Doderer, Heimito von Pseudonym: René Stangeler

Doderer, Heimito von (pseudonym: René Stangeler), b. Hadersdorf-Weidlingau near Vienna, Sept. 5, 1896, d. Vienna, Dec. 23, 1966. Writer. From 1915 military service, 1916-1920 prisoner of war in Siberia; studied history and philosophy in Vienna (Dr. phil., 1925). In 1933 member of National Socialist Party, but left the party soon after (converted to Catholicism in 1940). From 1937 worked as reader for a publishing house in Munich where his novel "Everyman a Murderer" ("Ein Mord, den jeder begeht"), appeared in 1938. From 1940 served in the military again, captured by the British and imprisoned until 1946. D.'s novel "Die Strudlhofstiege" appeared in 1951 and established his success as a writer. Novels such as "The Demons" ("Die Dämonen", 1956) or "The Waterfalls of Slunj" ("Die Wasserfälle von Slunj", 1963) won him renown as one of the most important Austrian novelists of the postwar period. D. died of cancer while working on the novel "Der Grenzwald" (1967, appeared posthumously). 1957 awarded the Grand Austrian State Prize and in 1964 the Grand Prize of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.

D.'s novels and narratives, some of which are rigidly structured according to musical principles, demonstrate a critical view, especially of Viennese society. The everyday impressions and experiences, described in his diaries ("Tangenten", 1964) served as the basis and point of departure for his prose. His impressive command of language and ingenious narrative techniques place D. among the greatest of Austrian novelists.

Further works: Novels: Das Geheimnis des Reichs, 1930; Die erleuchteten Fenster, 1951; The Merovingians (Die Merowinger), 1962; Roman Nr. 7 (part 1: Die Wasserfälle von Slunj, 1963). - Narratives: Die Bresche, 1924; Das letzte Abenteuer, 1954; Die Posaunen von Jericho, 1958; Die Peinigung der Lederbeutelchen, 1959; Frühe Prosa, ed. H. Flesch-Brunningen, 1968. - Poetry: Ein Weg im Dunklen, 1957. - Essays: Der Fall Gütersloh, 1930; Grundlagen und Funktion des Romans, 1959. - Editions: W. Schmidt-Dengler (ed.), Die Wiederkehr der Drachen. Aufsätze, Traktate, Reden, 1970; Schmidt-Dengler, Commentarii 1951-1966, 2 vols., 1976/85; Tagebücher aus dem Nachlaß, 2 vols., 1976/86; Das erzählerische Werk, 9 vols., 1995.

Literature: H. v. D. 1896-1966, Symposion anläßlich des 80. Geburtstages in Wien 1976, 1978; Internationales Symposion H. v. D. am 4./5. 10. 1986, 1986; D. Weber, H. v. D., 1986; L.-W. Wolff, H. v. D., 1996; W. Fleischer, Das verleugnete Leben, 1996; K. Luehrs (ed.), "Excentrische Einsätze". Studien und Essays zum Werk H. v. D., 1998; H. Löffler, Doderer-ABC. Ein Lexikon für Heimitisten, 2000.