Max Mohr (1891-1937), an Almost Forgotten Dramatist and Novelist of the 1920s, in Exile in Shanghai 1934-37

Abstract

Max Mohr, the subject o f this essay,' was one of the rising stars o f the German theater in the 1920s, but was almost completely forgotten soon after he went into exile and in the post-war years, as well. Only recently have there been signs o f a renewed interest in him and his literary works. This essay will emphasize three aspects: first o f all, with the help o f some short biographical notes, it wants to make Max Mohr better known to students o f German literature in America where only little, if any, notice has been taken o f him. Secondly, it presents a short review of Mohrs literary oeuvre and his place in the German literature o f the 1920s and early 1930s. Lastly, it is intended to throw some light on Shanghai as an important, but less well-known place o f exile for German and Austrian Jews during the years o f National Socialist rule in Central Europe. The extent to which Max Mohr was forgotten can be seen from a short perusal o f biographical handbooks as well as histories and encyclopedias o f German literature. Vol. 17 o f the Neue Deutsche Biographie (containing the letter M) which appeared in 1994 does not mention him at all;^ neither does the authoritative Lexikon der deutschsprachigen Gegenwartsliteratur, 2nd edition, o f 1987.^ The same is true o f two shorter encyclopedias o f literature popular with students, i.e.. Kroner’s Deutsche Schrifisteller der Gegenwart and Rowohlt’s Autorenlexikon deutschsprachiger Literatur des 20. Jahrhunderts.^ The widely used Metzler Lexikon Autoren does not contain his name in its 4th edition of 2010.^ This may be seen as atypical considering the very recent publication date o f this reference work and the renewed interest in Mohr mentioned above. The Deutsche Literatur-Lexikon, 3rd edition, o f 1986 has