Graf von Loeben and the Legend of Lorelei: From "Modern Philology" vol. 13 (1915)Porterfield, Allen Wilson
General
Graf von Loeben and the Legend of Lorelei: From "Modern Philology" vol. 13 (1915)
Porterfield, Allen Wilson
Legends -- Germany; Loeben, Otto Heinrich, Graf von, 1786-1825
[4] Partial lists of his works are given in: Goedeke,
_Grundriss_, VI, 108-10 (2nd ed.): _Allgemeine deutsche
Biographie_, XIX. 40-45; the sole monograph on Loeben by
Raimund Pissin. _Otto Heinrich Graf von Loeben, sein Leben und
seine Werke_, Berlin, 1905, 326 pages. By piecing these lists
together--for they vary--it seems that Loeben wrote, aside from
the works mentioned above, the following: 1 conventional drama, 1
musical-romantic drama, 2 narrative poems, one of which is on
Ferdusi, 3 collections of poems, between 30 and 40 novelettes,
fairy tales and so on. and_ "einige tausend" aphorisms and
detached thoughts. It is in Pissin's monograph that Loeben's
position in the Heidelberg circle of 1807-8 is worked out. as
follows: Loeben and Eichendorff constituted one branch, Arnim and
Brentano the other, Görres stood loosely between the two, and the
others sided now with one group, now with the other.
[5] The verses are from _Geständnisse_, No. 125 in Pissin's
collection of Loeben's poems.
[6] _Geständnisse_. No. 125.
[7] Aside from the reviews, letters, and individual poems reprinted
here and there, the following works were accessible to the writer:
(1) _Das weisse Ross, eine altdeutsche Familienchronik; (2) Die
Sonnenkinder, eine Erzählung; (3) Die Perle und die Maiblume, eine
Novelle; (4) Cephalus und Procris, ein Drama; (5) Ferdusi; (6)
Persiens Ritter, eine Erzählung; (7) Die Zaubernächte am Bosporus,
ein romantisches Gedicht; (8) Prinz Floridio, ein Märchen; (9)
Leda; eine Erzählung; (10) Weinmärchen; (11) Gesänge._
[8] Eichendorff's relation to Loeben can be studied in the edition of
Eichendorff's works by Wilhelm Kusch, Regensburg. Vols. III,
X-XIII have already appeared. For a poetization of Loeben, see
_Ahnung und Gegenwart_, chap. xii, pp. 144 ff. For a
historical account of Loeben, see _Erlebtes_, chap. x,
pp. 425 ff. It is here that Eichendorff makes Goethe praise Loeben
in the foregoing fashion.
[9] There is no positive evidence that Goethe made any such remark. In
his _Gespräche_ (Biedermann. V, 270; VI, 198-99) there are
two references to Loeben by Goethe; they are favorable but
noncommittal as to his poetic ability.
[10] Cf. _Die Tagebücher des Gräfen von Platen_, Stuttgart, 1900.
Under date of August 14, 1824, Platen wrote: "Es enthält viele
gute Bemerkungen, wiewohl diese Art Prosa nicht nach meinem Sinne
ist." The reference is to Loeben's commentary to Madame de Staëls
_De l'Allemayne._
[11] Cf. _Heinrick von Kleists Berliner Kämpfe_, Berlin, 1901, pp.
490-96. The story in question is "Die furchtbare Einladung."
[12] Cf. _Herm. Anders Krüger, _Pseudoromantik. Friedrich Kind und der
Dresdener Liederkreis._ Leipzig. 1904. pp. 144-48. Krüger also
discusses Loeben in his _Der junge Eichendorff._ Leipzig. 1904.
pp. 88 and 128.
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