Die Krokodile
Encyclopedia
Die Krokodile was a small poets' society in Munich
which existed from 1856 to the 1870s.
had constructed the Glyptothek
and the Pinakothek
to house art collections. Part of his intention was to attract intellectual luminaries to Munich, with little result before the efforts made by his successor Maximilian II
. Among others came the chemist Justus von Liebig
, the ethnologist Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl
and the historian Heinrich von Sybel
.
Two poets who arrived in Munich were Emanuel Geibel
and Paul Heyse. In 1852 they joined the cultural society Die Zwanglosen, founded in 1838, which was intended to serve as a meeting-place for both native Bavarians and the new arrivals, the so-called Nordlichter ("northern lights"). However the two groups became fractious and in 1858 Geibel left. Heyse had already created a new society, following the model of the Tunnel über der Spree
in Berlin, of which both he and Geibel had been members.
Heyse and Julius Grosse held the inaugural meeting on 5 November 1856 in the coffee-house Zur Stadt München. In the first years Friedrich von Bodenstedt, Felix Dahn
, Wilhelm Hertz and Hermann Lingg
joined. It was claimed by Felix Dahn that the name of the society came about because of the coincidence that both Geibel and Lingg had recently written poems about crocodiles, but it seems more probable that Lingg's poem Das Krokodil von Singapur was the sole inspiration.
"The sublime character of this amphibian seemed to us an admirable example to idealistic poets, and we hoped that in our 'holy pond' we should be able to armour ourselves against the base prosaic world, just as we always used to, minding nothing except maybe changes in temperature." (Paul Heyse: Jugenderinnerungen und Bekenntnisse)
At meetings, recent works both foreign and local were examined and discussed. As in the Tunnel over the Spree, members adopted pseudonyms: Geibel for example was the Urkrokodil. A complete list of members has not survived.
movement by its non-political stance. The Crocodiles preferred to see poetry as a pure and almost sacred art, ideally following ancient, medieval, and even Oriental models; the result was an eclectic body of work, often of the highest craftsmanship but lacking literary substance. Not coincidentally, most of what has survived has been translations and adaptations, such as Bodenstedt's reworking of Oriental sources and Hertz's poems based on medieval material.
After the death of Maximilian II in 1864, policies changed and the grooming of immigrant artists was discontinued. Die Krokodile had lost their main sponsor and public role. An attempt to produce a second group anthology in 1866 was a failure. The society remained in existence chiefly as a social club.
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
which existed from 1856 to the 1870s.
Background and beginnings
King Ludwig ILudwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
had constructed the Glyptothek
Glyptothek
The Glyptothek is a museum in Munich, Germany, which was commissioned by the Bavarian King Ludwig I to house his collection of Greek and Roman sculptures . It was designed by Leo von Klenze in the Neoclassical style, and built from 1816 to 1830...
and the Pinakothek
Alte Pinakothek
The Alte Pinakothek is an art museum situated in the Kunstareal in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses one of the most famous collections of Old Master paintings...
to house art collections. Part of his intention was to attract intellectual luminaries to Munich, with little result before the efforts made by his successor Maximilian II
Maximilian II of Bavaria
Maximilian II of Bavaria was king of Bavaria from 1848 until 1864. He was son of Ludwig I of Bavaria and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.-Crown Prince:...
. Among others came the chemist Justus von Liebig
Justus von Liebig
Justus von Liebig was a German chemist who made major contributions to agricultural and biological chemistry, and worked on the organization of organic chemistry. As a professor, he devised the modern laboratory-oriented teaching method, and for such innovations, he is regarded as one of the...
, the ethnologist Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl
Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl
Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl was a German journalist, novelist and folklorist.Riehl was born in Biebrich in the Duchy of Nassau and died in Munich....
and the historian Heinrich von Sybel
Heinrich von Sybel
Heinrich Karl Ludolf von Sybel , German historian, came from a Protestant family which had long been established at Soest, in Westphalia....
.
Two poets who arrived in Munich were Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright, was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor in the city.He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and romance philology. In 1838 he accepted a...
and Paul Heyse. In 1852 they joined the cultural society Die Zwanglosen, founded in 1838, which was intended to serve as a meeting-place for both native Bavarians and the new arrivals, the so-called Nordlichter ("northern lights"). However the two groups became fractious and in 1858 Geibel left. Heyse had already created a new society, following the model of the Tunnel über der Spree
Tunnel über der Spree
Der Tunnel über der Spree was a German literary society based in Berlin, founded on 3 December 1827 by Moritz Gottlieb Saphir. Most active between 1840 and 1860, it acquired 214 members and influenced literary life in Berlin for more than seventy years....
in Berlin, of which both he and Geibel had been members.
Heyse and Julius Grosse held the inaugural meeting on 5 November 1856 in the coffee-house Zur Stadt München. In the first years Friedrich von Bodenstedt, Felix Dahn
Felix Dahn
Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn was a German lawyer, author and historian.-Biography:Julius Sophus Felix Dahn was born in Hamburg as the oldest son of Friedrich and Constanze Dahn who were notable actors at the city's theatre. The family had both German and French roots...
, Wilhelm Hertz and Hermann Lingg
Hermann Lingg
Hermann Lingg was a German poet who also wrote plays and short stories. His cousin, Maximilian von Lingg, was Bishop of Augsburg....
joined. It was claimed by Felix Dahn that the name of the society came about because of the coincidence that both Geibel and Lingg had recently written poems about crocodiles, but it seems more probable that Lingg's poem Das Krokodil von Singapur was the sole inspiration.
| Das Krokodil von Singapur Im heil'gen Teich zu Singapur Da liegt ein altes Krokodil Von äußerst grämlicher Natur Und kaut an einem Lotusstil. Es ist ganz alt und völlig blind, Und wenn es einmal friert des Nachts, So weint es wie ein kleines Kind, Doch wenn ein schöner Tag ist, lacht's. |
The Crocodile of Singapore The Holy Pond of Singapore Contains an ancient Crocodile, The glummest kind you ever saw: It chews upon a lotus stem. It's old and now completely blind, And when the night is freezing cold, It weeps just like a little child: But in the day's warm light it laughs. |
"The sublime character of this amphibian seemed to us an admirable example to idealistic poets, and we hoped that in our 'holy pond' we should be able to armour ourselves against the base prosaic world, just as we always used to, minding nothing except maybe changes in temperature." (Paul Heyse: Jugenderinnerungen und Bekenntnisse)
At meetings, recent works both foreign and local were examined and discussed. As in the Tunnel over the Spree, members adopted pseudonyms: Geibel for example was the Urkrokodil. A complete list of members has not survived.
Literary influence
The group is distinguishable from the Young GermanyYoung Germany
Young Germany was a group of German writers which existed from about 1830 to 1850. It was essentially a youth ideology . Its main proponents were Karl Gutzkow, Heinrich Laube, Theodor Mundt and Ludolf Wienbarg; Heinrich Heine, Ludwig Börne and Georg Büchner were also considered part of the movement...
movement by its non-political stance. The Crocodiles preferred to see poetry as a pure and almost sacred art, ideally following ancient, medieval, and even Oriental models; the result was an eclectic body of work, often of the highest craftsmanship but lacking literary substance. Not coincidentally, most of what has survived has been translations and adaptations, such as Bodenstedt's reworking of Oriental sources and Hertz's poems based on medieval material.
After the death of Maximilian II in 1864, policies changed and the grooming of immigrant artists was discontinued. Die Krokodile had lost their main sponsor and public role. An attempt to produce a second group anthology in 1866 was a failure. The society remained in existence chiefly as a social club.
Members
- Max Beilhack (Nashorn)
- Friedrich Bodenstedt (Apis)
- Otto Philipp BraunOtto Philipp Braun (journalist)Otto Philipp Braun was a German newspaper editor and translator. He was the nephew of the Bolivian general of the same name....
- Julius Braun
- Moritz CarrièreMoritz CarrièreMoritz Carrière was a German philosopher and historian.After studying at Giessen, Göttingen and Berlin, he spent a few years in Italy studying the fine arts, and established himself in 1842 at Giessen as a teacher of philosophy...
(Schiff der Wüste) - Felix DahnFelix DahnFelix Ludwig Julius Dahn was a German lawyer, author and historian.-Biography:Julius Sophus Felix Dahn was born in Hamburg as the oldest son of Friedrich and Constanze Dahn who were notable actors at the city's theatre. The family had both German and French roots...
(Gnu) –– Gründungsmitglied - Hermann Ethé
- Gustav Flörke
- Emanuel GeibelEmanuel GeibelEmanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright, was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor in the city.He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and romance philology. In 1838 he accepted a...
(Urkrokodil) - Franz Grandaur
- Julius Grosse (Ichnoymon)
- Leonhard Hamm
- Max HaushoferMax HaushoferMaximilian Joseph Haushofer was a German landscape painter and professor of landscape painting at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts....
- Karl August Heigel
- Wilhelm Hemsen (Skarabäus)
- Wilhelm Hertz (Werwolf)
- Paul Heyse (Eidechs)
- Bernhard Hofmann
- Hans HopfenHans HopfenDemetrius Hans Hopfen was a Bavarian writer.Hans Hopfen , the son of Angelotta Mayer , was born in Munich. At the age of 10 he was acknowledged by his father Simon Hopfen. Hans studied law and history from 1853 to 1858 in Munich, where he was a member of the Corps Franconia...
- Oskar Horn
- Robert von Hornstein – honorary member
- Wilhelm JensenWilhelm JensenWilhelm Hermann Jensen was a German writer and poet.-Biography:Wilhelm Jensen was born at Heiligenhafen in Holstein , the natural son of Swenn Hans Jensen , the Mayor of the city of Kiel, later administrator of the German/Danish island of Sylt, who came of old patrician Frisian stock...
- Konrad KnollKonrad KnollKonrad Knoll was a German sculptor.Born in Bad Bergzabern, Konrad Knoll studied first under the renowned sculptor and priest Bernhard Würschmitt, before travelling in 1845 to Karlsruhe and Stuttgart, and then to Munich under Halbig, attending the Academy from 1848 to 1852.His first works were the...
– honorary member - Franz Koppel-Ellfeld
- Ludwig LaistnerLudwig LaistnerLudwig Laistner was a German novelist, mythologist, and literary historian.He was born in Esslingen am Neckar. He studied theology in Tübingen from 1863 to 1867 and was a pastor for two years before heart trouble obliged him to resign...
- Karl Lemcke (Hyäne)
- Heinrich LeutholdHeinrich LeutholdHeinrich Leuthold was a Swiss poet and translator, described by one critic as the writer "most endowed with genius" of the Munich literary circle, Die Krokodile....
(Alligator) - Sigmund Lichtenstein (Nilpferd)
- Hermann LinggHermann LinggHermann Lingg was a German poet who also wrote plays and short stories. His cousin, Maximilian von Lingg, was Bishop of Augsburg....
(Teichkrokodil) - Karl von LützowKarl von LützowKarl von Lützow was a German art historian and critic.-Biography:He was born at Göttingen. He studied philology and archæology at Göttingen and Munich, and was associated in Berlin with Lübke in editing Denkmäler der Kunst...
(Biber) - Andreas May
- Melchior MeyrMelchior MeyrMelchior Meyr was a German poet, novelist and philosopher.He read law and philosophy at Heidelberg and Munich. His greatest success was the Erzählungen aus dem Ries , remarkable as an accurate and sympathetic picture of rural life and character...
(Ibis) - Karl Woldemar Neumann (Schwertfisch)
- Ludwig NohlLudwig NohlLudwig Nohl was a German music scholar and writer best known for discovering and publishing Beethoven's famous bagatelle, "Für Elise"....
- Theodor PixisTheodor PixisAugust Ludwig Theodor Pixis was a German painter, graphic artist, illustrator and etcher.He was born in Kaiserslautern. After graduating from the Wilhelmsgymnasium in Munich in 1849, he began studying law. He soon turned to art, and became a pupil of the painters Philipp von Foltz and Wilhelm von...
– honorary member - Heinrich Reder
- Adolf Friedrich von SchackAdolf Friedrich von SchackAdolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack was a German poet and historian of literature.-Background:He was born at Brüsewitz near Schwerin. Having studied jurisprudence at the universities of Bonn, Heidelberg and Berlin, he entered the Mecklenburg state service and was subsequently attached to the...
– honorary member - Joseph Victor von Scheffel – honorary member
- Hermann SchmidHermann SchmidDecimal Computation is a textbook by Hermann Schmid. First published in 1974 by John Wiley & Sons and reprinted in 1983 by Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company , the book comprises twelve chapters providing detailed description of decimal calculations, including explanation of binary-coded...
- Oskar Schmidt
- Ludwig Schneegans
- August Schricker
- Johann Schrott – honorary member
- Karl StielerKarl StielerKarl Stieler was a German lawyer and author.-Life:Stieler was the son of the painter Joseph Karl Stieler and his wife, the poet Josephine von Miller....
- Anton Teichlein
- Franz Trautmann
- Robert VischerRobert VischerRobert Vischer was a German philosopher who invented the term Einfühlung , which was to be promoted by Theodor Lipps, Freud's admired philosopher.-Vischer’s use of Einfühlung:...
- Gottfried Wandner
- August Westphal
- Richard Weltrich
- Adolf WilbrandtAdolf WilbrandtAdolf Wilbrandt was a German novelist and dramatist.-History:Wilbrant was born in Rostock. His father was a professor at the university in Rostock. He received early education in his native town, and then entered the university and engaged in the study of law...
– honorary member - Adolf ZeisingAdolf ZeisingAdolf Zeising was a German psychologist, whose main interests were mathematics and philosophy.Among his discoveries, Zeising found the golden ratio expressed in the arrangement of branches along the stems of plants and of veins in leaves...
Publications
- Emanuel Geibel (ed.): Ein Münchner Dichterbuch, Stuttgart 1862
- Paul Heyse (ed.): Neues Münchner Dichterbuch, Stuttgart 1882