Die krokodile

Starting in the first half of the 19th century, significant changes in state policy in relation to art and science began to take place in Bavaria . At the invitation of Ludwig I and Maximilian II , scientists, artists and writers began to come to Munich . Among others, Paul Heise and Emanuel Geybel moved to the capital. Both poets decided, in the likeness of the Berlin literary society Tunnel through Spree ( German: Tunnel über der Spree ), which they were a part of, to create their own poetry club in Munich.

The first meeting of the new association took place on November 5, 1856 at the Zur Stadt München coffee shop. In addition to Geibel and Heise, the first members of Die Krokodile included Julius Grosse, Friedrich Bodenstedt , Felix Dan , Wilhelm Herz and Hermann Ling. The name of the company is associated with Ling's poem "Das Krokodil von Singapur" ("Singapore Crocodile") ^[1] :

Das krokodil von singapur Im heil'gen Teich zu Singapur Da liegt ein altes Krokodil Von äußerst grämlicher Natur Und kaut an einem Lotusstil. Es ist ganz alt und völlig blind, Und wenn es einmal friert des nachts, So weint es wie ein kleines Kind, Doch wenn ein schöner Tag ist, lacht's.

Singapore crocodile There is a pond in Singapore Where the old crocodile lives Which with a mourning face He chews his lotus stalk. He became decrepit and became blind But at times, like a child, Cry all night, and sometimes He smiles at everyone, joking. [2]

Heise believed that the ancient reptile, living in its pond, which protects it from the vile and cruel outside world, can serve as an excellent example to the idealist poet.

A distinctive feature of “Die Krokodile” was the assignment of club names to the participants, for example, Geybel was nicknamed “Prakrokodil” ( German Urkrokodil ), and Heise - “Lizard” ( German Eidechs ). Also, at every weekly meeting on the table there was a pyramid in which the protocol was stored. The club held literary discussions and arranged premieres of new works.

Unlike their predecessors from Young Germany , the members of Die Krokodile considered their main goal to serve pure art without regard to politics. Their role models were the poets of antiquity, the Middle Ages and the East. The pinnacle of Die Krokodile’s activities is the 1862 edition of the anthology Münchener Dichterbuch (Collection of Munich Poets). Later, after the literary society ceased to exist, in 1882 Paul Heise published the Neues Münchener Dichterbuch (New Collection of Munich Poets) ^[3] .

After the death of Maximilian II in 1864 and the departure of Emanuel Geybel from Munich in 1868, the activities of Die Krokodile became less active, and in 1873-1874 the society ceased to exist.

• Paul Heise - The Lizard ( German: Eidechs )
• Emanuel Geybel - "Prakrokodil" ( German Urkrokodil )
• Julius Grosse - Ihnevmon ( German: Ichnoymon )
• Friedrich Bodenstedt - “ Apis ” ( German Apis )
• Felix Dan - “ Wildebeest ” ( German: Gnu )
• Wilhelm Herz - Werewolf ( German: Werwolf )
• Herman Ling - “Pond Crocodile” ( German: Teichkrokodil )
• Moritz Carriere - “Desert Ship” ( German: Schiff der Wüste )
• Leonard Hamm
• Max Haushofer
• Wilhelle Hemsen - The Scarab ( German: Skarabäus )
• Carl August Heigel
• Bernhard Hoffmann - Don Quixote ( German Don Quixote )
• Hans Hopfen
• Robert von Hornstein
• Wilhelm Jensen
• Conrad Knoll
• Karl Lemke - “ Hyena ” ( German: Hyäne )
• Ludwig Leistner
• Heinrich Loythold - “ Alligator ” ( German: Alligator )
• Sigmund Lichtenstein - " Hippopotamus " ( German: Nilpferd )
• Karl von Lutzov - “ Beaver ” ( German: Biber )
• Cupronickel Meir - “ Ibis ” ( German: Ibis )
• Karl Neumann - “ Swordfish ” ( German: Schwertfisch )
• Theodore Pixis
• Adolf Friedrich von Schack
• Joseph Victor von Scheffel
• Johan Schrott
• Karl Steeler
• Adolf Wilbrandt
• Adolph Zeising