Ein Wiener am Nordkap

Abstract

The essay examines the exclusive journey to Scandinavia of the 34-year-old Austrian poet Arthur Schnitzler in the summer of 1896 on the basis of its documentation in the diary as well as in various correspondences. Especially in his love letters to his mistress Marie Reinhard, the young Viennese author, creates the ,fictional idea of an imaginary journey for two‘ in order to let her participate in his experiences abroad. On this source basis, Schnitzler’s ,touristic view‘ of the north and Western Norway in particular, as well as its productive reception in his literary work, are discussed in order to show the fictional as well as factual components of his image of the north and of northerness in general.