Vom Theater als moralischer Anstalt zum Dichter als Gewissen der Nation oder: Von Friedrich Schiller zu Elfriede Jelineks historischem Drama Burgtheater

Abstract

Although historic drama uses elements of reality it remains fiction. Literature ‘lies’, that is to say it creates its own truth and reality. The Vienna Burgtheater as a historic institution and as a place of dramatic fiction is the subject matter of Jelinek’s historic drama Burgtheater. Behind the highly articifial dramatis personae who speak an artificial language full of Nazi clichés one can easily recognize members of the Hörbiger family, a dynasty of Burgtheater actors. The argument that the Hörbigers have no reason to feel attacked because the dramatis personae are clearly works of fiction and thus different from the real Hörbigers is not convincing. Jelinek appears to be serious when she insinuates in the play that members of the family, especially Käthe / Paula Wessely, share the responsibilty for the crimes committed by the Nazis. Käthe in Burgtheater can hardly be distinguished from Paula Wessely as described in a telephone interview given by Jelinek. The artificiality and apparent fictionality of the play appears to be a cover which enables the author to say things for which she could otherwise be brought to court. Harald Weinrich has pointed out that since it is no longer content to tell ‘lies’ but insists in telling the real truth and the true reality literature is in danger of becoming a servant of real lies. By not limiting herself to contributing to the improvement of the nation through her fiction but by setting herself up as the conscience of the nation, Jelinek in her play Burgtheater gets very close to this dangerous situation.