann (Munich, Germany), 1952.
Die Sonette von Leben und Zeit, dem Glauben und der Geschitchte, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1954.
OTHER
Das Leiden des Camöes: oder Untergang und Vollendung der portugiesischen Macht, J. Hegner (Hellerau, Germany), 1930.
Philipp der Zweite; oder, Religion und Macht, J. Hegner (Leipzig, Germany), 1931.
Portugal, ein Reisetagebuch (travelogue), Müller (Munich, Germany), 1931.
Fichte: der Weg zur Nation, A. Langen (Munich, Germany), 1932.
Auf Wegen deutscher Geschichte (travelogue), Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1934.
Das Inselriech: Gesetz und gröse der britischen Macht, Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1936.
Kaiser Lothars Krone, leben und Herrschaft Lothars von Supplinburg (history), Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1937.
Corneilles Ethos in der Ära Ludwigs XIV (history), Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1939.
Macht und Gnade: Gestalten, Bilder unde Werte in der Geschichte (history), Insel (Leipzig, Germany), 1940.
Das Münster in der Sternennacht: elsässische Dichtungen des 19 Jahrhunderts, Alstia (Alsace, France), 1941.
Die stunde des heiligen Franz von Assisi, Alstia (Alsace, France), 1943, 3rd edition translated by James Meyer as The Hour of St. Francis of Assisi, Franciscan Herald Press (Chicago, IL), 1953.
Stimme des Abendlandes; Reflexionen zur abendländischen Geschichte, Alstia (Alsace, France), 1944.
(Editor) Legt das Grosse in das Leben: aus Schillers Briefen (letters), Karl Abner (Munich, Germany), 1945.
Der Priester im Kirchenjahr der Zeit, Caritasverlag (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1946.
Und Petrus stieg aus dem Schiffe (church history), H. Bühler, Jr. (Baden-Baden, Germany), 1946.
Weltreich und Gottesreich: drei Vorträge (biographical essays), Schnell & Steiner (Munich, Germany), 1946.
Gedanken des Friedens, gesammelte kleine Schriften, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1946.
Das Erbe im Feuer; Betrachtigungen und Rufe, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1946.
Duldet mutig, Millionen, N. Wohlgemuth (Mannheim, Germany), 1947.
Dämonie unde Verlkärung (criticism), Liechtenstein Verlag (Vaduz, Liechtenstein), 1947.
Anthologie: Worte der Besinnung aus dem Werk von Reinhold Schneider, Schnell & Steiner (Munich, Germany), 1948.
Schriften zur Zeit, H. Bühler, Jr. (Baden-Baden, Germany), 1948.
Iberisches Erbe, Summa-Verlag (Olten, Germany), 1949.
Vom Geschichtsbewußtsein der Romantik (criticism), F. Steiner (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1951.
Über Dichter und Dichtung, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1953.
Herrscher und Heilige, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1953.
Die Hohenzollern, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1953.
Der christliche Protest, Verlag der Arche (Zurich, Switzerland), 1954.
(With Helmut Gollwitzer and Käthe Kun) Du hast mich heimgesuchte bei Nacht: Abschiedsbriefe und Aufzeichnungen des Widerstandes 1933–1945, C. Kaiser (Munich, Germany), 1954, 8th edition, Güthersloher Verlagshaus (Gütersloh, Germany), 1994.
Verhüllter Tag (autobiography), J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1954, reprinted, Insel (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), 1991.
Erbe und Freiheit, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1955.
Das Inselreich; Gesetz und Grösse der britischen Macht (history), Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1955.
(Editor) Arthur Schopenhauer, Schopenhauer, Fischer Bücherei (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), 1956.
Der Balkon; Aufzeichnungen eines Müssinggängers in Baden Baden (title means "The Balcony"), Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1957, reprinted, 2000.
Winter in Wien; aus mein Notizbüchern 1957/58 (diary; title means "Viennese Winter"), Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1958, reprinted, 1993.
Pfeiler im Strom, Insel (Wiesbaden, Germany), 1958.
Das Erdbeben, Kösel (Munich, Germany), 1959.
Schicksal und Landschaft (title means "Destiny and Landscape"), Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1960.
Briefwechsel(correspondence), Kösel (Munich, Germany), 1960.
Reinhold Schneider—Leopold Ziegler: Briefwechsel (correspondence), Kösel (Munich, Germany), 1960.
Innozenz der Dritte, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1960.
Briefe an einen Freund: Mit Erinnerungen von Otto Heuschele (correspondence), J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1961.
Gelebtes Wort, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1961.
Allein der Wahrheit Stimme will ich sein, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1961.
Briefwechsel Reinhold Schneider Erich Przywara (correspondence), Verlag der Arche (Zurich, Switzerland), 1963.
(With others) Curt Winterhalter, compiler, Begegnung und Bekenntnis. Mit der Freiburger Gegenkrede, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1963.
Das Grosse bleibt, J.F. Steinkopf (Stuttgart, Germany), 1963.
Erfüllte Einsamkeit. Mit zwei Gedenkworten (autobiography), Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1963.
Verpflichtung und Leibe, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1964.
Reinhold Schneider, Bernt von Heisler; Briefwechsel, J.F. Steinkopf (Stuttgart, Germany), 1965.
Werner Bergengruen (1892–1964), Reinhold Schneider (1903–1958), Briefwechsel, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1966.
(With others) Freide der Welt, Schicksal der Menschheit, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1974.
Reinhold Schneider Leben u. Werk im Bild, edited by Edwin Maria Landau, Insel (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), 1977.
Gesammelte Werk (collected works), ten volumes, edited by Edwin Maria Landau, Insel (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), 1977.
Tagebuch 1930–1935, edited by Edwin Maria Landau, Insel (Frankfurt am Main, Germany), 1983.
Also author of Worte aus der Tiefe, translated by Robert J. Cunningham as Messages from the Depths: Selections, Franciscan Herald Press (Chicago, IL), 1977. Author of numerous pamphlets containing sermons, prayers, short biographies, and criticism and commentary.
Author's work has been translated into French, Spanish, and Italian.
ADAPTATIONS: Excerpts from Schneider's diary were recorded as Gert Westphal liest Reinhold Schneider; Winter in Wien, Christophorus, 1958.
SIDELIGHTS: German writer Reinhold Schneider, who was influenced strongly by the works of Soren Kierkegaard and Miguel de Unamuno, was preoccupied with the subjects of ethics and religion. After questioning his own religious beliefs for many years, he reaffirmed his faith in the Catholic Church in the late 1930s. His historical works, essays, plays, and novels all reflect his inner struggle with guilt and conscience. According to a reviewer in the Oxford Companion to German Literature, most of Schneider's works "are sombre productions, in which religion provides a hard-won solution." This tendency may explain, wrote Modern Age critic John-Peter Pham, "why his works find almost no readers today."
Schneider published a biography of Philip II of Spain, Philipp der Zweite; oder, Religion und Macht, which does not hold to the traditional view of Philip as a tyrannical leader. His Die Holhenzollern: Tragik und Königtum portrays the vicissitudes of the well-known Hohenzollern family, and Auf Wegen deutscher Geschichte is an historical travelogue. His study of British history, Das Inselreich: Gesetz und gröse der britischen Macht, was, according to the Oxford Companion critic, "a turning-point in his understanding of the great crisis of conscience in the 16th century."
Schneider wrote other historical works about such figures as St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Innocent III. He also produced novels such as Las Casas vor Karl V; Szenen aus der Konquistadorenzeit and Die Silberne Ampel, as well as many short stories, poetry, and plays. Published in booklet form, a number of his poems, essays, and other writings were passed around secretly during World War II. In addition, he was a prolific writer of essays, collected in such works as Macht und Gnade: Gestalten, Bilder unde Werte in der Geschichte. Later in his life Schneider concentrated on autobiographical writings.
Schneider "was one of the best-known figures in the revived intellectual life of Germany immediately after the 1939–1945 War," wrote the reviewer in the Oxford Companion. Other critics have been equally generous in their praise, most noting the religious ethos which pervades his works. Pram, in his review of a critical biography of Schneider, called attention to the writer's emphasis on "nobility of spirit." Jethro Bithell, in an essay in Modern German Literature, spoke of Schneider's "own special province in literature: to show that the disasters of the present have their parallels in those of past epochs, and that they are due to the same follies and moral failings." Wolfgang Frühwald added in Handbuch der deutschen Gegenwartsliteratur that "the value of [Schnieder's] work lies precisely in … provocative desolation, to which the monotony of his style and language is suited, a work that avoids structural evaluation and aims at existential issues."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
BOOKS
Benz, Wolfgang, and Walter H. Pehle, editors, Encyclopedia of German Resistance to the Nazi Movement, Continuum Publishing (New York, NY), 1997.
Buchanan-Brown, J., editor, Cassell's Encyclopaedia of World Literature, revised edition, William Morrow (New York, NY), 1973.
Domandi, Agnes Korner, editor, Modern German Literature, Frederick Ungar (New York, NY), 1972.
Garland, Mary, editor, Oxford Companion to German Literature, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 1986.
Hoehn, Matthew, editor, Catholic Authors, second volume, St. Mary's Abbey (Newark, NJ), 1952.
Kunisch, Hermann, editor, Handbuch der deutschen Gegenwartsliteratur, Nymphenburger (Munich, Germany), 1965.
Lueker, Erwin L., editor, Lutheran Cyclopedia, revised edition, Concordia Publishing (St. Louis, MO), 1975.
Melchinger, Siegfried, The Concise Encyclopedia of Modern Drama, Horizon Press (New York, NY), 1964.
Schneider, Reinhold, Erfüllte Einsamkeit. Mit zwei Gedenkworten, Herder (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), 1963.
Schneider, Reinhold, Verhüllter Tag, J. Hegner (Cologne, Germany), 1954.
von Balthasar, Hans Urs, Tragedy under Grace: Reinhold Schneider on the Experience of the West, Ignatius Press (San Francisco, CA), 1997.
PERIODICALS
Christian Scholar's Review, Volume 14, number 3, 1985, Carsten Peter Theide, "Reinhold Schneider and Literary Resistance in the Third Reich," p. 236.
Modern Age, summer 1999, John-Peter Pham, review of Tragedy under Grace: Reinhold Schneider on the Experience of the West, p. 280.