Die Kronenwächter

Kronenwächter, Die, an unfinished novel by L. J. (Achim) von Arnim, published in 1817. It bears the sub-title Bertholds erstes und zweites Leben. The incomplete MS. of a second volume was found in Arnim's posthumous papers and was published in 1854. The novel is set in the time of Maximilian I at the beginning of the 16th c. The Crown Guards (Kronenwächter) are a secret society who watch over the descendants of the Hohenstaufen emperors in readiness for the time when the dynasty can regain its former greatness. Berthold, one of these descendants, is left when a baby by the Guards with the watchman of Waiblingen in Württemberg and is brought up by him. He becomes a clerk, but the instincts of his unrecognized Staufen (see Hohenstaufen) descent lead him to acquire the Hohenstaufen castle, though he can think of nothing better to do with it than turn it into a textile factory. He makes his pile and becomes burgomaster of Waiblingen, but his force is spent and his ‘first life’ (‘erstes Leben’ of the sub-title) is coming to an end when Dr Faust takes him in hand and miraculously gives him new strength.

His ‘second life’ sees him full of energy and taking part in political life, meeting the Emperor Maximilian and assisting Luther, but he dies without having furthered the Hohenstaufen cause.

In the second (uncompleted) volume Berthold's half-brother Anton was to take over as representative of the Staufen house. In spite of military successes he comes to doubt the value of his dynastic mission, and devotes himself to art, studying with Dürer and Cranach.

An interesting feature of the story is the treatment by which Dr Faust (i.e. Georg Faust) prepares Berthold for his second life, for it includes a blood transfusion. Like Arnim's earlier novel, it has been termed a Zeitroman on account of its implicit relevance to the contemporary scene.