Reinhard Döhl
Encyclopedia
Reinhard Döhl was a German
writer and scholar in the fields of literature
and media studies
, also remembered as a poet and artist.
Though chiefly associated with his actual name, he also worked under the pseudonym
Traugott Schneider.
, Province of Westphalia
(now part of the city of Bochum
, North Rhine-Westphalia
). His formal education began with primary schooling in Göttingen
in the early 1940s.
Döhl's preparation to enter the world of scholarship continued with studies in Germanistics, philosophy
, history
, and political science
at the University of Göttingen, where he enrolled at the end of the 1950s after a period of studying, traveling, and working in the preceding years.
Döhl's life as a university student afforded new opportunities for self-expression, but his creative ambitions as a student were not without controversy or consequences. Soon after Döhl's poem "Missa profana", a profane Mass
ridiculing the Agnus Dei, was published in June 1959, he was indicted for prosecution on account of this work after two Hanover
students complained to the authorities. Prosecuted on charges of blasphemy
, he was initially convicted and sentenced to spend ten days in prison and pay a 100-Deutsche Mark fine, but was eventually acquitted of the blasphemy accusation after appeal
ing.
Having subsequently transferred to the University of Stuttgart
in 1960, he was awarded his academic doctorate (Dr. phil.) for Das literarische Werk Hans Arps 1903-1923. Zur poetischen Vorstellungswelt des Dadaismus, a highly-esteemed examination of Hans Arp and Dadaism. The study of radio drama
was another academic area of Döhl's interest and expertise. Employed as a professor of Germanistics by the University of Stuttgart, he taught abroad as a visiting professor at various times. Döhl was awarded his Habilitation
with the completion Neuere deutsche Literatur unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Medien in 1979.
Döhl's reputation outside academia was primarily built on the basis of his works as an innovator in poetry and art, although he also wrote some prose and short theatrical pieces. As a poet, Döhl is best known for his concrete poetry
: the 1965 "Apfel" ("Apple"), a concrete poem in the shape of an apple which is composed of repeating instances of the word "apple" and one instance of the word "worm," is often discussed as a notable example of concrete poetry from the 20th century. Döhl's works of visual art have been displayed at various exhibitions of contemporary art
. Döhl sometimes worked alongside painter Günther C. Kirchberger
in the 1960s (when both were part of a close-knit Stuttgart group of artists and writers encouraged by Max Bense
) and in the 1980s.
He died in Stuttgart
on 29 May 2004.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
writer and scholar in the fields of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
and media studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
, also remembered as a poet and artist.
Though chiefly associated with his actual name, he also worked under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Traugott Schneider.
Biography
Reinhard Döhl was born on 16 September 1934 in the small western town of WattenscheidWattenscheid
Wattenscheid was once a separate town in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. In 1975 it became part of Bochum. It has a population of about 80,000 citizens. It is a part of the Ruhr area. Some famous firms have their headquarters in Wattenscheid e.g...
, Province of Westphalia
Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:Napoleon Bonaparte founded the Kingdom of Westphalia, which was a client state of the First French Empire from 1807 to 1813...
(now part of the city of Bochum
Bochum
Bochum is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany. It is located in the Ruhr area and is surrounded by the cities of Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Herne, Castrop-Rauxel, Dortmund, Witten and Hattingen.-History:...
, North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
). His formal education began with primary schooling in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
in the early 1940s.
Döhl's preparation to enter the world of scholarship continued with studies in Germanistics, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of Göttingen, where he enrolled at the end of the 1950s after a period of studying, traveling, and working in the preceding years.
Döhl's life as a university student afforded new opportunities for self-expression, but his creative ambitions as a student were not without controversy or consequences. Soon after Döhl's poem "Missa profana", a profane Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
ridiculing the Agnus Dei, was published in June 1959, he was indicted for prosecution on account of this work after two Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
students complained to the authorities. Prosecuted on charges of blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
, he was initially convicted and sentenced to spend ten days in prison and pay a 100-Deutsche Mark fine, but was eventually acquitted of the blasphemy accusation after appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
ing.
Having subsequently transferred to the University of Stuttgart
University of Stuttgart
The University of Stuttgart is a university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized in 10 faculties....
in 1960, he was awarded his academic doctorate (Dr. phil.) for Das literarische Werk Hans Arps 1903-1923. Zur poetischen Vorstellungswelt des Dadaismus, a highly-esteemed examination of Hans Arp and Dadaism. The study of radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
was another academic area of Döhl's interest and expertise. Employed as a professor of Germanistics by the University of Stuttgart, he taught abroad as a visiting professor at various times. Döhl was awarded his Habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
with the completion Neuere deutsche Literatur unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Medien in 1979.
Döhl's reputation outside academia was primarily built on the basis of his works as an innovator in poetry and art, although he also wrote some prose and short theatrical pieces. As a poet, Döhl is best known for his concrete poetry
Concrete poetry
Concrete poetry or shape poetry is poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on....
: the 1965 "Apfel" ("Apple"), a concrete poem in the shape of an apple which is composed of repeating instances of the word "apple" and one instance of the word "worm," is often discussed as a notable example of concrete poetry from the 20th century. Döhl's works of visual art have been displayed at various exhibitions of contemporary art
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
. Döhl sometimes worked alongside painter Günther C. Kirchberger
Günther C. Kirchberger
thumb|Günther C. Kirchberger 2008Günther C. Kirchberger was a German painter and professor. He was a German Hard Edge painter.-Literature:...
in the 1960s (when both were part of a close-knit Stuttgart group of artists and writers encouraged by Max Bense
Max Bense
Max Bense was a German philosopher, writer, and publicist, known for his work in philosophy of science, logic, aesthetics, and semiotics...
) and in the 1980s.
He died in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
on 29 May 2004.