<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The <italic>Chess Story</italic>, written at the end of 1941, is considered internationally to be Stefan Zweig‘s greatest success. At the center of the novella is undoubtedly Dr. B. He comes from a distinguished Austrian family, was the head of a law firm in Vienna, which advised monasteries and part of the imperial family in property matters. When the Nazi occupation of Austria was imminent, the activity became dangerous. A day before Hitler invaded Austria, he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in the Hotel Metropole. The isolation and monotony wore him down. Shortly before a new interrogation is scheduled, Dr. B. discovers a book with a collection of one hundred and fifty chess games. To escape the threat of nothingness, he plays chess games blind. Playing chess is not understood by Dr. B. as a mere pastime, but as meaning; it has an existential significance.</p>
</abstract>

The Chess Story, written at the end of 1941, is considered internationally to be Stefan Zweig‘s greatest success. At the center of the novella is undoubtedly Dr. B. He comes from a distinguished Austrian family, was the head of a law firm in Vienna, which advised monasteries and part of the imperial family in property matters. When the Nazi occupation of Austria was imminent, the activity became dangerous. A day before Hitler invaded Austria, he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in the Hotel Metropole. The isolation and monotony wore him down. Shortly before a new interrogation is scheduled, Dr. B. discovers a book with a collection of one hundred and fifty chess games. To escape the threat of nothingness, he plays chess games blind. Playing chess is not understood by Dr. B. as a mere pastime, but as meaning; it has an existential significance.

Stefan Zweig: <italic>Die Schachnovelle</italic> – Das Spiel

Germanistische Beiträge

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":{"italic":"Die Schachnovelle","content":["Stefan Zweig:","\u2013 Das Spiel"]}}

The Chess Story, written at the end of 1941, is considered internationally to be Stefan Zweig‘s greatest success. At the center of the novella is undoubtedly...

Stefan Zweig: Die Schachnovelle – Das Spiel

Published Online: Mar 19, 2024

Page range: 136 - 155

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/gb-2023-0008

Keywords
game, chess game, imagination, nothing, sense

© 2023 Thomas Söder, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Stefan Zweig: Die Schachnovelle – Das Spiel

Published Online: Mar 19, 2024

Page range: 136 - 155

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/gb-2023-0008

Keywordsgame, chess game, imagination, nothing, sense

© 2023 Thomas Söder, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
game, chess game, imagination, nothing, sense