The Forest Farm: Tales of the Austrian TyrolRosegger, Peter
General
The Forest Farm: Tales of the Austrian Tyrol
Rosegger, Peter
Domestic fiction; Historical fiction; Short stories, Austrian -- Translations into English; Tyrol (Austria) -- Fiction
About his life since then there is not much to tell. One fact, however,
should be emphasised; namely, that Rosegger, who in his early years had
become indebted to so many friends, very soon began to pay them back,
and the account has long since been balanced in his favour and now
shows a debit on the other side. Many a time has he introduced the work
of young writers to the literary world with warm words of
recommendation, just as the distinguished poet Robert Hammerling once
did for his first collection of poems. The greater part of the profits
of his extensive lecture tour have been used for the public good.
Through him, a Catholic, Mürzzuschlag has got a Protestant church; his
home-parish, Alpl, has for some years now had a school-house of its own
for which it has to thank Rosegger. And only a short time ago it was
his eloquent intervention that obtained a large contribution for the
German School-Society--a society which aims at preserving
race-characteristics and culture where they are threatened on the
language frontiers. Were I to give data of his public life during the
last ten years, they would consist of such services as these, and of
the grateful homage which is rendered him by the many who love and
honour him. But his inner development is revealed in the writings of
his maturity; for Rosegger has written nothing but what in his inmost
heart he has experienced. Since 1876 he has edited a monthly magazine,
_Heimgarten_, which is his public diary. "Heimgarten," he tells us, "is
the name given in various districts to that house in the Alpine village
in which of an evening the village folk come together, bringing in
small handwork to do and enjoying one another's company. Here are to be
found the brightest of the inhabitants, those readiest in storytelling
and description, those who are men of the world, or who would like to
be such, assembled for educative and stimulating intercourse. In the
Heimgarten, stories and legends, tragic and comic incidents from life
are repeated; songs and ballads are sung; poems are improvised; farces
and comedies are given, or incidents of the day and important events in
the life of the village or the wide world are discussed by the village
wiseacres. Intercourse in the Heimgarten enlightens and enriches the
mind, quickens, warms, and ennobles the heart. This homely type from
Alpine village life furnishes the title and programme for my monthly
magazine."
And to this programme the paper, which has become a home for true
national education, has held faithfully for thirty-four years. Here all
stories, articles, and poems of Rosegger's first appeared, and in this
paper he expresses his views on all vital questions of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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