Ernst Schnabel
Encyclopedia
Ernst Schnabel was a German writer and pioneer of the radio documentary
(feature). From 1951 to 1955 he was director of the Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk
(NWDR).
In 1947 and 1950 Schnabel "called on listeners to the North-West German radio station (NWDR) to cooperate in his features. His success points to a potential for further work in this sphere that has scarcely been tapped since then: 35,000 and 80,000 listeners respectively took part, with experiences, notes and references, in Schnabel's broadcasts, which in this way became their own."
His first feature was Der 29. Januar 1947 (1947), issued as audio book
in 1988. The oratorio Das Floß der Medusa
(The Raft of the Medusa) by the German composer Hans Werner Henze
is based on Schnabel's libretto.
Radio documentary
A radio documentary or feature is a purely acoustic performance devoted to covering a particular topic in some depth, usually with a mixture of commentary and sound pictures. It is broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD...
(feature). From 1951 to 1955 he was director of the Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk
Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk
Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk was the organization responsible for public broadcasting in the German Länder of Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia from 22 September 1945 until 31 December 1955. Until 1954, it was also responsible for broadcasting in West Berlin...
(NWDR).
In 1947 and 1950 Schnabel "called on listeners to the North-West German radio station (NWDR) to cooperate in his features. His success points to a potential for further work in this sphere that has scarcely been tapped since then: 35,000 and 80,000 listeners respectively took part, with experiences, notes and references, in Schnabel's broadcasts, which in this way became their own."
His first feature was Der 29. Januar 1947 (1947), issued as audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
in 1988. The oratorio Das Floß der Medusa
Das Floß der Medusa
Das Floß der Medusa is an oratorio by the German composer Hans Werner Henze. It is regarded as a seminal work in the composer's political alignment with left-wing politics....
(The Raft of the Medusa) by the German composer Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
is based on Schnabel's libretto.
Works
- Anne Frank: A Portrait in Courage. New York 1958.
- Story for Icarus. Projects, incidents, and conclusions from the life of D., engineer. New York 1961.
Further reading
- Helmut Kopetzky: Ernst Schnabel - Ein Mann im Wettlauf mit der Zeit. MDR 2003. http://www.hoerdat.in-berlin.de/wiki/index.php?title=Ernst_Schnabel
- Wolfram Wessels: Leben gegen den Strom. Ernst Schnabel - der Schriftsteller im Rundfunkalltag. SWF 1987.