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Baron Eligius Franz Joseph von Münch-Bellinghausen (german: Eligius Franz Joseph Freiherr von Münch-Bellinghausen) (2 April 180622 May 1871) was an Austrian dramatist, poet and novella writer of the Austrian
Biedermeier The ''Biedermeier'' period was an era in Central Europe between 1815 and 1848 during which the middle class grew in number and the arts appealed to common sensibilities. It began with the Congress of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in ...
period and beyond, and is more generally known under his pseudonym Friedrich Halm.


Life and career

He was the son of a district judge at
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
in Poland, at this time part of the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
. Early in his literary career he adopted the ''nom de plume'' of Friedrich Halm ("Halm" means a blade of grass or a blade of straw), and became one of the most popular dramatists in Vienna around the middle of the 19th century. His novellas are now regarded as more significant from a literary point of view than his dramatic writings. Münch-Bellinghausen was educated at the seminary of
Melk Abbey Melk Abbey (german: Stift Melk) is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Lower Austria, Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river, adjoining the Wachau valley. The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the ...
and later at
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
, where he studied philosophy and
jurisprudence Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...
, and where he began his career in 1826. As a boy he took a keen interest in the theater, and from 1833 enjoyed the friendship of his former teacher, the
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
Michael Leopold Enk von der Burg, who encouraged the poet to offer his drama ''Griseldis'' to the Hofburg theatre. Its successful production in 1835 established Halm's reputation as a playwright and henceforth he continued to write for the stage with varying success. Münch-Bellinghausen became Regierungsrat (government councillor) in 1840 and (chief keeper) of the Court Library in 1844, a position that
Franz Grillparzer Franz Seraphicus Grillparzer (15 January 1791 – 21 January 1872) was an Austrian writer who was considered to be the leading Austrian dramatist of the 19th century. His plays were and are frequently performed at the famous Burgtheater in Vien ...
had sought in vain. He was elected member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 1852, and life member of the Austrian Herrenhaus in 1861. In 1867, he was appointed superintendent of the two court-theatres, but three years later resigned this position which disputes had made distasteful to him. His health also had been failing.


Literary work

Friedrich Halm's earliest full-length drama, ''Schwert, Hammer, Buch'', completed in 1833 but not published in his lifetime, explores three various routes in quest of happiness: that of the warrior, that of the artisan, and that of the artist. This massive drama of several hundred pages, although still a piece of ' juvenilia', has numerous effective passages and anticipates the literary talent that was to burst upon the Viennese literary scene just three or four years later with the publication of Halm's tragedy, ''Griseldis''. Of his many dramatic works the best known are, indeed, ''Griseldis'' (1837); ''Der Adept'' (1836; publ. 1838), ''Camoens'' (1838), ''Der Sohn der Wildnis'' (1842), and ''Der Fechter von Ravenna'' (1857). ''Griseldis'' is based on the well-known story of the faithful wife whose loyalty and devotion are put to the severest tests but who triumphs in the end. ''Der Sohn der Wildnis'' ("The Son of the Wilderness") is a romantic drama depicting the power of womanly love and virtue over rude barbarian strength. It was presented on the English stage under the title of ''
Ingomar the Barbarian ''Ingomar, the Barbarian'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It has been placed in the same genre as the theatrical toga play.Richards, Jeffrey"Review: ''Playing out the Empire: Ben-Hur and other Toga Plays ...
''. ''Der Fechter von Ravenna'' ("The Gladiator of Ravenna"), regarded as one of Halm's best dramas, is a
tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...
having for its hero
Thumelicus Thumelicus (born 15 AD; died before 47 AD, probably in 30 or 31) was the only son of the Cherusci leader Arminius and his wife Thusnelda, daughter of the pro-Roman tribal leader Segestes. In May 15 AD, Arminius besieged Segestes at his stronghol ...
the son of
Arminius Arminius ( 18/17 BC – 21 AD) was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe who is best known for commanding an alliance of Germanic tribes at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, in which three Roman legions under the command of ge ...
, the liberator of Germany from
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
rule. According to the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition, " is playsare distinguished by elegance of language, melodious versification and clever construction, and were for a time exceedingly popular." Theatrically these plays are very effective, but the characters are improbable and the situations are often strained. Their popularity, which they owe largely to their smooth, polished and beautiful diction and skillfully interspersed lyrics, has not been lasting. Of Halm's numerous other dramas we may mention the vivid and powerful ''Sampiero'' (1856, depicting the tragic loss of humanity attendant upon political fanaticism); ''Iphigenie in Delphi'' (1856); '' Begum Somru'' (1863); ''Wildfeuer'' (1864); a German version of
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Cymbeline ''Cymbeline'' , also known as ''The Tragedie of Cymbeline'' or ''Cymbeline, King of Britain'', is a play by William Shakespeare set in British Iron Age, Ancient Britain () and based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concerni ...
'' that appeared on the stage in 1842, and an extremely effective and humorous comedy entitled ''Verbot und Befehl'' ("Prohibition and Decree", 1856). He is also the author of lyrics, short stories, and of a narrative poem ''Charfreitag'' ("Good Friday") (1864). His poems, ''Gedichte'', were published in
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
, 1850 (new ed. Vienna. 1877). His pessimistic seems to have been formed very early on in life and never to have deserted him, as evidenced by early poems such as ''Eine Makame'' and later poems, ''Schwere Jahre''. These describe how life is seen as essentially a vale of tears and filled with suffering, and only made bearable by the hope of a blissful and tranquil life of the spirit. These will supervene after physical death. Halm's high reputation during his lifetime is indicated by the stone bust which was carved of him and which still sits on top of the famous Burgtheater in Vienna, alongside those of Schiller, Goethe and Grillparzer. From an early age, Halm showed an aptitude for fictional narrative, perhaps first exemplified in the charming tale, ''Die Abendgenossen'', written when Halm was in his early twenties. Another early novella from this period, ''Ein Abend zu L'', contains insights on sex and homosexuality which anticipate
Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts in ...
ian psycho-analytical notions. Dr. Tony Page writes on this: "In view of its daring delineations of human sexuality and repressed sexual urges, its potentially progressive view of same-sex love and general exploration of the human psyche in the grip of passion, ''Ein Abend zu L.'' constitutes a remarkable early 19th-century literary document, providing pre-echoes of psycho-analytical ideas that would take the Western world by storm less than a century later."Dr. Tony Page, 'Friedrich Halm and the Demon of Sex: An Examination of Halm's Early Novelle, Ein Abend zu L', ''Manusya Journal of Humanities'', Chulalongkorn University, 2014, Thailand, p.66, www.manusya.journals.chula.ac.th/ files/ essay/ FRIEDRICH%20HALM_51-67 Halm's other short stories, or novellas, which tend to focus on spiritual issues and self-destructive monomaniacal characters, are far superior to most of his dramas and are striking and impressive in content, full of psychological insights—especially his earliest major story, ''Das Auge Gottes'' ("The Eye of God"), a lengthy novella written in 1826, about the supernatural reverberations of the blasphemous act of the desecration of a holy icon, and his final narrative masterpiece, ''Das Haus an der Veronabrücke'' ("The House on Verona Bridge"), centring on the inner collapse of a man given over to a morally repellent but overriding (the enforced sexual coupling of his wife with another man). His novella, ''Die Marzipan-Lise'' ("Marzipan Lise"), is credited with being one of the first "criminal fiction tales" of German literature and is now available as an audio book on CD. Furthermore, the composer,
Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...
, used some of Halm's verse as the basis for a number of his Lieder. Overall it can be said that it is as a short-story or "novella" writer that Halm has secured a place in the history of German/Austrian literature. His novellas mark Halm out as a writer of talent, psychological penetration and substance. His novella, ''The House at Verona Bridge'' (''Das Haus an der Veronabruecke'') alone stands as a milestone in 19th-century Austrian literature for its probing and insightful treatment of an obsessive mentality that inevitably leads its possessor into tragedy and death. His collected works, ''Samtliche Werke'', were published arranged in chronological order in eight volumes (1856–1864), to which four posthumous volumes were added in 1872. Also published were ''Ausgewählte Werke'', ed. by Anton Schlossar in 4 vols. (1904). Published in the 21st century in Amazon Kindle format were a collection of poems entitled ''Unpublished Poems of Friedrich Halm'' (2011), the full text of Halm's novella, ''Das Auge Gottes'' (2011), as well as Halm's novella, ''Ein Abend zu L.'' (2012), in addition to Halm's essay on literary aesthetics, ''Sendschreiben an J. C. R.'' (2012), all transcribed and edited by Dr. Tony Page.


Works


Plays

* ''Schwert, Hammer, Buch'', 1833 * ''Griseldis'', 1835 * ''Der Adept'', 1836 * ''Camoens'', 1837 * ''Imelda Lambertazzi'', 1838 * ''Ein mildes Urteil'', 1840 * ''König und Bauer'', 1841 * ''Der Sohn der Wildnis'', 1842 * ''Sampiero'', 1844 * ''Maria da Molina'', 1847 * ''Verbot und Befehl'', 1848 * ''Der Fechter von Ravenna'', 1854 * ''Eine Königin'', 1857 * ''Iphigenie in Delphi'', 1857 * ''Vor hundert Jahren'', 1859 * ''Begum Somru'', 1860 * ''Wildfeuer'', 1864


Stories

* ''St. Sylvesterabend'', composed 1823, published 2017 * ''Das Auge Gottes'', ('The Eye of God'), 1826 * ''Ein Abend zu L.'', 1828 * ''Die Marzipanliese'', 1856 * ''Die Freundinnen'', 1860 * ''Das Haus an der Veronabrücke'', ('The House by Verona Bridge'), 1864 English translations of the novellas, ''Das Haus an der Veronabrücke'' and ''Das Auge Gottes'': * ''The House by Verona Bridge'' translated by Dr. Tony Page, Blade Publications, Bangkok, 2017, Kindle e-book * ''The Eye of God'' translated by Dr. Tony Page, Blade Publications, Bangkok, 2017, Kindle e-book


Collections

* ''Gedichte'', 1850 * ''Gesammelte Werke'', 8 vols., 1856-1864 * ''Erzählungen''


References

* ** See also: ''Friedrich Halm's "Das Auge Gottes": An Analysis of the Complete Text'' by Dr. Tony Page (Doctoral Dissertation, Oxford University, 1988). ** See also
Austrian literature Austrian literature () is mostly written in German, and is closely connected with German literature. Origin and background From the 19th century onward, Austria was the home of novelists and short-story writers, including Adalbert Stifter, ...
**See also: ''Das Auge Gottes by Friedrich Halm'', edited by Dr. Tony Page, Blade Publications 2011, Bangkok, Kindle Edition ASIN: B005MJGS9Q **''Unpublished Poems by Friedrich Halm'', edited by Dr. Tony Page, Blade Publications 2011, Bangkok, Kindle Edition ASIN: B005MGDME8 **''St. Sylvesterabend by Friedrich Halm'', edited by Dr. Tony Page, Blade Publications 2017, Bangkok, Kindle Edition ASIN: B07261VSHG


External links

* Scholarly article on Halm's Novella, ''The Eye of God'', in relation to his Aesthetic Essay, ''Letter to J. C. R.'

* Research article on ''Friedrich Halm and the Demon of Sex'' http://www.manusya.journals.chula.ac.th/files/essay/FRIEDRICH%20HALM_51-67.pdf. {{DEFAULTSORT:Halm, Friedrich Austrian male dramatists and playwrights 19th-century Austrian poets Austrian male poets University of Vienna alumni Barons of Austria Austrian expatriates in Poland Writers from Kraków 1806 births 1871 deaths 19th-century Austrian dramatists and playwrights 19th-century Austrian male writers