Die Judenbuche
Encyclopedia
Die Judenbuche is a novella
written by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
and first published in 1842. The beech
tree becomes a significant symbol in the story.
It has been considered as potentially one of the first murder mysteries
and is indeed often viewed as a crime thriller or Gothic fiction
. The book is full of implications and red herrings
while there is no definitive answer as to what actually happened.
The story is based on fact through an 18th-century report provided by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff's uncle, the agronomist
and writer August von Haxthausen
. The events take place in the village of B. (Dorf B.) in the Westphalia
n mountains, which represents Bellersen in the former Bishopric of Paderborn
, today part of the town of Brakel
.
The main character of the novella, whose life we follow from beginning to end. It is never conclusively proved, but he is accused of the murder of the Jew Aaron, who vanished from his home. Friedrich also had to give evidence in the inquest into the murder of Brandis.
Margreth Mergel
His mother Margreth (maiden name Semmler) was the second wife of Hermann Mergel. We learn that she died insane, literally driven mad by the tragic events of her life, mistreated by her husband and abandoned by her beloved son.
Hermann Mergel
Friedrich's father, a drunkard, beat both his wives, while there is also an implication that he raped Margreth. However, he sincerely loved his son and always brought him little treats. Returning drunk in the night, he died of hypothermia
during a winter storm when Friedrich was nine years old.
Simon Semmler
Margreth's brother, a bachelor, who adopts his nephew Friedrich when his father died. He is shown to be a bad influence, as Friedrich's personality undergoes dramatic changes after associating with him. Simon seems to be involved in illegal logging
within the surrounding forests. He may be the father of Johannes.
Johannes Niemand ("John Nobody")
A mysterious character, who seems to become Friedrich's shadow. He is Simon's pig herdboy, and it is implied that he is also his illegitimate son. He is very similar physically to Friedrich, as shown when his mother mistakes the two on their first meeting. He and Friedrich disappear on the same day.
Brandis
A forester
who is found dead in the woods with an axe in his head. One reading of the novella is that Friedrich killed him, as they had an unfriendly encounter shortly before and he later appears frightened when confronted with the hatchet, but probably Simon is the murderer, using an old axe of his that Friedrich recognised.
Aaron
The Jew Aaron was a usurer
who lent money to Friedrich. He publicly demands it back at a wedding reception, humiliating Friedrich, who had spent the money to buy a silver watch. Aaron was found slain under a beech three days later, becoming the second murder victim in the story.
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
written by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
Anna Elisabeth von Droste-Hülshoff, known as Annette von Droste-Hülshoff , was a 19th century German author, and one of the most important German poets.-Biography:...
and first published in 1842. The beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
tree becomes a significant symbol in the story.
It has been considered as potentially one of the first murder mysteries
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
and is indeed often viewed as a crime thriller or Gothic fiction
Gothic fiction
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism's origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled "A Gothic Story"...
. The book is full of implications and red herrings
Red herring (plot device)
Red herring is an idiomatic expression referring to the rhetorical or literary tactic of diverting attention away from an item of significance...
while there is no definitive answer as to what actually happened.
The story is based on fact through an 18th-century report provided by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff's uncle, the agronomist
Agronomist
An agronomist is a scientist who specializes in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. An agronomist is an expert in agricultural and allied sciences, with the exception veterinary sciences.Agronomists deal with interactions between plants, soils, and...
and writer August von Haxthausen
August von Haxthausen
August Franz Ludwig Maria, Baron von Haxthausen-Abbenburg was a German agricultural scientist, economist, lawyer, writer, and collector of folk songs, best known for his account of conditions in Russia as revealed by his 1843 visit.- Life :August was the last of eight sons of Werner Adolf,...
. The events take place in the village of B. (Dorf B.) in the Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
n mountains, which represents Bellersen in the former Bishopric of Paderborn
Bishopric of Paderborn
The Archdiocese of Paderborn is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany; its seat is Paderborn. It was a diocese from its foundation in 799 until 1802, and again from 1821 until 1930. In 1930, it was promoted to an archdiocese...
, today part of the town of Brakel
Brakel, Germany
Brakel is a town in the district of Höxter in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Location :Brakel lies at the midpoint of the district of Höxter between the Eggegebirge and the Weser in the Oberwälder Land nature area in the old Saxon region of Nethegau....
.
Characters
Friedrich MergelThe main character of the novella, whose life we follow from beginning to end. It is never conclusively proved, but he is accused of the murder of the Jew Aaron, who vanished from his home. Friedrich also had to give evidence in the inquest into the murder of Brandis.
Margreth Mergel
His mother Margreth (maiden name Semmler) was the second wife of Hermann Mergel. We learn that she died insane, literally driven mad by the tragic events of her life, mistreated by her husband and abandoned by her beloved son.
Hermann Mergel
Friedrich's father, a drunkard, beat both his wives, while there is also an implication that he raped Margreth. However, he sincerely loved his son and always brought him little treats. Returning drunk in the night, he died of hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
during a winter storm when Friedrich was nine years old.
Simon Semmler
Margreth's brother, a bachelor, who adopts his nephew Friedrich when his father died. He is shown to be a bad influence, as Friedrich's personality undergoes dramatic changes after associating with him. Simon seems to be involved in illegal logging
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
within the surrounding forests. He may be the father of Johannes.
Johannes Niemand ("John Nobody")
A mysterious character, who seems to become Friedrich's shadow. He is Simon's pig herdboy, and it is implied that he is also his illegitimate son. He is very similar physically to Friedrich, as shown when his mother mistakes the two on their first meeting. He and Friedrich disappear on the same day.
Brandis
A forester
Forester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
who is found dead in the woods with an axe in his head. One reading of the novella is that Friedrich killed him, as they had an unfriendly encounter shortly before and he later appears frightened when confronted with the hatchet, but probably Simon is the murderer, using an old axe of his that Friedrich recognised.
Aaron
The Jew Aaron was a usurer
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
who lent money to Friedrich. He publicly demands it back at a wedding reception, humiliating Friedrich, who had spent the money to buy a silver watch. Aaron was found slain under a beech three days later, becoming the second murder victim in the story.
External links
- Full text of Die Judenbuche and other works of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff at Zeno.orgZeno.orgZeno.org is a digital library with German texts and other content such as pictures, facsimile, etc., which has been started by the Zenodot Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, a German publishing house and sister enterprise of Directmedia Publishing GmbH. The content is based on the digital libraries from the...
(German) - http://www.fln.vcu.edu/droste/juden_e.html - An EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation of the text - http://www.bartleby.com/65/dr/DrosteHu.html - Short BibliographyBibliographyBibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
of Annette von Drost Hülshof **Link broken/old, redirects to bartleby.com main page.