by Leo Perutz
What a surprise! I had never heard about Leo Perutz before, but this novel series of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” is truly educational, I learned that Leo Perutz was a a pretty popular writer in the twenties, but due to his Jewish background – although he was not a banned author – his financial foundation broke down and he had to follow his brother to Palestine, since he supported him.
The story is about a thief and a Swedish earl. The thief assumes the earl’s identity and becomes a successful landowner and marries the earl’s promised bride. She thinks it is the earl. You are always with the thief since he deserves it much more than the stupid, lazy and coward earl. But a former love during his thief’s live – the Red Liese – threatens to denounce his false identity. In part for vengeance but also because again she is unconditional with her new love, a soldier, who is on the hunt of robbers and thieves. He is part of the squad of the Malefizbaron, the eternal opponent of the thief. So it comes that the earl and the thief exchange again their identities, the earl goes on war with the Swedish king in Russia, the thief as works in the hell (a quarry) of the bishop. The Earl dies in the war, and the thief dies on the attempt to see his daughter again.
The story is about a thief and a Swedish earl. The thief assumes the earl’s identity and becomes a successful landowner and marries the earl’s promised bride. She thinks it is the earl. You are always with the thief since he deserves it much more than the stupid, lazy and coward earl. But a former love during his thief’s live – the Red Liese – threatens to denounce his false identity. In part for vengeance but also because again she is unconditional with her new love, a soldier, who is on the hunt of robbers and thieves. He is part of the squad of the Malefizbaron, the eternal opponent of the thief. So it comes that the earl and the thief exchange again their identities, the earl goes on war with the Swedish king in Russia, the thief as works in the hell (a quarry) of the bishop. The Earl dies in the war, and the thief dies on the attempt to see his daughter again.
I will definitely read more of this author, interestingly Borges and Kehlmann are big fans of him. Borges support the publication of his works in Argentina.
Facts:
English title: The Swedish Cavalier
Original title: Der Schwedische Reiter
Published: 1936
