Friederike Mayröcker
- Teacher
- Poet
Friederike Mayröcker (20 December 1924 – 4 June 2021) was an Austrian writer of poetry and prose, radio plays, children's books and dramatic texts. She experimented with language, and was regarded as an avantgarde poet,[1] and as one of the leading authors in German.[2] Her work, inspired by art, music, literature and everyday life, appeared as "novel and also dense text formations, often described as 'magical'."[3] According to The New York Times, her work was "formally inventive, much of it exploiting the imaginative potential of language to capture the minutiae of daily life, the natural world, love and grief".[4]
Life
Mayröcker was born in Vienna,[5] the daughter of a teacher and a milliner.[4][5] Until age 11, she spent the summers regularly in the village Deinzendorf.[6] In World War II, she was drafted as an air force aide, working as a secretary.[3][4] From 1946 to 1969 Mayröcker was an English teacher[1] at several public schools in Vienna.[3][6][7]
She started writing poetry at age 15.[1] In 1946, she met Otto Basil who published some of her first works in his avant-garde journal Plan [de].[7] Mayröcker's poems were published a few years later by renowned literary critic Hans Weigel. She was eventually introduced to the Wiener Gruppe, a group of mostly surrealist and expressionist Austrian authors such as Ingeborg Bachmann.[4][1] Her first book, a collection of prose miniatures,[4] Larifari – Ein konfuses Buch (Airy-fairy. A confused book), appeared in 1956.[3] It remained the only book for ten years, but then the poem collection Death by Muses, meant her breakthrough and recognition as "a leading lyrical voice of her generation".[4] Many more collections followed, published from 1979 by Suhrkamp.[8]
Mayröcker is recognized as one of the most important contemporary Austrian poets.[2] She also had success with her prose and radio plays. Four of them she wrote together with Ernst Jandl, her partner from 1954 until his death in 2000.[5] While they shared a love of writing, they did not share a house or have any children. She once reflected in a poem that they stood together in the kitchen with poems in their heads, "but not the same one". Even so, after Jandl's death, she was so stricken with grief that she was initially unable to write. She eventually addressed this grief in her work, Requiem for Ernst Jandl, and resumed writing well into her nineties.[9] Her prose is often described as autofictional, since Mayröcker uses quotes of private conversations and excerpts from letters and diaries in her work. She described her working process: "I live in pictures. I see everything in pictures, my complete past, memories are pictures. I transform pictures into language by climbing into the picture. I walk into it until it becomes language."[10]
She sometimes included her drawings in books, and exhibited her art.[3] She was also inspired by music, and literature of Samuel Beckett and Friedrich Hölderlin, among many others. Her montages are also fed from everyday life observations, correspondence and newspapers. She produced "novel and also dense text formations, often described as "magical".[3]
Mayröcker earned numerous German-language literary prizes and was frequently mentioned as a potential Nobel laureate.[9]
A German-produced documentary chronicling Mayröcker's life and work was released in 2008.[11] Her last lyric collection, da ich morgens und moosgrün. Ans Fenster trete (as mornings and mossgreen I. Step to the window),[4] was short-listed for the prize of the Leipzig Book Fair 2021,[2][12] with the jury saying that she "fuses poetry and prose into 'proems' full of infatuations, futilities, fantasies, daydreams".[4]
She saw life, "like a surprise - you never know how it ends, it's an adventure that you create yourself".[9]
Mayröcker died on 4 June 2021, in Vienna, aged 96.[1][13]
Selected works
- Gesammelte Prosa 1949–2001 (Collected Prose 1949–2001) ed. by Klaus Reichert, 5 volumes, Frankfurt/Main 2001 ISBN 3-518-41299-X
- Magische Blätter I-V (Magic Pages I–V), Frankfurt/Main 2001 ISBN 3-518-41301-5
- Requiem für Ernst Jandl (Requiem for Ernst Jandl), Frankfurt/Main 2001 ISBN 3-518-41216-7
- Mein Arbeitstirol – Gedichte 1996–2001 (My Working Tyrol – Poems 1996–2001), Frankfurt/Main 2003 ISBN 3-518-41393-7
- Die kommunizierenden Gefäße (The Communicating Vessels) Frankfurt/Main 2003 ISBN 3-518-12444-7
- Sinclair Sofokles der Baby-Saurier (Sinclair Sofokles the Baby Dinosaur) with coloured illustrations by Angelika Kaufmann, St. Pölten 2004 ISBN 978-3-85326-287-0
- Gesammelte Gedichte 1939–2003 (Collected Poems) ed. by Marcel Beyer, Frankfurt/Main 2005 ISBN 3-518-41631-6
- Und ich schüttelte einen Liebling (And I Shook a Darling), Frankfurt/Main 2005 ISBN 3-518-41709-6
- fleurs, Suhrkamp, Berlin 2016, ISBN 978-3-518-42520-6
- Pathos und Schwalbe, Suhrkamp, Berlin 2018, ISBN 978-3-518-22504-2
Audio plays
Audio plays by Mayröcker, some written jointly with Jandl, include:[16]
- Die Umarmung, nach Picasso (The Embrace, After Picasso)[17]
- Repetitionen, nach Max Ernst (Repetitions, After Max Ernst)[17]
- Schubertnotizen oder das unbestechliche Muster der Ekstase (Schubert-Notes or the Incorrupt Model of Ecstasy)[18]
- Arie auf tönernen Füßen (Aria on Feet of Clay)
- Das zu Sehende, das zu Hörende (The to Be Seen, the to Be Heard) (awarded the ORF radio play prize)
- Die Kantate oder, Gottes Augenstern bist Du (The Cantata or, Gods Eye-star You Are), music by Wolfgang von Schweinitz (2003)
with Ernst Jandl:
- Der Gigant (The Giant)[19]
- Gemeinsame Kindheit (Childhood Together)[20]
- Fünf Mann Menschen,[21] translated as Five Man Humanity
- Spaltungen (Partitions)[22]
Libretto
- Stretta, music by Wolfram Wagner. World premiere at Sirene Opera, Vienna 2004[23]
Translations
Several of Mayröcker’s collections have been translated into English, including Night Train (1992, trans. Beth Bjorklund); Heiligenanstalt (1994, trans. Rosmarie Waldrop); with each clouded peak (1998, trans. Rosmarie Waldrop and Harriett Watts); peck me up, my wing (2000, trans. Mary Burns); Raving Language: Selected Poems 1946–2006 (2007, trans. Richard Dove); and brütt, or The Sighing Gardens (2008, trans. Roslyn Theobald).[24]
Awards
- 1963: Theodor Körner Prize[1][25]
- 1969: Hörspielpreis der Kriegsblinden for Fünf Mann Menschen (with Ernst Jandl)[25]
- 1975: Austrian Prize for Literature[25]
- 1976: Prize for Literature of Vienna [de][25]
- 1977: Georg Trakl Prize for Poetry [de][25]
- 1981: Anton Wildgans Prize[25]
- 1982: Grand Austrian State Prize for Literature[25]
- 1982: Roswitha Prize[25]
- 1985: Literature Prize of Southwest Radio Baden-Baden[25]
- 1985: Gold Medal of Vienna[25]
- 1987: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art[25]
- 1989: Hans-Erich-Nossack-Preis[25]
- 1993: Friedrich-Hölderlin-Preis of Bad Homburg[1][25]
- 1994: Manuscripts Award[25]
- 1996: Else Lasker-Schüler Poetry Prize[1][25]
- 1996: Grand Literature Prize of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts[25]
- 1997: America Award[25]
- 1997: Droste-Preis (Meersburg)[25]
- 2000: Christian-Wagner-Preis[25]
- 2001: Karl Sczuka Prize for the radio play The envelope of the birds[25]
- 2001: Georg Büchner Prize[1][25][26]
- 2001: Honorary doctorate, University of Bielefeld[25]
- 2003: Premio Internazionale[25]
- 2004: Honorary Ring of the Vienna[27]
- 2009: Hermann-Lenz-Preis for poem Scardanelli[25][28]
- 2010: Peter-Huchel-Preis for This jacket (namely) the griffin[25]
- 2010: Horst-Bienek-Preis für Lyrik of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts[25]
- 2011: Bremen Literature Prize for ich bin in der Anstalt. Fusznoten zu einem nichtgeschriebenen Werk[25]
- 2016: Österreichischer Buchpreis [de][25]
- 2017: Günter Eich Prize [de][6]
- 2017: Hörbuch des Jahres[6]
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Friederike Mayröcker ist tot: Österreichische Schriftstellerin mit 96 Jahren gestorben". Der Spiegel (in German). 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ a b c Beer, Andrea (4 June 2021). ""Ich hasse den Tod": Lyrikerin Friederike Mayröcker im Alter von 96 Jahren gestorben" (in German). SWR. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Friederike Mayröcker (Austria)". Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin. 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Goldmann, A. J. (4 June 2021). "Friederike Mayröcker, Grande Dame in German Literature, Dies at 96". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ a b c Weidermann, Volker (4 June 2021). "Zum Tod von Friederike Mayröcker / Lasst die Wörter aufjaulen!". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Friederike Mayröcker" (in German). Suhrkamp. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ a b Kaindlstorfer, Günter (4 June 2021). "Nachruf auf Friederike MayröckerPoesie als Lebensprinzip". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ Platthaus, Andreas (4 June 2021). "Friederike Mayröcker : Einen Schlusspunkt gibt es nicht". FAZ (in German). Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "Friederike Mayröcker Obituary". The Times. 15 June 2021.
- ^ In: Heimspiel (Journal of ORF – public Austrian radio station) March 2007, p. 5
- ^ Das Schreiben und das Schweigen. Die Schriftstellerin Friederike Mayröcker, 6 May 2010, retrieved 20 July 2020
- ^ "Friederike Mayröcker: "da ich morgens und moosgrün. Ans Fenster trete"" (in German). Leipzig Book Fair. 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Schriftstellerin: Friederike Mayröcker ist tot". Die Zeit (in German). 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Literaturhaus Wien: Werke". www.literaturhaus.at.
- ^ "Friederike Mayröcker: Die wichtigsten Publikationen und Preise". vienna.at (in German). 12 December 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Hörspiele von Friederike Mayröcker ARD
- ^ a b "Repetitionen, nach Max Ernst. Hörspiel von Friederike Mayröcker". Suhrkamp Theater Verlag (in German). Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Hörspiel – Das unbestechliche Muster der Ekstase". Hörspiel und Feature (in German). 21 July 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "DER GIGANT". oe1.orf.at (in German). 25 February 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Hörspiel von Ernst Jandl und Friederike Mayröcker – Gemeinsame Kindheit". Hörspiel und Feature (in German). 4 February 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Hörspiel / Fünf Mann Menschen (in German) Deutschlandfunk
- ^ "SPALTUNGEN". oe1.orf.at (in German). 25 February 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Wolfram Wagner / Stretta (in German) Doblinger Musikverlag
- ^ Foundation, Poetry (22 January 2023). "Friederike Mayröcker". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Mayröcker". Akademie der Künste (in German). Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Awards – Georg-Büchner-Preis – Friederike Mayröcker". Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung (in German). Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Ehrenring der Stadt Wien für Friederike Mayröcker". OTS.at (in German). 17 December 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Mayröcker mit Hermann-Lenz-Preis ausgezeichnet". Augsburger Allgemeine (in German). 5 November 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
Bibliography
- Theo Breuer: „Friederike Mayröcker, usw.“, in: T.B., Aus dem Hinterland. Lyrik nach 2000, Edition YE, Sistig/Eifel 2005
- Renate Kühn (Ed.): Friederike Mayröcker oder Das innere des Sehens, studies about poetry, radio play and prose, Bielefeld 2002
- Inge Arteel / Heidy M. Müller (Ed.): Rupfen in fremden Gärten – Intertextualität im Schreiben Friederike Mayröckers, Bielefeld 2002
- Edith A. Kunz: Verwandlungen – Zur Poetologie des Übergangs in der späten Prosa Friederike Mayröckers, Göttingen 2004
- Ralf B. Korte / Elisabeth Hödl: FM dj (reading reise durch die nacht). Ein elektronischer Briefroman. 2004
- Martin A. Hainz: Schwarze Milch zu schreiben. Paul Celan und Friederike Mayröcker. In: Weimarer Beiträge, No. 52·1, 2006, pp. 5–19
- Leo Truchlar: Wozu lese und schreibe ich? Notizen aus Anlaß meiner Lektüren von Adrienne Rich und Friederike Mayröcker. – In: Leo Truchlar, Über Literatur und andere Künste, Wien 2000, p. 17ff.
- Inge Arteel: „gefaltet, entfaltet“. Strategien der Subjektwerdung in Friederike Mayröckers Prosa 1988–1998. Bielefeld 2007.
External links
- Friederike Mayröcker poetryfoundation.org
- Collection of links at the Free University of Berlin (in German)
- Interview mit Friederike Mayröcker, September 2020 (subtitles) on YouTube
- was brauchst du (poem and biography, in German) lyrikline.org
- Sound recordings with Friederike Mayröcker in the Online Archive of the Österreichische Mediathek (Literary readings) (in German)
- v
- t
- e
- 1923 Adam Karrillon and Arnold Mendelssohn
- 1924 Alfred Bock and Paul Thesing
- 1925 Wilhelm Michel and Rudolf Koch
- 1926 Christian Heinrich Kleukens and Wilhelm Petersen
- 1927 Kasimir Edschmid and Johannes Bischoff
- 1928 Richard Hoelscher and Well Habicht
- 1929 Carl Zuckmayer and Adam Antes
- 1930 Nikolaus Schwarzkopf and Johannes Lippmann
- 1931 Alexander Posch and Hans Simon
- 1932 Albert H. Rausch and Adolf Bode
- 1933–1944 not given
- 1945 Hans Schiebelhuth
- 1946 Fritz Usinger
- 1947 Anna Seghers
- 1948 Hermann Heiss
- 1949 Carl Gunschmann
- 1950 Elisabeth Langgässer
- 1951 Gottfried Benn
- 1952 not given
- 1953 Ernst Kreuder
- 1954 Martin Kessel
- 1955 Marie Luise Kaschnitz
- 1956 Karl Krolow
- 1957 Erich Kästner
- 1958 Max Frisch
- 1959 Günter Eich
- 1960 Paul Celan
- 1961 Hans Erich Nossack
- 1962 Wolfgang Koeppen
- 1963 Hans Magnus Enzensberger
- 1964 Ingeborg Bachmann
- 1965 Günter Grass
- 1966 Wolfgang Hildesheimer
- 1967 Heinrich Böll
- 1968 Golo Mann
- 1969 Helmut Heißenbüttel
- 1970 Thomas Bernhard
- 1971 Uwe Johnson
- 1972 Elias Canetti
- 1973 Peter Handke
- 1974 Hermann Kesten
- 1975 Manès Sperber
- 1976 Heinz Piontek
- 1977 Reiner Kunze
- 1978 Hermann Lenz
- 1979 Ernst Meister
- 1980 Christa Wolf
- 1981 Martin Walser
- 1982 Peter Weiss
- 1983 Wolfdietrich Schnurre
- 1984 Ernst Jandl
- 1985 Heiner Müller
- 1986 Friedrich Dürrenmatt
- 1987 Erich Fried
- 1988 Albert Drach
- 1989 Botho Strauß
- 1990 Tankred Dorst
- 1991 Wolf Biermann
- 1992 George Tabori
- 1993 Peter Rühmkorf
- 1994 Adolf Muschg
- 1995 Durs Grünbein
- 1996 Sarah Kirsch
- 1997 H. C. Artmann
- 1998 Elfriede Jelinek
- 1999 Arnold Stadler
- 2000 Volker Braun
- 2001 Friederike Mayröcker
- 2002 Wolfgang Hilbig
- 2003 Alexander Kluge
- 2004 Wilhelm Genazino
- 2005 Brigitte Kronauer
- 2006 Oskar Pastior
- 2007 Martin Mosebach
- 2008 Josef Winkler
- 2009 Walter Kappacher
- 2010 Reinhard Jirgl
- 2011 Friedrich Christian Delius
- 2012 Felicitas Hoppe
- 2013 Sibylle Lewitscharoff
- 2014 Jürgen Becker
- 2015 Rainald Goetz
- 2016 Marcel Beyer
- 2017 Jan Wagner
- 2018 Terézia Mora
- 2019 Lukas Bärfuss
- 2020 Elke Erb
- 2021 Clemens J. Setz
- 2022 Emine Sevgi Özdamar
- 2023: Lutz Seiler