Friedrich von Oppeln-Bronikowski
Encyclopedia
Friedrich von Oppeln-Bronikowski (April 7, 1873 — October 9, 1936) was a German
writer
, translator
, publisher and cultural historian
. His grave is located in the Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf near Berlin.
. He began a similarly ambitious military career himself, attending a cadet academy then joining a Hussar
regiment. A serious riding accident brought his military career to a sudden end, however.
. Afterwards he lived as an independent author first in Italy then in Switzerland. In 1905 he returned to Berlin and published numerous novel
s, novella
s, and short stories
. Military life and Prussia
n history were frequent subjects of his works and appealed to the interests of his contemporaries. He also wrote biographical compositions and essays on cultural history
.
and Belgian
literature, including the works of Maurice Maeterlinck
. Notably, he also translated Niccolò Machiavelli's
The Prince
from Italian. With the beginning of the First World War in 1914, Oppeln-Bronikowski was summoned for military service and served with the General Staff
. From 1920 to 1923 he was active in the foreign ministry.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, publisher and cultural historian
Cultural history
The term cultural history refers both to an academic discipline and to its subject matter.Cultural history, as a discipline, at least in its common definition since the 1970s, often combines the approaches of anthropology and history to look at popular cultural traditions and cultural...
. His grave is located in the Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf near Berlin.
Life
Friedrich von Oppeln-Bronikowski was born into an old and traditionalist family of military officers in KasselKassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
. He began a similarly ambitious military career himself, attending a cadet academy then joining a Hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
regiment. A serious riding accident brought his military career to a sudden end, however.
Studies and Writing Career
Oppeln-Bronikowski turned his attention to a civilian education, studying philosophy and archaeology in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Afterwards he lived as an independent author first in Italy then in Switzerland. In 1905 he returned to Berlin and published numerous novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s, novella
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...
s, and short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
. Military life and Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n history were frequent subjects of his works and appealed to the interests of his contemporaries. He also wrote biographical compositions and essays on cultural history
Cultural history
The term cultural history refers both to an academic discipline and to its subject matter.Cultural history, as a discipline, at least in its common definition since the 1970s, often combines the approaches of anthropology and history to look at popular cultural traditions and cultural...
.
Translations
Oppeln-Bronikowski translated a great deal of FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
literature, including the works of Maurice Maeterlinck
Maurice Maeterlinck
Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck, also called Comte Maeterlinck from 1932, was a Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist who wrote in French. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911. The main themes in his work are death and the meaning of life...
. Notably, he also translated Niccolò Machiavelli's
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
The Prince
The Prince
The Prince is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat, historian and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. From correspondence a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus . But the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after...
from Italian. With the beginning of the First World War in 1914, Oppeln-Bronikowski was summoned for military service and served with the General Staff
German General Staff
The German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German armed forces a decided advantage over its adversaries. The Staff amounted to its best "weapon" for nearly a century and a half....
. From 1920 to 1923 he was active in the foreign ministry.
Writings against Antisemitism
In his later works Oppeln-Bronikowski opposed the growing antisemitism in Germany. He advocated equitable treatment of Jews with Antisemitismus? Eine unparteiische Prüfung ("Antisemitism? An objective examination") in 1920 and Gerechtigkeit! Zur Lösung der Judenfrage ("Justice! Resolving the Jewish question") in 1932.Selected works
- Aus dem Sattel geplaudert und Anderes, 1898
- Antisemitismus ? Eine unparteiische Prüfung, 1920
- Gerechtigkeit! Zur Lösung der Judenfrage, 1932
- Der große König als erster Diener seines Staates, 1934
- Der alte Dessauer, 1936