Bachmann sought to reshape language in post-war Europe

Cecilia Hansson's essay delves into the literary world of Ingeborg Bachmann, a prominent post-war European writer who strived to forge a new language untainted by the discourse of perpetrators. Bachmann, born 100 years ago in Klagenfurt, Austria, was a precocious child who preferred imaginative storytelling over conventional fairy tales.

Bachmann's upbringing was marked by a dual culture, with Slovenian influences present in her surroundings. However, she also lived through the era of National Socialism, a period deeply affecting her, particularly due to her father's involvement as a Wehrmacht officer. This legacy became a significant burden she actively sought to confront and process throughout her life and work.

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a map that conceals the destinations

Following the war, Bachmann engaged in a relationship with a Jewish soldier who had fled Austria. Their correspondence reveals her resistance to the prevailing wartime ideology and her commitment to critically examining established truths. This critical inquiry became a defining characteristic of her literary output, which encompassed poetry, prose, and essays. Her ambition was to create a language that would 'annihilate phrases' and challenge conventional narratives, reflecting a profound desire to reshape understanding in the wake of historical trauma.

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a language that would annihilate phrases