KRAMER, THEODOR

KRAMER, THEODOR (1897–1958), Austrian poet. Kramer was born in Niederhollabrunn, Lower Austria. After being seriously wounded in World War i he tried his hand at various trades before devoting himself to poetry. Much of his verse has a clinical frankness derived from his memories as the son of a country doctor and from his own hospital experience. Kramer wished to be the voice of the underprivileged outcasts of society – tramps, cripples, alcoholics, prostitutes, beggars, and peasants – and his poetry is notable for a realism bordering on coarseness. His collection Die Gaunerzinke (1929) was awarded the City of Vienna's poetry prize. Later volumes include Kalendarium (1930); Wir lagen in Wolhynien im Morast (1931), inspired by war experiences; and Mit der Ziehharmonika (1936). After the Anschluss, Kramer sought refuge in England and, after a period of internment, worked as a librarian at the Guildford Technical College. The collections of verse he wrote in exile were the haunting Verbannt aus Oesterreich, Neue Gedichte (1943); Die untere Schenke (1946); Wien 1938 (1946); Die gruenen Kader (1946); and Lob der Verzweiflung (1946), much of which remained unpublished. Vom schwarzen Wein (1956) was the last collection published in Kramer's lifetime. Despite the recognition accorded him in later years, Kramer could not bear his joyless exile and became a hypochondriac. He died within six months of his return to Vienna.

bibliography:

E. Lissauer, in: Die Literatur, 31 (1929), 451–3; M. Guttenbrunner, in: Frankfurter Hefte (June, 1953); H. Zohn, in: Books Abroad, 29 (1955); idem, Wiener Juden in der deutschen Literatur (1964), 73–82; E. Chvojka, Einer bezeugt es (1960). add. bibliography: D. Strigl, "Wo niemand zuhaus ist, dort bin ich zuhaus" Theodor Kramer – Heimatdichter und Sozialdemokrat zwischen den Fronten, (1993); W. Schmidt-Dengler, Verlockerungen österreichische Avantgarde im 20. Jahrhundert. Studien zu Walter Serner, Theodor Kramer, H.C. Artmann, Konrad Bayer, Peter Handke und Elfriede Jellinek. Ergebnisse eines Symposions, Stanford, May 1991 (1994); K. Kaiser, "Theodor Kramer. Exil in Großbritannien," in: S. Bolbecher (ed.), Literatur und Kultur des Exils in Großbritannien (1995), 281–297; S. Schlenstedt, "'So gibt es eine Anzahl ganz kleiner Chancen': Material zu Theodor Kramer in den dreißiger Jahren," in: ibid. (1995), 267–280; E. Chvojka and K. Kaiser, Vielleicht hab ich es leicht, weil schwer, gehabt. Theodor Kramer 1897–1958. Eine Lebenschronik (1997); H. Staud, Chronist seiner Zeit – Theodor Kramer (2000); S. Bolbecher, "Das Potential der Exilliteratur. Am Beispiel der Theodor Kramer Gesellschaft," in: E. Adunka (ed.), Die Rezeption des Exils. Geschichte und Perspektiven der österreichischen Exilforschung, (2003), 111–120.

[Harry Zohn]