126:
25:
511:
405:, and his brothers Martin - owner of the family furniture business - and Edgar - a well-known doctor. The story takes place between November 1932, when Gustav turns 50 years old, and the late summer of 1933. While the Nazis are quickly establishing their dictatorship, many Germans that do not share their views, as well as some Jews, insist that things will eventually turn around and thus prefer to wait passively or ignore what is happening around them.
545:, Cohen notes that the style of the novel differs with "quick-cuts and montage sequences". He also writes that one of the central themes of the novel is built around the phrase "It is upon us to begin the work. It is not upon us to complete it", derived by Feuchtwanger from "It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to neglect it", a phrase, attributed to
497:
in
December 2022: "Feuchtwanger himself doesn't seem to be offering a template for how democracy dies. If anything, in his novel, templates shatter easily and quickly. For all the lessons he is trying to impart in 1933, there is no clearer answer about when exactly it’s time to go, when holding on to
481:
appreciated the novel for its description of the mass psychology and 'the misbegotten assumptions' that helped the Nazis to establish their dictatorship, Cohen praises the novel as "one of the last masterpieces of German Jewish culture" and also notes the lack of its popularity in the
434:
sold approximately 20,000 copies. Overall, the book sold approximately 250,000 copies worldwide, and was translated into over 10 languages. A few months after the first publication, the novel was translated into
English and released in the United States. Fred T. March wrote in 1934 in
486:
Given that
Feuchtwanger's books were so explicitly and accessibly addressed to a general audience, it's poignant that he has none now. His novels go unread; his plays go unperformed; he's a first-class writer without a first-class berth; a classic firebrand without a
362:; the surname was corrected in later editions and translations. According to Maik Grote, this happened because when the novel was about to be printed, Feuchtwanger's brother received a threatening letter, in which a professor whose name was also Oppermann, also an
421:
Gustav decides to leave
Germany and move to Switzerland, but later comes back under a false passport to become an anti-Nazi political activist and to document Nazi crimes. He is arrested and sent to a concentration camp, although he is eventually released.
417:
Meanwhile, Martin's 17-year-old son
Berthold is expelled from his soccer club despite his talent for the sport, and in class, he is abused by a Nazi teacher for refusing to express his loyalty to the new regime - eventually leading to his suicide.
400:
In "time immemorial", Emmanuel
Oppermann, a merchant who moves to Berlin, supplies the Prussian Army and starts the Oppermann furniture company. The main characters are his grandson Gustav Oppermann, a writer who is working on a biography of
366:
leader, wrote that there had never been a Jewish family with that surname, and that he could prove that by his genealogy which goes back to the 13th century. Feuchtwanger informed
Querido about the letter and asked to change the surname.
461:
placed the book in their "100 German Must-Reads" list and wrote that today it is "considered one of the most important literary works documenting the downfall of a democracy" and became "Feutchwanger's most recognized novel".
564:
Beckerman in his essay defines the central conflict of the novel as the conflict of dignity of an individual and the external "common sense". In his opinion, this conflict is represented in the fates of Martin and
Berthold.
64:, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Knowledge.
441:
that the novel "is addressed to the German people, who will not be allowed to read it, urging them to open their eyes. And it is addressed to the world outside bearing the message, 'Wake up! The barbarians are upon us.'"
283:
498:
dignity becomes self-indulgent and dangerous. What remains instead is a deep sense of that rumbling "elemental force," and the impossible choices should you find yourself stuck in its path."
465:
Roffman noted that
Feuchtwanger's novels remained popular in German-speaking countries after the 1950s, but not in English-speaking ones. In 2020 the novel was re-discovered by publisher
469:
and re-printed in
English, with a revised translation, for the first time since the 1930s. Two years later, publisher McNally Editions issued an American edition with an introduction by
448:
later praised the novel as the "most striking, most widely read narrative description of the calamity that descended over Germany." In 1983, Frederick S. Roffman said of the novel in
50:
452:
that since Hitler's rise to power, no other "historical or fictional work has more tellingly or insightfully depicted the relentless disintegration of German humanism."
557:
principle", according to which art can "have a message" and participate in political life, and that Feuchtwanger "expected his work not just to be something, but to
329:
Feuchtwanger, a German Jew who was already well known for his criticism of the NSDAP, that year was stripped of his citizenship, his property in Berlin was seized,
553:. He also thinks that the novel "raises salient questions about the relationship between art and politics", as Feuchtwanger while writing the novel followed "the
607:
879:
970:
382:
of Nazism and Fascism after Hitler's seizure of power. Feuchtwanger began reworking the screenplay in April 1933 and had the novel finished by October.
347:, when the author was already in exile in France. Feuchtwanger was writing about the events he was experiencing and only lightly fictionalizing them.
314:(1940). In the same year when the novel was written, in 1933, the Nazis fully came into power, and the author published the novel already in exile.
67:
Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article.
408:
Edgar, a successful doctor at a Berlin hospital, faces an antisemitic public smear-campaign and is later removed from the hospital by the
844:
965:
370:
The book was based on research that Feuchtwanger wrote for a screenplay, on which he was working with the British screenwriter
322:
The novel was written while the Nazis were coming into power in the Weimar Republic; it was completed in 1933, the same year
821:
561:
something", unlike many other German-language writers and writers of the United States, where this principle was dismissed.
940:
612:
955:
775:
752:
75:
88:
Content in this edit is translated from the existing Italian Knowledge article at ]; see its history for attribution.
714:
980:
960:
887:
303:
950:
791:
653:
414:. Martin, the head of the Oppermann family business, is forced to merge it with an "Aryan" German partner.
975:
945:
935:
880:"THE SCREEN; 'The Oppenheim Family,' Soviet Film Version of a Feuchtwanger Novel, Arrives at the Cameo"
522:
681:
83:
397:
that chronicles the fall of a bourgeois German Jewish furniture company under the rise of Nazism.
37:
769:
738:
710:
470:
104:
801:
595:
909:
8:
734:
97:
125:
826:
797:
719:
437:
330:
216:
787:
748:
554:
331:
his works were included in the lists of "Un-German" literature that was burned in May
295:
241:
190:
142:
79:
779:
744:
582:
466:
402:
375:
378:, it was never completed as MacDonald and his government decided upon a course of
130:
In the first edition of the novel (1933), the name of the family was changed into
783:
287:
686:
600:
457:
410:
371:
363:
343:
204:
929:
863:
849:
618:
574:
546:
493:
334:
323:
162:
248:
649:
478:
394:
379:
234:
194:
510:
445:
86:
to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is
622:
333:, and he was forever banned from publishing in the newly established
867:
715:"A Classic Novel of the Nazis' Rise That Holds Lessons for Today"
226:
61:
550:
230:
374:. Although the project was commissioned by the Prime Minister
654:"Opinion | Ninety Years Ago, This Book Tried to Warn Us"
242:
914:
473:, an adapted version of which was published as an essay in
603:. It was released in May 1939 in the United States.
491:
In contrast to Paul's essay, Gal Beckerman wrote in
302:("The Waiting Room") trilogy, which tells about the
57:
53:
a machine-translated version of the Italian article.
864:
The Oppermanns. A novel. Translated by James Cleugh
740:
Nazi Characters in German Propaganda and Literature
350:In the first edition, the surname was changed from
927:
573:The novel was first translated into English by
82:accompanying your translation by providing an
44:Click for important translation instructions.
36:expand this article with text translated from
822:"New Life for a Prescient Novel About Nazism"
971:German novels adapted into television shows
593:In 1938, a film adaptation under the title
767:
581:. In 2020, the translation was revised by
124:
768:Spalek, John M.; Bell, Robert F. (1982).
430:The first German-language publication of
845:"What It Feels Like when Fascism Starts"
819:
705:
703:
701:
699:
697:
679:
928:
733:
644:
642:
640:
638:
568:
94:{{Translated|it|I fratelli Oppermann}}
820:Roffman, Frederick S. (15 May 1983).
815:
813:
811:
709:
682:"Lion Feuchtwanger: 'The Oppermanns'"
599:was made by the Soviet film director
839:
837:
694:
675:
673:
671:
669:
667:
648:
505:
18:
635:
606:In 1983, the novel was turned into
501:
306:; the first part of the trilogy is
13:
808:
776:University of North Carolina Press
680:Peschel, Sabine (10 August 2018).
14:
992:
834:
664:
966:German novels adapted into films
509:
298:. It is the second novel in his
23:
902:
358:, and the title was changed to
341:was first printed by the Dutch
16:1933 novel by Lion Feuchtwanger
872:
857:
771:Exile: The Writer's Experience
761:
727:
588:
92:You may also add the template
1:
628:
317:
802:10.5149/9781469658421_spalek
784:10.5149/9781469658421_spalek
482:English-speaking countries:
425:
7:
941:1933 German-language novels
910:"Die Geschwister Oppermann"
10:
997:
541:In the essay published in
56:Machine translation, like
956:Novels about Nazi Germany
360:Die Geschwister Oppenheim
304:rise of Nazism in Germany
292:Die Geschwister Oppermann
264:
254:
240:
222:
210:
200:
186:
176:
168:
158:
153:Die Geschwister Oppermann
148:
138:
123:
38:the corresponding article
981:German political novels
961:Novels set in the 1930s
385:
310:(1930) and the last is
103:For more guidance, see
489:
291:
951:Novels set in Germany
484:
294:) is a 1933 novel by
105:Knowledge:Translation
76:copyright attribution
735:Lorenz, Dagmar C. G.
596:The Oppenheim Family
326:became chancellor.
259:Success (1930)
853:. 19 December 2022.
569:English translation
149:Original title
120:
976:Anti-fascist books
946:Family saga novels
936:1933 German novels
827:The New York Times
720:The New York Times
713:(3 October 2022).
658:The New York Times
652:(6 October 2022).
543:The New York Times
521:. You can help by
475:The New York Times
450:The New York Times
438:The New York Times
118:
84:interlanguage link
555:socialist-realist
539:
538:
296:Lion Feuchtwanger
274:
273:
269:Exil (1940)
223:Publication place
143:Lion Feuchtwanger
116:
115:
45:
988:
920:
919:
906:
900:
899:
897:
895:
886:. Archived from
876:
870:
861:
855:
854:
841:
832:
831:
817:
806:
805:
765:
759:
758:
731:
725:
724:
707:
692:
691:
677:
662:
661:
646:
616:
583:Persephone Books
534:
531:
513:
506:
502:Style and themes
467:Persephone Books
403:Gotthold Lessing
376:Ramsay MacDonald
286:
265:Followed by
255:Preceded by
244:
212:Publication date
128:
121:
117:
95:
89:
62:Google Translate
43:
27:
26:
19:
996:
995:
991:
990:
989:
987:
986:
985:
926:
925:
924:
923:
908:
907:
903:
893:
891:
890:on 7 March 2016
884:www.nytimes.com
878:
877:
873:
862:
858:
843:
842:
835:
818:
809:
794:
766:
762:
755:
732:
728:
708:
695:
678:
665:
647:
636:
631:
610:
591:
571:
535:
529:
526:
519:needs expansion
504:
428:
388:
320:
282:
213:
191:Political novel
134:
119:The Oppermanns
112:
111:
110:
93:
87:
46:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
994:
984:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
922:
921:
901:
871:
856:
833:
807:
792:
760:
754:978-9004365261
753:
747:. p. 56.
726:
693:
687:Deutsche Welle
663:
633:
632:
630:
627:
621:film director
601:Grigori Roshal
590:
587:
579:The Oppermanns
570:
567:
537:
536:
516:
514:
503:
500:
458:Deutsche Welle
432:The Oppermanns
427:
424:
411:Sturmabteilung
391:The Oppermanns
387:
384:
372:Sidney Gilliat
344:Querido Verlag
339:The Oppermanns
319:
316:
278:The Oppermanns
272:
271:
266:
262:
261:
256:
252:
251:
246:
238:
237:
224:
220:
219:
214:
211:
208:
207:
205:Querido Verlag
202:
198:
197:
188:
184:
183:
178:
174:
173:
170:
166:
165:
160:
156:
155:
150:
146:
145:
140:
136:
135:
129:
114:
113:
109:
108:
101:
90:
68:
65:
54:
47:
33:
32:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
993:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
933:
931:
917:
916:
911:
905:
889:
885:
881:
875:
869:
865:
860:
852:
851:
846:
840:
838:
829:
828:
823:
816:
814:
812:
803:
799:
795:
789:
785:
781:
777:
773:
772:
764:
756:
750:
746:
742:
741:
736:
730:
722:
721:
716:
712:
711:Cohen, Joshua
706:
704:
702:
700:
698:
689:
688:
683:
676:
674:
672:
670:
668:
659:
655:
651:
645:
643:
641:
639:
634:
626:
624:
620:
614:
609:
604:
602:
598:
597:
586:
584:
580:
576:
566:
562:
560:
556:
552:
548:
544:
533:
524:
520:
517:This section
515:
512:
508:
507:
499:
496:
495:
488:
483:
480:
476:
472:
468:
463:
460:
459:
453:
451:
447:
443:
440:
439:
433:
423:
419:
415:
413:
412:
406:
404:
398:
396:
392:
383:
381:
377:
373:
368:
365:
361:
357:
353:
348:
346:
345:
340:
336:
332:
327:
325:
315:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
280:
279:
270:
267:
263:
260:
257:
253:
250:
247:
245:
239:
236:
232:
228:
225:
221:
218:
215:
209:
206:
203:
199:
196:
192:
189:
185:
182:
179:
175:
171:
167:
164:
161:
157:
154:
151:
147:
144:
141:
137:
133:
127:
122:
106:
102:
99:
91:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
66:
63:
59:
55:
52:
49:
48:
41:
39:
34:You can help
30:
21:
20:
913:
904:
892:. Retrieved
888:the original
883:
874:
859:
850:The Atlantic
848:
825:
770:
763:
739:
729:
718:
685:
657:
650:Paul, Pamela
605:
594:
592:
578:
575:James Cleugh
572:
563:
558:
542:
540:
530:October 2022
527:
523:adding to it
518:
494:The Atlantic
492:
490:
485:
474:
471:Joshua Cohen
464:
456:
454:
449:
444:
436:
431:
429:
420:
416:
409:
407:
399:
390:
389:
369:
359:
355:
351:
349:
342:
338:
328:
324:Adolf Hitler
321:
311:
307:
299:
277:
276:
275:
268:
258:
180:
163:James Cleugh
152:
131:
80:edit summary
71:
35:
619:West German
611: [
589:Adaptations
577:in 1933 as
479:Pamela Paul
395:family saga
380:appeasement
335:Third Reich
235:Netherlands
195:family saga
930:Categories
894:19 October
793:080788099X
629:References
446:Klaus Mann
318:Background
159:Translator
40:in Italian
623:Egon Monk
608:a TV film
455:In 2018,
426:Reception
356:Oppenheim
352:Oppermann
300:Wartesaal
284:‹See Tfd›
249:774592110
201:Publisher
181:Wartesaal
132:Oppenheim
98:talk page
868:WorldCat
737:(2018).
477:. While
169:Language
74:provide
617:by the
308:Success
227:Germany
96:to the
78:in the
800:
790:
751:
551:Talmud
547:Tarfon
487:canon.
288:German
231:France
177:Series
172:German
139:Author
798:JSTOR
745:Brill
615:]
393:is a
187:Genre
58:DeepL
915:IMDb
896:2022
788:ISBN
749:ISBN
386:Plot
312:Exil
243:OCLC
217:1933
72:must
70:You
51:View
780:doi
549:in
525:.
354:to
60:or
42:.
932::
912:.
882:.
866:–
847:.
836:^
824:.
810:^
796:.
786:.
778:.
774:.
743:.
717:.
696:^
684:.
666:^
656:.
637:^
625:.
613:de
585:.
559:do
364:SA
337:.
290::
233:/
229:/
193:,
918:.
898:.
830:.
804:.
782::
757:.
723:.
690:.
660:.
532:)
528:(
281:(
107:.
100:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)