Mörike Viewn Politically, and his Radical Friends

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ulrich Gaier
• Subject Area: German Literary and Cultural Studies (Modern German Literature)
• Term: from 2019 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 420036873

Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875) is generally, and even in recent literary criticism, estimated as the Swabian Vicar of Wakefield: good-natured, harmless, comparable to his fairy-tales, idyls, and wonderful poem. For the first time ever, this book demonstrates that all of his narratives, dramas, many poems, and letters are highly political. Mörike´s political satire aims at two Kings of Württemberg: Friedrich I. (reigned 1806 - 1816) had suspended the Constitutional Monarchy for which Württemberg was proud since 1514, and which guaranted many privileges for the citizens that could not be enjoyed in other territories of Germany and, in fact, on the continent. Wilhelm I. (reigned 1816 - 1864) was, after three years of war with his subjects, forced by the citizens to restore the old constituion in 1819. He therefore showed no intrest in the welfare of his country during the years of famine 1816/17. But his Russian wife, Queen Katharina Pawlowna, founded a hospital, country-wide savings banks, bought cereal-seed and seed-potatoes from her own money and gave it to poor farmers, etc.; in the meantime, Wilhelm had fun with four simultaneous mistresses, and was responsible for the sudden death of Katharina, a provocation for the whole country. Mörike had to write under cover because Wilhelm pursued any criticism of his person and reign, and had recommended Mörike´s family to the special care of his secret service. Eduard´s brother Karl had committed political stupidities and had brought the family into financial, social, political difficulties. Therefore, Mörike wrote harmless and pleasant things with biting satire underneath. Fortunately, the NSA did not notice the double talk, but Mörike´s radical friends were greatly amused - the volume concludes with 9 longer and 18 shorter biographies of politically renowned Württemberg citizens.

• DFG Programme: Publication Grants