Kannitverstan

Kannitverstan is a calendar history of the German poet Johann Peter Hebel, which first appeared in 1808 in Rhinelander family friend.

Content

A young journeyman from Tuttlingen (then Duchy of Württemberg) visited for the first time in his life the world famous Amsterdam and considered there with astonishment a particularly stately home and a large ship, which is laden with the most precious goods. With childlike curiosity, he asks for the owners of the house and the boat and gets both times the answer is " Kannitverstan ", which in German means as much as "I can not understand you ." The simple-minded journeyman, however, believes that it is the owner's name in " Kannitverstan ", and is impressed by the supposed wealth of the Lord Kannitverstan and compares it grieved with his own poverty. Finally, he meets a funeral and asks one of the mourners after the name of the deceased. When he gets the response " Kannitverstan " he reconciles with the inequality in the world and mourned the late Mr. Kannitverstan that all his wealth but could not save them from death. It is clear to him that Kannitverstan him has nothing substantial advance.

Source

The narrative Kannitverstan based on a true, defined written story: In 1757, the 17 -year-old travels French Count Adam Philippe de Custine to Amsterdam and admired there an outstandingly beautiful country house and a bright elegant lady. He also listens as the winner of the Dutch lottery is proclaimed and observed a funeral. Curious, he asks for the name of the people, and always get the answer, Ik kan niet verstaan ​​'. The young Count believes then, there exist a, Mr. Kannietverstan '. When Custine little later, the beautiful lady looks again, he talks her his condolences to the death of her husband, the Lord Kannietverstan, from which of course leads to great laughter and to clarify the misunderstanding. This hilarious episode appeared in written form for the first time in 1782 in the essay collection Les numéros by Charles Peyssonel and was reprinted in 1783 in German translation, Lucerne weekly.

Reception

In literary studies lever Kannitverstan regarded as a narrative whose key message to all readers effortlessly opens up: Every man should be content with what he has and what he is, because in the end overtaken everyone, whether rich or poor, the incorruptible death. That this is the essential text intention is obvious. However, the jocular style is emphasized in this serious message is made. Kannitverstan is therefore already become famous in his lifetime and lever, along with other calendar stories from the Rhinelander family friend, were enrolled in school reading books. This has remained so.

Others

The town of Tuttlingen awards as currently the highest award an honorary gift of " Kannitverstan " represented by a bronze sculpture of Tuttlingen sculptor Roland Martin.

Expenditure

• Lever, Johann Peter: Treasure of the Rhine house friend. Critical Edition with the calendar woodcuts. Edited by Winfried Theiss. Stuttgart: Reclam, 1981 ( Universal-Bibliothek 142) ISBN 3-15-000142-0.

• Luzernisches weekly. Tuesday, 22nd April 1783, 16tes piece, pages 65-67: Fragment of national pride in languages. On pages 66-67, the story is from the Lord Kannitverstan, but the "Lord Kaniverstan " is here. The protagonist is a young Parisian on the trip to Amsterdam.