Gustav Frenssen

Frenssen, Gustav (Barlt, Dithmarschen, 1863-1945, Barlt), after theological studies at Tübingen, Berlin, and Kiel became pastor of Hennstedt (1890-2) and of Hemme (1892-1902), villages near his birthplace. Frenssen wrote of the people and the landscape of Dithmarschen, making his name as a representative of Heimatkunst. His earliest novels, Die Sandgräfin (1896) and Die drei Getreuen (1898), attracted little attention, but Jörn Uhl (1901) had a nation-wide success and remains his best-known work. The slow-moving, brooding figures of his novels are characteristic of the region and reflect Frenssen's own temperament. His religious belief became increasingly unorthodox, and in 1902 he resigned his pastorate in order to devote himself to literature and moved to Meldorf. Hilligenlei (1905, ‘hillig’ is Low German for ‘heilig’) caused controversy because of its unusual interpretation of the Gospels. In 1906 Frenssen moved to Blankenese near Hamburg, where he remained until 1912, when he returned to spend his later years in Barlt. His novels of Dithmarschen include Peter Moors Fahrt nach Südwest (1906), Klaus Hinrich Baas (1909), Der Untergang der Anna Hollmann (1911), Die Brüder (1917), Der Pastor von Poggsee (1921), Lütte Witt (1924), and Meino der Prahler (1933). Otto Babendieck (1926), though a novel, is in large part autobiographical. Lebensbericht (1940) is an avowed autobiography. In Der Glaube der Nordmark (1936) Frenssen finally rejected Christianity and adopted a pagan Germanic religion supported by Nordic mythology.

Gustav Frenssen (19 October 1863 – 11 April 1945) was a German novelist born in the village of Barlt, in Schleswig-Holstein. He wrote patriotically about his native country and promoted Heimatkunst (regionalism) in literature. In two different villages he worked as a pastor from 1890 to 1902. In his later years he abandoned Christianity because Christian morals were in conflict with his blatant racism. Instead, he turned to a form of Germanic Neopaganism which also suited his liberal views on sexuality.

His works include;

• Hilligenlei ("Holyland", 1905)
• Der Pastor von Poggsee ("The Pastor of Poggsee", 1921)
• Jörn Uhl
• Otto Babendiek ("The Anvil")
• Three volumes of observations titled Grübeleien
• Recht oder Unrecht: Mein Land ("Right or Wrong: My Country", 1940), a defense of Germany's actions in World War II (the title is also a popular saying, cf. patriotism)

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