Edgar Hilsenrath, scrittore tedesco-ebraico residente a Berlino, è rinomato per le sue rappresentazioni crude e viscerali dell'esistenza umana. Senza timore, chiama le cose con il loro nome, rivelando come le ideologie politiche e la retorica siano in ultima analisi schemi guidati da processi corporei e desideri fondamentali. La sua scrittura si pone come una potente protesta contro la mancanza di rispetto per il corpo mortale e la tirannia della mente sulla materia. La prospettiva distintiva di Hilsenrath offre ai lettori una profonda visione della natura dell'esperienza umana.
Marzo 1942. Sul ghetto di Prokov - città ucraina occupata dalle truppe romene, alleate con i nazisti - è perennemente notte. Giorno dopo giorno, smarrito in un'atmosfera apocalittica, Ranek combatte per sopravvivere. Antieroe spietato e cinico, è disposto a tutto pur di restare aggrappato alla vita, in un'incessante lotta per il cibo e un posto letto con gli altri personaggi del romanzo, ombre costrette a muoversi nella nebbia che si imprimono nella memoria del lettore.
Nel 1952 la famiglia Bronsky ottiene finalmente il visto per gli Stati Uniti. Peccato che la richiesta fosse stata inoltrata tredici anni prima, che nel frattempo in Europa sia successo quel che è successo e che i Bronsky siano ebrei tedeschi. Dal tavolo di un'osteria newyorkese, dove trascorre le notti assieme ad altri emigrati, Jakob Bronsky racconta le sue giornate passate in giro a rimediare lavoretti, cibo e sesso. Ricordare è per lui un'ossessione, ma nella sua memoria c'è un buco - scavato dagli anni del conflitto mondiale che, ne è convinto, può riempire solo scrivendo un romanzo capace di narrare in modo definitivo la guerra e il nazismo, la paura e l'orrore, un romanzo che con divertito cinismo vuole intitolare "Il segaiolo". "Bronsky ricorda" è il resoconto sarcastico delle peripezie di un emarginato che con volontà strenua cerca di non piegarsi a un sistema, quello americano, che disattende le promesse e monetizza tutto, anche i rapporti fra le persone. La lunga confessione - non sapremo mai quanto veritiera - di un uomo scampato all'estinzione del proprio popolo e che continua a vivere anche se, talvolta, non ne vede la ragione.
“Berlin was still a heap of ruins. One day they would rebuild the city again. I could see the day coming. And the rest of Germany, too. Yes. They would rebuild everything again. All Germany. And then. yes. perhaps they will bring back the Führer from heaven.” “The Nazi and The Barber” is the famous story about the Nazi mass-murderer Max Schulz who after the war hides himself by assuming a Jewish identity. You will never forget this book. Written by the well-known German-Jewish author Edgar Hilsenrath. – Da dieses fremdsprachige Buch überwiegend für den Absatz außerhalb Deutschlands bestimmt ist, wird dem deutschen Buchhandel nur ein sehr verminderter Rabatt gewährt. Einzelheiten unter: 06181 / 4241619.
'If someone has dark eyes, you know he’s in a bad way. But if a man’s eyes shine, you know he has made it through the night. It is as though the bright light of day burns on in his heart.' The novel about the Armenian Genocide Republic of Armenia Presidential Award “No one can hear you, Thovma Khatisian,” said the storyteller, “because your voice has gone. But I heard what you said.” “Did you also hear him scream – the Turkish Prime Minister – as he fell into the endless abyss?” “Yes. I heard that, too.” “I met him another time, the Turkish Prime Minister,” I began to explain to the storyteller. “When?” “Just a few seconds ago.” “And where?” “In the main chamber of the United Assembly of International Conscience. The usual general assembly was taking place. He was sitting next to the state representatives, looking unremarkable and distant. I found out that he was no longer Prime Minister, but instead was working as an archivist at the United Assembly of International Conscience. He had been officially elected by all represented nations. When he saw me, he got up and went down to the archive. I followed him: – I’m looking for the Armenian file, I said. It’s for a report on the forgotten genocide. – The forgotten genocide? – Yes. – And when is this ‘genocide’ supposed to have taken place? – In 1915. – That was a very long time ago. It’s now 1988. – Yes, I said. – Let me show you, he said. And then he led me to the filing cabinets. He said, ‘Our filing cabinets do not have any doors. They are just open shelves. Anyone can come and have a look; we don’t have any secrets here.’ – Then could you show me where I might find the file on the Armenians? – I’m afraid I can’t, he said. A file as old as the one on the Armenians will now be covered in so much dust that it will be impossible to find. – Then why don’t you call in your cleaner and get her to dust the file? – I already tried that years ago, said the archivist, but it’s more complicated than that. – Why? – Because all of the cleaners who work at the United Assembly of International Conscience are asthmatic and don’t want to clean any old, dusty files, especially one as old and as dusty as a file on a forgotten genocide. That would stir up a great deal of dust and make them cough. – A valid point, I said. – The Forgotten should not be disturbed, said the archivist. It is too dangerous. And with those words, he disappeared. Later I went back up to the main chamber. I sat in the audience and stood up several times to interrupt the Turkish speaker before security officials escorted me out. At one point I managed to sneak back in. I stood next to the Secretary-General and gave a rousing speech. I spoke of my people – a people exterminated by the Turks – and for some time all the state representatives listened to my story, but then they started to get bored and began to leave the chamber one by one, until I was completely alone. – Da dieses fremdsprachige Buch überwiegend für den Absatz außerhalb Deutschlands bestimmt ist, wird dem deutschen Buchhandel nur ein sehr verminderter Rabatt gewährt. Einzelheiten unter: 06181 / 4241619.
Band 8 der ehemaligen Edgar-Hilsenrath-Werkausgabe des Dittrich Verlags.
O livro conta a história de um membro das SS nazista e assassino em massa que assume o papel de uma de suas vítimas e se transforma num respeitável cidadão e barbeiro em Tel Aviv.
Edgar Hilsenrath präsentiert in kurzen Dialogskizzen Stimmen aus verschiedenen gesellschaftlichen Schichten und zeichnet ein überraschendes Bild unserer Gesellschaft. Themen wie der Einfluss Hitlers, die Berliner Mauer und die Unsicherheit der Jugend werden präzise und satirisch behandelt.
Als der 18-jährige Ruben Jablonski 1944 von den Russen aus einem ukrainischen Ghetto befreit wird, beginnt die abenteuerliche Suche des jüdischen Jungen nach einer neuen Heimat. Quer durch den Balkan reist er in das vom Krieg zerrissene, gerade im Entstehen begriffene Israel.
Westberlin 1975. Der erfolglose jüdische Autor Joseph Leschinsky kehrt aus den USA zurück ins Land der Täter und in die Sprache, die er noch immer liebt. Er bezieht ein Zimmer bei einer alten Dame, die den Davidstern an einer Kette um den Hals trägt. Doch hinter der bürgerlichen Fassade lauert das Ressentiment: Seine Wirtin verehrte den Führer, erst nach dem Krieg tauschte sie bei ihrer Heirat das Hakenkreuz gegen den Davidstern. Nach und nach gewinnt »Lesche« Boden und trifft die Literaturszene im »Zwiebelfi sch«. Als sein Roman von einem Verleger angenommen und als Spitzentitel verkauft wird, erntet er späte Lorbeeren. Doch die Vergangenheit ist nicht vorbei. »Einer der größten deutschen Stilisten.« Die Zeit
