About this ebook
A critical Reader's Edition of Gottfried Keller's handwritten article "Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland". Keller wrote this article in Munich for a handwritten pub newspaper in 1841, before he turned to poetry. He was studying in Munich at the time, and had joined a Swiss student fraternity and met with them once a week at the "Wagnerbräu" pub for a pub crawl, during which he read a weekly paper that he was both the main contributor to and editor of. The only pieces of this that survived were those that he kept in one of his study books. This is the only full article that survived. Here he dialogues about the nation as an expression of political self determination and will formation not as a power structure defined in terms of a nation. The Young Keller contemplates the external and internal questions facing the Swiss nation, giving attention to the weight of national unity, independence, and the preservation of Swiss cultural and political distinctiveness. He argues against the idea propagated by some German commentators that Switzerland's different linguistic and cultural regions should match themselves with neighboring countries (Germany, France, Italy) based on language and ethnicity. Instead, the author asserts that Swiss national identity transcends these divisions, rooted in a shared history of independence, love of freedom, and a unique national character. Keller encourages the acceptance of good ideas and cultural practices from abroad, especially in the arts and sciences, without compromising Swiss political independence. There is a call for intellectual openness and the integration of beneficial foreign influences. For Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland, the translated text is supplemented by material on Keller's life, work, and reception. Nietzsche considered Keller to be one of the greatest living poets of his time.
For Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland, Keller's German prose is rendered in readable modern English and placed within its wider intellectual context. For Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland, working directly from Keller's German manuscripts, this new translation delivers literary excellence and scholarly depth with supporting materials. The supporting apparatus for Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland comprises an afterword tracing Keller's intellectual relationship with Nietzsche, revealing the detailed dialogue between two of the period's most influential minds. To frame Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland, the edition provides a timeline that connects the major events of Keller's life with his published works, and a detailed index provides an guide to his complete writings.
A critical Reader's Edition of Gottfried Keller's handwritten article "Mixed Thoughts about Switzerland". Keller wrote this article in Munich for a handwritten pub newspaper in 1841, before he turned to poetry. He was studying in Munich at the time, and had joined a Swiss student fraternity and m...
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About the author
Gottfried Keller (1819 to 1890) was a Swiss poet, novelist, and short story writer who also served as a public official in Zurich. His best known books include Green Henry and the story cycle The People of Seldwyla, alongside poetry, diaries, letters, and political prose.
Gottfried Keller (1819 to 1890) was a Swiss poet, novelist, and short story writer who also served as a public official in Zurich. His best known books include Green Henry and the story cycle The People of Seldwyla, alongside poetry, diaries, letters, and political prose.
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