GERMAN LITERATURE REALISM OF 20th CENTURY: ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE WORKS OF HENRICH BÖLL

EXAMPLE OF THE WORKS OF HENRICH BÖLL

Khasanova Musallam Muminovna

The National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek,

Faculty of Foreign Philology, Senior Lecturer

+99977322019

Annotatsiya: Mazkur maqolada XX asr nemis adabiyotida ko’plab ijtimoiysiypsiy voqeliklar asosida keng yoyilgan realizm yondashuvi va ushbu yo’nalish rivojida katta o’rin tutgan taniqli yozuvchi va shoir, jamoat arbobi Genrix Byoll ijodining ahamiyati ochib berilgan. Shuningdek maqolada ijodkorning ilk asarlari va post-urush davrfiga oid ijod na’mulanalri qiyosiy tahlil qilingan.

Tayanch so’zlar: Realizm, jahon adabiyoti, nazm, nasr, filologiya, Genrix Byoll, nemis adabiyoti.

Abstract: The article reveals the role of the famous writer and poet, public figure Heinrich Böll, who played an important role in the development of the approach of realism in the German literature of the 20th century. In addition, the early and post-war novels of the author were analyzed in comparative way.

Keywords: Realism, world literature, poetry, prose, philology, Heinrich Böll, German literature.

Аннотация. В статье раскрывается роль известного писателя и поэта, общественного деятеля Генриха Бёлля, сыгравшего важную роль в развитии немецкой литературы XX века такого направления как реализм, который возник в результате социально-политических изменений в немецком обществе. Также в статье, изучены раннее и послевоенное творчество автора.

Ключевые слова: Реализм, немецкая литература, мировая литература, поэзия, проза, филология, Генрих Бёлль,

The 20th century was a century rich in both positive and negative events that had a great impact not only on the history, literature, and overall socio-political, economic, and cultural life of the German people but also on countries around the world. In particular, events that took place in the country, the two world wars, the post-war crises, and people’s attitudes towards war became central themes in German literature. The work of Heinrich Böll, one of the most prominent representatives of 20th-century German literature, has always been the focus of researchers and critics both in Germany and abroad. Indeed, H. Böll is considered as one of the authors who masterfully depicted the role of war in the fate of ordinary people in German realism.

The work of Heinrich Böll, a Nobel Prize laureate, attracts attention with its dynamism and the mobility of ideas and styles. Heinrich Böll is an artist who skillfully and freely narrates the principles of humanity, the feelings of living and survival, and the impact of a changing environment and space on these immutable criteria through various destinies and life events. At the center of Heinrich Böll’s realism is always the opportunity for a person to feel responsibility for their own destiny in difficult situations rather than the consequences of power and violence.

Both a writer and a translator, novelist, poet, screenwriter, and public figure, H. Böll was born on December 21, 1917, in Cologne, Germany. Heinrich Böll attended a Catholic school in 1924. Then he continued his studies at the Kaiser Wilhelm Gymnasium in Cologne. After graduating from gymnasium, Heinrich worked for some time as an apprentice in a bookstore, gave private lessons in parallel with this process, and later worked in a labor camp for a year [1]. The period after the First World War was a time of very difficult and painful changes in German society. For this reason, this period played a significant role in Heinrich Böll’s life. It was during this time that he decided to become a writer. Additionally, the family environment had a significant influence on his interest in literature. Despite the hardships of the era, there were many books in the Böll family home, and the library was a kind of place of stability for family members. The literary works in the library, created by representatives of different nations and time periods, sparked Heinrich's interest in literature. Heinrich read these books regularly and analyzed them.

Artistic comparison and the ability to depict people of his time through a realistic approach in literature were learned by young Böll in his childhood through familiarity with 18th- and 19th-century German and world literature as he noted this himself. He particularly studied the works of Dostoevsky, Léon Bloy, Chesterton, Bernanos, Dickens, François Mauriac, Evelyn Waugh, and Gertrud von Le Fort in depth. In 1939, a new era began in Heinrich Böll's life. He was admitted to the philology department at the University of Cologne. Just as he was fully entering the world of creativity and literature, before the academic process even began, he was drafted into military service as a soldier. Serving as an ordinary soldier in a reserve regiment, he was wounded four times and spent many months in the hospital. He suffered from serious illnesses, and in order to avoid participating in the war as much as possible, he hid at his relatives’ houses [2].This period of his life can be said to have determined his future creativity. War and its negative consequences became central themes in almost every one of Heinrich Böll’s literary works. In 1945, Böll was captured by the Americans and spent several months in a prisoner-of-war camp in France. After being released and returning to Cologne, he resumed his studies and continued writing. In 1946, his first stories were published in journals and newspapers [3]. In 1949, was published the story “Der Zug war pünktlich”, and in 1950 was released the collection of short stories “Wo warst du, Adam?” [4]. During these years, Böll became a member of a group engaged in the reform of the German language and proposed the idea of creating a new German language that was simple, real, and connected to concrete events.

Picture 1. Characteristics of the Realism Approach in Heinrich Böll's Works

Source: compiled by the author

Unlike his earlier stories, Böll’s later stories are indeed stylistically simple and interpreted in accordance with real-life events and the generation of that time. His works such as “Nicht nur zur Weihnachtszeit” (1952), “Doktor Murkes gesammeltes Schweigen – und andere Satiren” (1958), “Ein Schluck Erde” (1961), “Als der Krieg ausbrach” and “Als der Krieg zu Ende war” (1962) quickly gained readers and critics. In 1951, the writer won the Group 47 prize for his short story “The Black Sheep”. In 1963, one of the writer’s most famous works – “Ansichten eines Clowns” was published. In this novel, the author strongly criticizes the church and its servants for not wanting to serve ordinary people and for collaborating with Nazism. In 1967, Heinrich Böll was awarded the prestigious Georg Büchner Prize in Germany and in 1972, the writer received the Nobel Prize for his novel “Gruppenbild mit Dame”.

In each of his works, the writer truthfully depicted the spirit of his time. In his writings, he openly and frankly revealed the horrors of war and the evils it brings to humanity, as well as the terrible consequences of Nazism. When we study Heinrich Böll’s works, we can see that they are divided into stories, novellas, and novels and in all of his works, he consistently glorifies goodness and human values. Through studying these works, one can conclude that many of Heinrich Böll’s works play a significant role in shaping people’s human qualities in a positive direction.

In conclusion, it can be said that not only Böll’s talent in prose and poetry, but also the influence of historical events that occurred in the 20th century, played a noticeable role in shaping his creative path. Until the end of his life, Böll remained an advocate and a singer of peace, stability, and humanity. The protagonists of his works are ordinary people who, despite being caught in the whirlpool of problems caused by war and its consequences and even losing their sense of self, strive to preserve their humanity. Through his writings, he was able to reveal how deeply major historical events can leave a mark on what may seem to be the fate of an insignificant person.

REFERENCES

1. радкин И. Генрих Бёлль - писатель, и больше чем писатель // Генрих Бёлль. Собрание сочинений. - М.: «Художественная литература», 1989. -Т. I. - c. 21

2. Beckert M. 1970: Untersuchungen am Erzählwerk Heinrich Bölls. Themen - Gestalten -Aspekte. Erlangen.- P.45

3. удницкий М. Л. 1980: Генрих Бёлль // История литературы ФРГ / И. М. Фрадкин (ред.). М., c. 299.

4. ожевников М.В., Авраменко Ю.И. Лирический контекст военных романов г. Бёлля// жур. Проблемы истории, филологии, культуры. - 2012, №3. c. 232