Jewish Wit - In the Original, and in Translation

This essay, based on Prof. Hessing's keynote lecture delivered at the opening of the Gronemann-conference in 2022, explores notions of "Jewish wit" in Sammy Gronemann's German novel Tohuwabohu (translated as Utter Chaos). It focuses on the incongruities and comic potential of the...

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Bibliographic Details
Subtitles:"Special Issue: Jewish Wit, Zionist Satire, and Humane Humor in Sammy Gronemann's Life and Work; Guest Editor: Jan Kühne"
Main Author: Hessing, Jakob 1944- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2024
In: Naharaim
Year: 2024, Volume: 18, Issue: 1, Pages: 11-20
Further subjects:B Translation
B Yiddish
B close reading
B autobiographical
B Humor
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This essay, based on Prof. Hessing's keynote lecture delivered at the opening of the Gronemann-conference in 2022, explores notions of "Jewish wit" in Sammy Gronemann's German novel Tohuwabohu (translated as Utter Chaos). It focuses on the incongruities and comic potential of the tensions between German and Yiddish in the novel, questioning notions of "original" and "translation" as applied to the interrelationships between Eastern European and German Jewish cultures. By highlighting the linguistic and cultural shifts experienced by these Jewish communities, Gronemann's novel serves as a focal point for dissecting the nuances of multilingual Jewish humor and the underlying tragedies of Jewish life, especially amidst historical upheavals like World War I and the Holocaust. The essay concludes with insights into Gronemann's ironic perspective on Zionism and the thematic significance of "Tohuwabohu" as a metaphor for the modern Jewish experience.
ISSN:1862-9156
Contains:Enthalten in: Naharaim
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1515/naha-2024-0001