Siegfried Lenz, Heimatmuseum [The Heritage]

Marc J. Schweissinger (Cardiff University)

Ed. by Gerhard P. Knapp, University of Utah
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1978

Places

Germany (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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Siegfried Lenz’

Heimatmuseum

, first published in 1978, is an historical novel, successfully released and well known in English as

The Heritage

(1981), in a translation by Krishna Winston. The novel recounts the history of parts of the former East Prussia (more accurately: Masuria), part of Germany before World War II, which previously was and today is again part of Poland. The narrative is, as usual within Lenz’ novels, artfully arranged. The plot is split into different time levels. Present and past interact directly, and local history can be understood as a metaphor for the condition of a whole country in the first half of the twentieth century. In quick succession, horrible events are presented beside almost romantic episodes, and the adventures of the young protagonist Zygmunt as…

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2318 words

Citation: Schweissinger, Marc J.. "Heimatmuseum". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 September 2014 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21239, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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