Our Man in Vienna

Willy, Herby and Harry: Better Late than Never

 The Assembly-Line Prince/Der Fießbandprinz was completed in 1973. I was 37 at the time. I had a real-life protagonist, Herb Andress. He was my age. I am now in my mid-eighties. My friend Herby passed away back in 2004. An adventurer, Casanova and rascal went the way of all flesh. I mourn him. I said, “Herby, I will write an honest account and make it read like fiction, but it will be you, and I will describe the adventures that you have had some being “close calls! And not always being considerate to women, to put it mildly. But it is a story that had to be written and it was made to measure for me.

 

 

Willy Verkauf-Verlon sent me a selection of new poems shortly before his death in 1994. I selected some, translated and added them to Seiltänzer/Tightrope Walker.

Willy Verkauf-Verlon, artist and poet had a peripatetic life
which took him from Austria (in 1938) to Britain, Palestine
and back to Austria again. The poems reflect his Jewish odyssey
with incision and humor. They accurately depict post-war Austria
and the world in general as viewed by a Jewish individualist
and non-conformist.

 

 

Willy Verkauf, Künstler und Lyriker, hatte ein paripathetisches Leben, das ihn von Österreich nach Großbritannien, von dort nach Palästina und wieder zurück nach Österreich brachte. Die Gedichte spiegeln seine jüdische Odyssee mit schneidender Schärfe und Humor wider. Sie zeigen das Österreich vor dem „Anschluss“, in der Kriegszeit und in den Nachkriegsjahren aus der Sicht eines jüdischen Individualisten und Nonkonformisten.

 I have published books of poetry by Else Keren, Tamar Radzyner, Stella Rotenber (Mnemosyne, Alekto), Alter Brody and Wände/Walls: Austrian Jewish Poets (Proverbis) and Alter Brody (PEN Austria/Löcker). Samuel Greenberg translated into German by Ecevit Unzunkaya is on the way by same outfit.

Gerald Grassl of Edition Tarantel has adopted me and become my Maxwell Perkins. I am in his debt. He has salvaged both Willy and Herby. I am eternally grateful to this marvelous man of culture.

Next I will relate translation shenanigans that I hope will bring amusement, rather than mordancy.

 

-Herbert Kuhner

 

contact:

Gerald Grassl
Redaktion Tarantel

Vivariumstraße 8/4/18

1020 Wien
tarantel-wien@gmx.at