Xenien

Xenia (Greek ), originally "guest gifts" mentioned by the Roman poet Martial ( 1st century AD ), the 13th book of his epigrams, which were intended as a companion verses about gifts. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe took over this item in the ironic sense of couplets, which he had co-authored with Friedrich Schiller. The Xenia appeared in Schiller Musenalmanach to the year 1797. Manuscript copy with a total of 676 Xenia is preserved for us today.

The Reminders are an extremely polemical attack on the then literary guild, the entire literary world and the petty-bourgeois contemporaries. The Reminders, Goethe and Schiller, however, are not only critical, but rather literature politically motivated. In the attacks, for example, Friedrich Nicolai, Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso, Christoph Martin Wieland or the Friedrich Leopold and Christian of Stolberg- Stolberg brothers came after the publication in 1797 a true Xenienkampf, mostly anonymous in the written expressed counter - Xenia. Neither Schiller nor Goethe wanted to record the couplets as a whole in her life's work, because they were too time-bound. However, later took over both poets individual couplets, revised or grouped them new.

With the seal of Xenia Goethe and Schiller began in December 1795. In a letter to Schiller on Boxing Day Goethe submitted this his idea. Schiller answered delighted three days later: "The idea with the Xenia is splendid and must be done. " In the result, both sent constantly new Reminders to.

Carl Leberecht Always husband chose published in 1827 as an appendix to the second part of his trip pictures the name Xenia for its written in Epigrammform polemics against writers of his time, Heinrich Heine.

The Reminders are written in the ancient verses of the epigrammatic couplet, ie consist of a hexameter and pentameter.

Etymologically, the term is considered Xenie (plural Xenien ) Greek XENION ( ξένιον ), in the plural Xénia ( ξένια ) " favors " to the Greek xenos ( ξένος ) " stranger ", " guest", "guest friend ", "host " to reason.