Alfred Polgar

Polgar, Alfred (Vienna, 1873-1955, Zurich), began as a parliamentary reporter and became a dramatic critic in Vienna and, from 1925 to 1933, in Berlin. Under National Socialism he returned to Vienna, whence he fled in 1938, reaching the USA in 1940, where he lived until 1947. He returned to Europe for his last years.

An ironist with a well-turned, elegant style, Polgar published several volumes of Novellen (Der Quell des Übels, 1908; Bewegung ist alles, 1909; Hiob, 1912; Gestern und Heute, 1922; Geschichten ohne Moral, 1943; Begegnung im Zwielicht, 1951; Im Lauf der Zeit, 1954). Two short satirical comedies, written in collaboration with E. Friedell, were very successful: Goethe im Examen, Eine Szene (1908) and Das Soldatenleben im Frieden (1910). The comedy Die Defraudanten (1931) was his own work. Polgar was particularly gifted as a readable and perceptive critic of literature and drama and a commentator on cultural trends. In addition to his numerous contributions to newspapers, several collections of his essays were published in book form, including Kleine Zeit (1919), An den Rand geschrieben (1926), Orchester von oben (1926), Ja und Nein (4 vols. of criticism, 1926-7, and a selection, with other material, 1954), Ich bin Zeuge (1928), Schwarz auf Weiß (1929), Hinterland (1929), Bei dieser Gelegenheit (1930), Ansichten (1933), In der Zwischenzeit (1935), Sekundenzeiger (1937), Handbuch des Kritikers (1938), Im Vorübergehen (1947), Standpunkte (1953), and Fensterplatz (1959); the cliché-like titles are intentionally ironical. Selections, ed. B. Richter, appeared in 1968 and 1970 as Alfred Polgar. Prosa aus 4 Jahrzehnten and Bei Lichte betrachtet, Texte aus vier Jahrzehnten. Other posthumous editions include Die Mission des Luftballons (1975), Die lila Wiese (1977), and Taschenspiegel (1979). Sperrsitz, Kritiken und Polemiken aus 33 Jahren appeared in 1980; Kleine Schriften (6 vols.), ed. M. Reich-Ranicki, in 1982-6, correspondence, Lieber Freund! Lebenszeichen aus der Fremde, ed. E. Thanner, in 1981.