Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Kortner (Fritz) "Ein Traum, kein Leben" annotated script
6280
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Fritz Kortner "Ein Traum, kein Leben" annotated script
Creator:
Kortner, Fritz (18920512-1970)
Identifier/Call Number: 6280
Identifier/Call Number: /repositories/3/resources/3427
Physical Description:
0.06 Linear Feet
1 pamphlet binder
Date: 1946 September
Physical Description: 300 by 210mm (11.75 by 8.25 inches). Generic continuous wrapper with title and author handwritten and internal prong binding.
Title page present dated Sept. 1946 (handwritten date of 14.I.49). 87 leaves, with last page numbered 87. Three scenes. Mimeograph
duplication, rectos only. In German. Pages Good but brittle and browned throughout; wrapper Fair showing significant wear
(4 by 3 inch of back wrapper missing); rust at binding.
Pagination: [title], [characters], 1–50, [alternate 50], [unnumbered page, 1 (with notation that text continues with page
54)], 54–58, [unnumbered pages, 2], 60–87.
Revisions: (carbon typescript) alternate 50, all unnumbered pages & 87
Heavily annotated in pencil (by Kortner? His editor?): [title], 2, 4–6, 8–10, 11 (recto & verso), 12–26, 28–31, 33, 35–39,
42–46, 47 (verso), 48, 50, [alternate 50], [unnumbered page, 1], 54–56, 58 (recto & verso), [unnumbered pages, 2], 60, 61
(recto & verso), 62–66, 69–70, 72–75, 76 (verso), 77–82, 83 (verso), 84–86.
Language of Material:
German
.
Container: 1
Fritz Kortner (1892-1970) was one of Austria's best-known character actors and the nation's foremost performer of Expressionist
work. In 1933, Kortner went on a performance tour of Scandinavia--and, being Jewish--decided not to return. After the tour,
Kortner fled to the United States by way of London. By 1941, Kortner was living in Hollywood and writing scripts.
Donauwellen is a character study of a hairdresser in Vienna, following how the character adapts through multiple personalities to the
changing political structures of the times. Although highly critical of the Nazis, the play is also critical of the Allied
denazification process after the War.
A heavily annotated script for a work by Fritz Kortner (1892-1970), one of Austria's best-known character actors and the nation's
foremost performer of Expressionist work. Kortner titled this early working draft
Ein Traum, kein Leben, but he later renamed the work
Donauwellen and turned it into a play that was first performed in Munich in 1949. Kortner wrote the draft titled
Ein Traum, kein Leben in Los Angeles while in exile. He carried the manuscript with him back to Germany in December 1947.
Donauwellen was Kortner's first release in Europe following his exile. The play was a success with the public and it was performed 30
times. Following
Donauwellen's initial popularity, the United States military banned subsequent productions of the play in post-war Germany.
Advance notice required for access.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Mark Funke, Bookseller, July 17, 2023.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Fritz Kortner "Ein Traum, kein Leben" annotated script, Collection no. 6280, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Austrians -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Exiles -- Austria -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Exiles' writings, Austrian -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Jews, Austrian -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Reconstruction (1939-1951) -- Austria -- Archival resources
Reconstruction (1939-1951) -- Germany -- Archival resources
Theater -- Germany -- 20th century -- Archival resources
World War, 1939-1945 -- Austria -- Archival resources
Scripts
Typescripts
Kortner, Fritz (18920512-1970) -- Archives