IN THE WORLD of German-speaking literature, at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the otherworldly dramatically influences the depiction of reality.
This very characteristic is shared by the stories that make up the book: in all three, something otherworldly invades an otherwise realistic environment, without however providing the possibility of logical explanation. In this way, a sense of uncertainty is created regarding what is considered real and what is imaginary; a sense that is intensified both by the dreamlike atmosphere and by a sinister ambiance, which, through symbols and allusions, foreshadows the characters' journey towards death.
The bizarre and the otherworldly, as presented by the three emblematic authors, leave the reader with a contemporary imprint; they innovatively convey expressions of the existential anxiety of the characters while simultaneously bringing to the forefront the unconscious forces that decisively influence our image of the world and of ourselves.
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“Crossing the repulsive village, he had lost track of time. The horse breathed heavily and whistled. He did not immediately understand what it was, as he had never heard it breathe like that before. [...] In the end, he noticed a rider from the same regiment standing at the other end of the stone bridge [...] He could not make out the rider's face, so he impatiently spurred his horse and forced it to gallop lively. Immediately, the other also galloped in the same way. They were now separated by the distance of a stone's throw. And while the two horses simultaneously placed their front white legs on the bridge, the sergeant, with an expressionless gaze, recognized himself in the other. He instinctively pulled the reins and extended his right hand towards that being with fingers spread wide. Then the figure stopped and, raising its right hand, suddenly vanished.” HUGO VON HOFMANNSTHAL, “War History”
“How long did all this last... Who knows? Who knows even if Albrecht van der Kvalen truly woke up that afternoon and stepped into the unknown city; or whether he ultimately remained asleep in the first-class compartment and the fast train from Berlin to Rome carried him at tremendous speed to the other end of the world? Who among us would have the audacity to answer this question with certainty and responsibility? It remains completely unclear. ‘Everything must be suspended...’” THOMAS MANN, “The Armoire”
[...] the ghost no longer constitutes a form of an irrationally demonic worldview but rather a metaphor for many unspoken and frightening, unspeakable and disturbing elements found in the modern worldview.” GERO VON WILPERT
