Abstract
This article analyzes Fritz Kalmar’s biography and his short story “Der Austrospinner” in the light of the identities created during the decades of Jewish emancipation in Austria. In his Bolivian exile, Georg von Winternitz, the narrative’s protagonist, embodies the fundamental values of an Austrian identity that was conceived during the final years of the Habsburg Monarchy, heir of the Holy Roman Empire, and that was particularly dear to Austrian Jews since the times of Kaiser Franz Josef. After his exile, von Winternitz organizes his existence in the new country according to this Empire’s system of values. When he adopts an indigenous boy who is about to become a thief, he not only intends to educate him but also intends to turn him into “an Austrian”, which, for him, means instilling in him a system of values belonging to the defunct Austro-Hungarian Empire. The discussion about the meaning of “Austrian” is brought to light, in an attempt to understand von Winternitz’s ideals and projects. Both the narrative’s protagonist and the narrator descend from Jews who also “became” Austrian, and “becoming Austrian” is a fundamental concept both in Kalmar’s personal history and in his books.
Key Words:
Austrian Literature; Jewish Literature; Identity; Austro-Hungarian Empire; Memory