Levi's shock about Germany: souls and traumatized souls!

In 1958 the Italian writer Carlo Levi traveled through Germany and recorded his impressions in a remarkable travel report. Levi, who is known as an anti -fascist journalist and wrote the classic "Christ came to Eboli", had traveled from Rome to Munich to take part in a lecture and meet his publisher in Stuttgart. His journey led him through several cities, including Augsburg, Ulm, Stuttgart, Schwäbisch Hall, Tübingen and Berlin.

In his work,

Levi describes German society as one that hides from its own trauma. His descriptions of the Germans, which he described as the "tameest animals in the world", are particularly concise. He was shocked by the German businessmen, whom he perceived as fat and indifferent, as well as from the women who ate uninhibited sausages, which he criticized as exaggerated and voracious. The aftermath of the Second World War was also omnipresent for Levi, which is reflected in his ethnographic analysis.

new publication of "The double night"

The notes by Carlo Levi from 1958 are now being found for the first time in German by publisher C.H. Beck published. The book has the title Double night. A trip to Germany in 1958 and has been available since 2024. It comprises 176 pages in the bound format and costs EUR 20.00. The translation took place by Martin Hallmannsecker, supported by Bernd Roeck. In the report, Levi not only addresses the reconstruction of the cities, but also the repression and devastation of the past.

Levi, who was arrested by Mussolini's government and driven into exile due to his political views in the 1930s, reflected on the return of works of art in the Pergamon Museum and had discussions with Silesian displaced people in concentration camp barracks. Reviews of the book emphasize Levi's sharp observations and describe him as a "desperate" observer who has difficulty combining German culture with reality. Some reviewers characterize the Germans as "guilt and hateful". The successful translation and the importance of the book for the understanding of the German post -war society also attract attention.

The passages about the shared Berlin and Levis Ethnographic impressions give a deep insight into society that tries to cover the trauma of the past with external prosperity. Details of Levi's trip and his experiences can be found in the new publication and offer valuable documents about the post -war period, which can also serve as an eye opener for the present.

For more information about the background of Levis Reise and the content of his book, the reports of Deutschland-1958-kennst-das-land-in-dems-wuerste-essen.html "> and pearl divers are used.