Anton Schnack
Encyclopedia
Anton Schnack was a German writer. He joined the German Army
when World War I
began. He is one of the leading German war poet
s of the First World War, and has been compared with English poet Wilfred Owen
. After the war he became an editor for numerous publications. He was one of the 88 writers who pledged their allegiance to Adolf Hitler
in October 1933 in a Vow of Most Faithful Allegiance (Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft
).
, Lower Franconia
, Bavaria
. He was the third child of a station commander of the German gendarmerie
. His older brother Friedrich Schnack (1888–1977) also became a writer, known for his works on natural history and children's literature.
Schack followed his father's official postings around Bavaria, to Dettelbach
, Kronach
and Hammelburg
. He attended the Progymnasium in Hammelburg (predecessor of the Frobenius-Gymnasium Hammelburg). He became a journalist, and worked in Halberstadt
and Bolzano.
in the First World War. He was wounded in 1916. He began to publish poetry in Die Aktion
in 1915, but only published poetry on war subjects from 1917. His first war poem was "Schwester Maria" ("Sister Maria"), published in Die Aktion in January 1917. He continued to publish war poems in three collections that he published in 1919, Strophen der Gier ("Verses of greed"), Der Abenteurer ("The adventurer") and Die tausend Gelächter ("The thousand laughs").
His published his most significant collection of war poetry, Tier rang gewaltig mit Tier ("Beast strove mightily with beast") in 1920, in a limited edition of 1,000 copies. This short work of around 80 pages contains 60 poems based on the sonnet
form, on themes of night and death. In his 1985 book in German war poetry, Patrick Bridgwater, Emeritus Professor of German at the University of Durham, described Schnack's book as "the best single collection produced by a German war poet in 1914-1918", and one work, "Nächtliche Landschaft", as the "best poem of the war written in German".
His poem "Verdun" was published in 1919 in the first edition of the socialist journal Das Tribunal. He also wrote a remarkable poem about desertion
, entitled Der uberlaufer ("The deserter").
. From 1920 to 1925, he was an literary editor and theatre critic for the Neuen Badischen Landes-Zeitung in Mannheim
. He married Maria Glöckler on 24 October 1924. He travelled in France
, Italy
and Dalmatia
before returning to Mannheim and then settled in Berchtesgaden
. He was one of the 88 writers who pledged their allegiance to Adolf Hitler
in October 1933 in a Vow of Most Faithful Allegiance (Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft). He published lighter popular works in the 1930s and 1940s, including his 1935 work Kleines Lesebuch. In addition to his poetry, he also wrote some short plays, a few novellas and two novels, Zugvögel der Liebe (1936) and Der finstere Franz (1937). His later works have less literary merit, and are overshadowed by his support for the Nazis.
He moved to Frankfurt am Main in 1937, and joined the Wehrmacht
(German Army) in 1944. He was captured by US forces. After the Second World War, he settled to Kahl am Main
, where he later died in 1973.
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
when World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began. He is one of the leading German war poet
War poet
A War poet is a poet writing in time of and on the subject of war. The term, which is applied especially to those in military service during World War I, was documented as early as 1848 in reference to German revolutionary poet, Georg Herwegh.-Crimean War:...
s of the First World War, and has been compared with English poet Wilfred Owen
Wilfred Owen
Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War...
. After the war he became an editor for numerous publications. He was one of the 88 writers who pledged their allegiance to Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in October 1933 in a Vow of Most Faithful Allegiance (Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft
Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft
The Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft was a declaration by 88 German writers and poets of their loyalty to Adolf Hitler...
).
Early life
Schnack was born in RieneckRieneck
Rieneck is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- Location :...
, Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria , Germany ....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. He was the third child of a station commander of the German gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
. His older brother Friedrich Schnack (1888–1977) also became a writer, known for his works on natural history and children's literature.
Schack followed his father's official postings around Bavaria, to Dettelbach
Dettelbach
Dettelbach is a town in the district of Kitzingen in the Regierungsbezirk Unterfranken in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Main, 17 km east of Würzburg, and 7 km north of Kitzingen....
, Kronach
Kronach
Kronach is a town in Oberfranken, Bavaria, Germany, located in the Frankenwald area. It is the capital of the district Kronach.Kronach is the birthtown of Lucas Cranach the Elder and Maximilian von Welsch, as well as Johann Kaspar Zeuss and Josef Stangl....
and Hammelburg
Hammelburg
Hammelburg is a town in the district of Bad Kissingen, in Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Franconian Saale, 25 km west of Schweinfurt...
. He attended the Progymnasium in Hammelburg (predecessor of the Frobenius-Gymnasium Hammelburg). He became a journalist, and worked in Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
and Bolzano.
First World War poetry
Schnack served in the German ArmyGerman Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
in the First World War. He was wounded in 1916. He began to publish poetry in Die Aktion
Die Aktion
Die Aktion was a German literary and political magazine, edited by Franz Pfemfert and published between 1911 and 1932 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf; it promoted literary Expressionism and stood for left-wing policies...
in 1915, but only published poetry on war subjects from 1917. His first war poem was "Schwester Maria" ("Sister Maria"), published in Die Aktion in January 1917. He continued to publish war poems in three collections that he published in 1919, Strophen der Gier ("Verses of greed"), Der Abenteurer ("The adventurer") and Die tausend Gelächter ("The thousand laughs").
His published his most significant collection of war poetry, Tier rang gewaltig mit Tier ("Beast strove mightily with beast") in 1920, in a limited edition of 1,000 copies. This short work of around 80 pages contains 60 poems based on the sonnet
Sonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
form, on themes of night and death. In his 1985 book in German war poetry, Patrick Bridgwater, Emeritus Professor of German at the University of Durham, described Schnack's book as "the best single collection produced by a German war poet in 1914-1918", and one work, "Nächtliche Landschaft", as the "best poem of the war written in German".
His poem "Verdun" was published in 1919 in the first edition of the socialist journal Das Tribunal. He also wrote a remarkable poem about desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
, entitled Der uberlaufer ("The deserter").
Later life
After the end of the First World War, he became an editor in DarmstadtDarmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
. From 1920 to 1925, he was an literary editor and theatre critic for the Neuen Badischen Landes-Zeitung in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
. He married Maria Glöckler on 24 October 1924. He travelled in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
before returning to Mannheim and then settled in Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
. He was one of the 88 writers who pledged their allegiance to Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in October 1933 in a Vow of Most Faithful Allegiance (Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft). He published lighter popular works in the 1930s and 1940s, including his 1935 work Kleines Lesebuch. In addition to his poetry, he also wrote some short plays, a few novellas and two novels, Zugvögel der Liebe (1936) and Der finstere Franz (1937). His later works have less literary merit, and are overshadowed by his support for the Nazis.
He moved to Frankfurt am Main in 1937, and joined the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
(German Army) in 1944. He was captured by US forces. After the Second World War, he settled to Kahl am Main
Kahl am Main
Kahl am Main is a community in the Aschaffenburg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- Location :...
, where he later died in 1973.
Works
Poetry
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Prose
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Novels
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