Book Reviews

We love to read! In this section we will introduce you on a monthly basis to different novels, criminal stories, fairy tales, short stories or any other literaturary style, which take place or were written in the Alps. We will try to give you a broad overview of renown authors as well as newcomers and contemporary writers. And we will mention which of these books are suitable as a companion to your next trip to the Alps.

 

Stesnitev

Lipuš, Florjan: Verdächtiger Umgang mit dem Chaos. german translation by Johann Strutz. Wieser. 1997
Lipuš, Florjan: Stesnitev. Wieser. 1995
Eisenkappel or Bad Eisenkappel, Železna Kapla, in the year 1670 forms the setting for the novel of Lipuš. Motivation to the novel war a chronicle of this village, in the story we learn from the seesaw of live, the narrowing and hardship of soul, heart and body. The book was written in Slovenian and translated by Johann Strutz. The original title "Stesnitev" means: Narrowings, Restrictions.
The "dark" Middle Ages have passed, but Kappel is forced by the church and market leadership, and by the visit of Visitator Adam Glabotschnig reinforced. But besides church, there is also faith and the belief in witches, devils and other magic. While Zaboden with visionary forces is tolerated, the prostitute Črnokruhova dispeld, Lutherians were previously successfully "removed". The chaos is constantly tackled through breeding and order, penance, indulgence taxes. The earthly suffering seems to be rather prolonged than alleviated.

Florjan Lipuš, born on 4 May 1937 in Lobnig / Lobnik in south carinthian community Eisenkappel / Železna Kapla, is called in biographies Austrian author, as well as Slovenian author. He is probably both. He also wrote under the pseudonym: Boro Kostanek. Born in Austria, as Carinthian Slovenian, he grows up Slovenian speaking, a childhood marked by the Nazis and increasing racism. When he was just six, his mother is deported to the concentration camp Ravensbruck and murdered, the father as soldier of the German Armed Forces in war. After the end of the war, with 9 he visits the elementary school. He attended a catholic high school in Tanzenberg / Pleüivec and then the seminary in Klagenfurt / Celovec, which he did not finish. 1966 the completed teacher training in Klagenfurt / Celovec.
Togehter with Erik Prunč and Karel Smolle he founded in 1960 the literary magazine "Mladje", young forest, and was chief editor until 1981.
He was a bilingual teacher at several elementary schools, and also director. 1981, Peter Handke and Helga Mracnikar translated Florjan Lipuš' first novel "The pupil Tjaž" / "Zmote dijaka Tjaža" of 1972 into German. Lipuš received several Austrian and Slovenian awards. He lives in Sele / Sielach In Carinthia.
In addition to the official language german in Austria, the regional official languages are: Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian.

This book might not be the perfect travelling literature as by reading you don't hear anything about the beatufilu landscpae of this southern Austrian region. But it might give you a sense what it means to have lived there. And reading other novels and essays of Florjan Lipuš your learn more about the Slovenian history and presence in Austria.



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01.01.2008. 06:25

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