arthur schnitzler - reigen

Arthur Schnitzler was born on the 15 of May 1862 as the son of a Jewish medical Doctor. He spent five years studying medicine at the Vienna University and became an admirer of Sigmund Freud. Later Schnitzler and Freud became closer friends and shared many similar ideologies. After his studies at the University he joined the army for one year and received his doctorate at the same time. In 1885 Sigmund Freud and Schnitzler shared many ideas and interests, which examined the theories of unconsciousness and sub-consciousness. At the age of 31 Schnitzler decided to focus on his writing and his critical views of the K&K monarchy (Kaiserlich und Koeniglich). From the year 1890 onwards, Schnitzler and Hugo von Hofmannsthal belonged to an elite artistic group called the "Wiener Modern". In this establishment he was one of the most vehement critics of the K&K monarchy of Austria and Hungary. Only three years later Schnitzler decided to open his own private practice to be able to focus more on his writing. His novel "Leutnant Gustl" which became publicized in 1900 was the first to use an inner monologue as a new form of expression. His novel, which was an insult to the Austrian Army, made him loose the honours he had received when being in the army. He first started to write novels such as the Reigen, but Schnitzler also developed a certain passion for writing fiction, which later became the dominant style in his life. When his daughter committed suicide in the year of 1930, many people said that Schnitzler never really recovered from this tragedy and that his loss made his life seems pointless. Arthur Schnitzler died eventually one year later on the 21st of October in 1931 in Vienna. Later the Nazis in Germany and Austria banned his plays and novels, as they did with many Jewish writers.

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