Typescripts of lyrics headed 'Lied eines einsamen Menschen" by Jura [Soyfer]
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TitleTypescripts of lyrics headed 'Lied eines einsamen Menschen" by Jura [Soyfer]
Reference codeMiller/1/2/4/1/4
Dateundated [c1939]
Scope and ContentMore commonly known as 'Lied des einfachen Menschen'. This item contains three copies of this song by Jura Soyfer (JS) and three copies its English translation by John Lehmann (JL), the 'Song of the Twentieth-Century Man'. The poem is the only surviving text from a play "Pinguine, ein Polarnachtstraum", which JS and Fritz Torberg wrote jointly under the pseudonyms Walter West and Fritz Tann respectively. The play was first performed at the Literatur am Naschmarkt between July and October 1936. This poem was recited by Martin Miller in the first of the Laterndl's "Kleinkunst" (political cabaret) shows in June 1939, "Unterwegs". The German original was published by the Austrian Centre in London under the title "Ein einfacher Mann spricht" in "Zwischen Gestern und Morgen: neue österreichische Gedichte" in 1942. JL's translation was first published in "Collected Poems 1930-1963" (London, 1963).
Conditions governing accessOpen. At least 48 hours' notice is required for research visits.
Extent5 leaves
Level of descriptionitem