Book Review
Title: Willibald Alexis: A German Writer of the Nineteenth Century
Author: Lionel Hugh Christopher Thomas
Publisher: Basil Blackwell: Oxford
Date: January 1, 1964
ASIN: B0000CMATN
Thomas’ forward sets the tone for this evaluation of Willibald Alexis’ literary accomplishments, and his place in the pantheon of nineteenth-century writers. The limits are succinctly conveyed in the quote, “…whose work seems now assured of a modest place among the minor classics of nineteenth-century literature” (p. v). A “modest” place among the “minors”—this qualified assessment is reinforced throughout the book—with all sincerity, no more, no less.
Notwithstanding the above, Thomas seems truly attracted to this writer and his work. He simply, or carefully, maintains a realistic perspective regarding the subject’s achievements. Alexis’ popularity was never great—neither among the public nor the critics. He received occasional praises for a few of his novels. Perhaps his most lasting achievement was his sixty-volume case history of true court cases (Der neue Pitaval). They were drawn from “legal files and annals of many different countries” (81), requiring exhaustive research over thirty years. This stand-out work really does represent a major contribution to social and legal history (81). The greatly influenced the detective genre of literature and popularized the modern detective story.
Alexis was most fond of the historical novel, and wrote several, though none became very popular. He translated Sir Walter Scott’s historical novels as well as creating his own œuvre in that genre. In other books and articles, also wrote about contemporary life in Berline the city where he spent most of his life.
While critics were not always his friend, he himself was a literary critic, and a well-respected critic for a time.
Alexis had many other talents. For example, he had a law degree, and by all accounts was considered a brilliant attorney. He was multi-lingual, speaking fluent French, Spanish, and English (as well as his native German). He was also a local authority, holding the municipal government post of vice deputy of Berlin.
Alexis’ many varied interests worked to his disadvantage, as he never focused on a single manageable direction. In addition to the above-mentioned interests, he pursued journalism, politics, editing, publishing, reviewing, poetry, drama, translations, general nonfiction, legal history, entrepreneurship, finance, business enterprises, travel writing, among others. Viewing the wide expanse of pursuits, it becomes easy to understand why none were developed too deeply.
In Alexis’ later years, he fell into depression, disillusioned about the taste of the reading public (which never truly appreciated his writings), and regretful that he never quite broke through into popular acceptance in any of his works.
While this story sounds sad, Alexis did in fact have a good life. He had a very good marriage that lasted all his life, he always had at least a small circle of friends and fans of his work, he and his wife traveled, especially one very happy year in Italy, and he was never too poor (though never very rich). His writing earned his living, albeit a modest one.
All of the above observations of the life and work of Willibald Alexis are very succinctly presented by the excellent writing of Alexis’ biographer Lionel Thomas. The book is not easy to find, but if you can get your hands on it, I certainly recommend the biography to anyone interested in history, literature, or German culture of the nineteenth century.