Campaigner

{ CAMPAIGNER/June 1980 53
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The German language has a word for poetry There was nothing Schiller hated more than what
which is marvelously appropriate to the poetic prin- was dull and mediocre, and just as he was locked in a
ciple: Dichtung. IfDichtung is understood in the sense political and philosophical life-and-death battle
of condensation (Verdichtung), i.e., in the senseofthe against the ideologues of the Black Guelphs of his
condensation of the preconscious into a new form, time, he also fought against the forerunners of the
then we have the key to understanding why the romantic school, the representatives of the magazine
creativity expressed in a work of art corresponds to its "GSttinger Hain." His originally anonymous publicreation
from reason. So understood, the word Dich- cation, "On B[irger's Poetry," is a typical example of
tung itself already contains the reason why didactic or Schiller's method. Although it opens an uncompromoralizing
poems are in fact not poetry at all. Even if mising campaign against Biirger's irrationalist, tothey
may have the external form of poetry, they mantic tendencies, Schiller nevertheless framed it
nevertheless do not have the "higher unity" which with the intention of using a public discussion of
Schiller demands from an actual poem. The same is Biirger's weaknesses to create an environment in
true of so-called Socialist Realism. The creators of which Biirger could rethink and improve his undersocialist
realist art may have the best intentions, but in standing of the poetic art. Such an approach is
their attempt to realistically depict a high purpose completely consistent with Schiller's view of the
they only address the level of the Understanding, and quality of genius. Any intelligent person can make
thus defeat their own purpose, the reproduction of good out of good; but to make something good out of
creative human beings,
bad, that can be done by genius alone.
Every artist must therefore be a "condenser" B[irger, who held Schiller in the highest regard,
(Dichter), i.e., he must make the breadth and richness was literally heartbroken when he found out the
of his reason become "concentrated into a single author of this criticism of his poems. The substance of
beam"; he must condense "the greatest force into the the criticism, however, was one of the essential points
tiniest point," as Schiller expresses it, so that he which separated Schiller from yet another artist who
communicates the method and does not denigrate his was otherwise allied with him in a common political
material with descriptions appropriate to the mere goal: Gottfried Herder.
Understanding. Herder, in a sense the spiritual innovator of the
This means nothing less than that a man who has "GSttinger Hain," had advanced the thesis that the
not reached the level of reasonmand this is unfortu- true artist must be popular during his own lifetime.
nately the case with all our modern artists cannot be Herder's answer to the then-contemporary controa
real "condenser" (Dichter). Schiller rightly says of versy over the necessity of a classical renaissance was
the poet and of the morally developed, unprejudiced that it is up to future generations to judge whether or
mind, that so long as any distinction other than the not a poet is classical.
former's advantage of talent for poetic composition Biirger went ahead and applied Herder's princiexists
between them, poetic art will not radiate any pies, announcing with the publication of his poems
ennobling influence on that generation. And this is that he was a Volksdichter (popular poet), and that
precisely what has happened, especially during our achieving "popularity" was his highestdictate.
own century. Naturally, for Schiller so fully immersed in the
Even during his own lifetime Schiller was obliged tradition of Plato and the Neoplatonics--there could
to defend this highest conception of art, as represented be no higher goal than true popularity. Especially
by Schiller himself, against every form of vulgariza- following the failure of the French Revolution during
tion. Passionately concerned with the sublime, he the Jacobin reign of terror, he was acutely aware that
knew how to viciously polemicize in its defense the path to political change lay in the ennoblement of
against all pseudo-artists. He made the point in many the character of the entire population. Earlier, when
of his poems and writings that this polemic against the French Revolution first went awry, he had said
everything false is indeed the necessary prerequisite that the great moment found only a little people. For
for creating anything truly great. One of his Devo- Schiller, true popularity meant nothing other than
tional Mottoes reads: the penetration of Neoplatonic knowledge into the
pores of the population.
The Artistic Babbler But what was, and is, wrong with the view of
You demand goodness in the arts? popularity held by Biirger and other Volksdichter?
Then are you worthy of the good, Biirger, instead of "playfully and humorously" rais-
So that only eternal war rages against you? ing the population to his own level, descended instead