Heinrich Heine: Poet of Judenschmerz Jewish Biography as History Dr. Henry Abramson

Revered by many as Germany's greatest poet, Heine struggled mightily with his Jewish identity in the culturally inimical milieu of the 19th century. This phenomenon, known as Judenschmerz, was widespread among 19th century western European Jews. Despite his 1825 conversion to Christianity, Heine maintained a long, albeit conflicted, relationship to his Jewish background. Part of the Jewish Biography as History lecture series by Dr. Henry Abramson. More lectures available at www.jewishhistorylectures.org. To view the Prezi used in this lecture, please visit jewishhistorylectures.org/2014...

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

So much Wisdom across Times
So much Folly Throughout
Mysterious.

[@agath8a508]

Dear Professor, I'm not an historian of German literature, but I happen to have read most of Heine's works. I understand your aim is to emphasize the importance of Heine for German Judaism in the XIX century, but there are some thesis of yours that I feel are incorrect: yes, he was evidently interested in judaism and religion throughout his life, but we cannot say that the contrast between sensuality and spirituality affected the whole of his writings. To be true, I think that al least 90% of his works are completely devoid of any reference to religion, and it has been with this part of his production that, for example, contemporary and later musicians were affected (some thousands of Lieder have been composed on Heine's poems, all dealing with human love, and composed by the major musicians of the times, from Schubert, to Schumann, to Mendelssohn). He affected contemporary culture also with his political writings: he was a "liberal", let's say this way, or, as you said, simpathizing with the so-called utiopian socialists; he was friend with Karl Marx (another Jude, anyway...), who published some of his works in Paris. The political and edonistic side of Heine's work, I think, were missing from your exposé, rendering it a little unbalanced.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks for the useful observations!

[@Eudaimonia88]

@agath8a508 I agree with your assessment.

[@clumsydad7158]

fun and informative presentation on Heinrich Heine - thank you very much !!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@patrickneary8446]

It's Kraut and Tea!(a UA-cam commentator of social issues that uses Heine's image)..Anyway I think Heine would find it funny that people would someday have to leave the Lutheran church to embrace science/history/societal norms. I am just one of them.

[@Dilanoalamentira]

You should do Benjamin Disraeli

[@TDWUSA]

Todah Rabbah
Suggestions:
* Interactive Q&A From The Cyber Peanut Gallery, (ie:) Live Chat
* Reference Links (ie:) Biblio
** Executive Producer Available
TDW

[@bingeltube]

Very recommendable! I think, Henry Abramson missed a lot about Heine's writings by focusing too much on Heine's Judaism

[@davidesoresina4420]

Agree

[@tomasinacovell4293]

Awe... I wanted to hear Alexander the Nerd finish reading of the Nard! ):

[@siblinganon66]

i think you missed half of the judenschmerz. each excerpt you read had not only a longing element but also a critical one.
for example the passage talking about the people of the book mentions that they "cover" over the book and fail to see the world changing.
the passage with the extended metaphor of the hanging gardens? again a rift between what happens in reality and where the thoughts are centred (luftschlösser).
oh and the barbarossa legend is basically Arthur except barbarossa is alive and sleeping somewhere under the kyffhäuser.

[@laurarox80]

Great, thanks!

[@moshemankoff7488]

Thanks!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Hey, thanks again for supporting the research! Looks like you're going into some of the older videos.

[@moshemankoff7488]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD Yes, youtube is recommending them to me one by one.

[@sirfarquhar4441]

I'm just wondering why is there only an Israeli flag and no US flag?

[@spiritinthesky572]

There is a US flag. Wheres the palestinian flag?

[@levand3673]

@@spiritinthesky572 what, Palestinian flag?
The flag of terrorism???

[@dannytman1]

The US flag is on the left. I was just wondering why you would be so quick to falsely accuse the jews of not having a US flag, could it be because you are an antisemite?

[@arikasandemore6221]

"We'll just edit that part out, okay?" Yeah sure... XD

[@95holy]

Heinrich Heine von Mike Gromberg: ua-cam.com/video/HzP1JIwzaXE/v-deo.html

[@robsuncoaching4472]

Good, but could be upgraded, e.g., so we can see the slides, so there is less chat at the beginning, etc.