Florian: The Emperor's Stallion

Last updated
Florian: The Emperor's Stallion
Florian-US-cover.jpg
First American edition
Author Felix Salten
Original titleFlorian: Das Pferd des Kaisers
TranslatorErich Posselt and Michel Kraike (US)
Norman Gullick (UK)
IllustratorPhilipp Arlen (Swiss)
CountryAustria
LanguageGerman
Genrenovel
Set inVienna
PublisherPaul Zsolnay Verlag
Publication date
1933
Published in English
1934
Pages330 (Austrian)
204 (Swiss)
343 (US)
287 (UK)
OCLC 797472098

Florian: The Emperor's Stallion (German : Florian: Das Pferd des Kaisers), also published as Florian: An Emperor's Horse and Florian the Lipizzaner, is a 1933 novel by the Austrian writer Felix Salten, made in 1940 to the film Florian . The novel tells the story of a Lipizzan horse during and after the decline of the Hapsburg monarchy in Vienna, circa 1901–1930.

Contents

Plot

The storyline of Florian can be divided in four sections. First, the childhood of Florian in Lipizza (currently Lipica, Slovenia) is depicted. Second, the story follows Florian in the Spanish Riding School where he performs with great excellence to aristocrats and monarchs, becoming a leading horse and a favourite of the emperor Francis Joseph. The third section – after a short episode back in the Lipizza Stud Farm where Florian sires offspring – presents Florian's career in the Imperial Mews of Vienna where Florian and his mates pull the emperor's coach. Finally, after the outbreak of World War I and death of the emperor, Florian becomes unemployed, is auctioned, abused by a city coachman, and sold as useless. [1] During the whole novel, the fate of the horse is set against a historical background – the dying Hapsburg empire. [2]

Characters

As in two other animal novels of Salten, Renni the Rescuer and Djibi, the Kitten , also in Florian the protagonist is an animal, surrounded by other animals and people, and the story covers several years, not a single year, as in Fifteen Rabbits , for instance. [3]

Florian is born in Lipizza on St. Florian's day, 4 May, 1901. From early on, he is taken care of by a simple stable-boy Anton Pointner, who later follows Florian to Vienna, the Spanish Riding School, because the horse is depressed when separated from his familiar caretaker. The third central character is a fox terrier called Bosco who has a deep co-dependent relationship with the horse. The animals are seen somewhat anthropomorphic in this novel: the narrator imagines what the animals might be thinking or saying, [4] and the humans treat the animals almost like persons, that is, with respect and love. [5]

Numerous fictitious characters and historical figures are included in the subsidiary personal gallery of the novel. These include Captain von Neustift, his wife Elisabeth, the riding master Ennsbauer, the State coachman Konrad Gruber, as well as the emperor Francis Joseph and the archduke Franz Ferdinand.

The characters of the riding master Ennsbauer and his mistress, the stage diva Gabriele Menzinger were modelled after the real riding master Johann Meixner (1865–1917) and the actress Helene Odilon (1863–1939). [6]

According to Salten's biographer Beverley Driver Eddy, "the portrayals of royalty are as compelling as those of the animals". [7] As a journalist, Salten was famous for his sketches, portrayals and obituaries of celebrities, which were also collected in books: Buch der Könige (1905) and Das österreichische Antlitz (1909). [8] In Florian, the text sometimes turns into "a history lecture" [9] about the Heir Apparent, Franz Ferdinand, who receives special attention: he is shown coarse and impatient to ascend to the throne, and the antagonism between him and the emperor is illustrated in detail. [7] Also the visiting monarchs Edward VII of England and Nicholas II of Russia are depicted in a lively way.

Variety of versions

An illustration by Philipp Arlen for the 1942 abridged edition depicts the Feast of Corpus Christi procession in Vienna, allegedly 22 May 1913, with Florian as the leading horse. Florian-1942-drawing.jpg
An illustration by Philipp Arlen for the 1942 abridged edition depicts the Feast of Corpus Christi procession in Vienna, allegedly 22 May 1913, with Florian as the leading horse.

Florian was first published in German language by Paul Zsolnay Verlag in 1933 and quickly went into second printing. [10]

After Salten was forced to exile to Switzerland in 1939, his new publisher put out new editions of his work with novel illustrations, and Florian was released there in 1942 with illustrations by Philipp Arlen (1876–1944). This edition, however, is heavily abridged. The text is not rewritten, but sections of the text and certain episodes are left out, like Bosco's amorous escapades with the bitch Prittie [11] and the disastrous visit of Nicholas II to Vienna. [12] The novel was abridged also earlier, in 1937, Holland, by Adam van der Woude for the series Neue deutsche Bibliothek. [13]

The unabridged German-language text of Florian has not been available in print since the 1930s. Some translations made after 1939 use the abridged text of Florian with Arlen's drawings, including the French one and the Dutch one. [14] The Finnish translation from 2021 presents the full text with Arlen's illustrations, and hence this edition consists of both illustrated and unillustrated sequences. [15]

Florian was translated into English in 1934 both in the United States (Florian: The Emperor's Stallion) and in the United Kingdom (Florian: An Emperor's Horse). Both editions reproduce the complete text with slight modifications, and both are unillustrated. The American edition has chapter numbering added to the novel; the British edition has the paragraph division altered and there are small omissions in the text. [14]

The following sample shows how differently the translators have interpreted a short excerpt: [16]

American editionBritish edition

Once when they trotted back to Ischl from an evening's hunt they came, in the deep dusk of the forest, directly upon a stag. The light from the carriage lanterns flickered over his ruddy skin and crown of antlers. Then he bounded into the thicket and disappeared.
 With a quickened play of their ears and surprised eyes the two horses had spied the shadowy figure. Florian wanted to ask Capitano: "Do you know who that is?" But Capitano asked the very question first. Before they could puzzle out an answer the whole intermezzo was over.
 Whether they drove to the Hotel Elisabeth, over to the villa of the Emperor's daughter, Gisela, or elsewhere, Florian enjoyed this furlough from the strained going between high stone walls on paved streets. He enjoyed the quaint abiding charm of this village set like a jewel in the midst of forests and mountains. His enjoyment, of course, was not the product of his brain; he simply showed his gratitude for the freer form of existence in the more intense exhilaration of his being. [17]

Once when they were returning to Ischl from an evening's deer-stalking a bear was standing in the middle of the dark forest road. The carriage lamps shone uncertainly on its reddish skin, its ruffle and head. The two horses twitched their ears anxiously and gazed with astonishment at the shadowy apparition. But as they came nearer it sprang aside into the thicket and disappeared. Florian was about to ask Capitano whether he knew what it was, but Capitano forestalled him with the same question, and by that time the thing had vanished.
 No matter where the carriage went, to the Hotel Elizabeth, to the villa of the Emperor's daughter Gisela, Florian enjoyed the refreshing experience of not having to move on hard-paved streets with high buildings on each side. He felt the charm of this resort, little more than a village, amid the forests and the mountains. Naturally he did not stop to consider why the place appealed to him so strongly, but his increasing high spirits were directly due to the freer life which he was now leading. [18]

Reception

In Neues Wiener Tagblatt , the novel was praised as "a passionate creed to Austria", and the reviewer of Neues Wiener Journal characterized it as not only a novel of "a horse, of a small dog, of a stable hand, but at the same time also a novel of the Old Austria". [6] As for the American edition, Saturday Review of Literature wrote in 1934 that Florian is "a revelation, comparable to the revelation of 'Nijinsky' to those who thought the ballet a triviality". [10] According to Eddy, "Florian is Salten's most perfect blending of animal and human existences". [10]

Selected editions

Film adaptation

An MGM film was made in 1940: Florian , starring Robert Young, Helen Gilbert and Charles Coburn. [19]

Related Research Articles

<i>Bambi, a Life in the Woods</i> 1923 novel by Felix Salten

Bambi, a Life in the Woods is a 1923 Austrian coming-of-age novel written by Felix Salten, and originally published in Berlin by Ullstein Verlag. The novel traces the life of Bambi, a male roe deer, from his birth through childhood, the loss of his mother, the finding of a mate, the lessons he learns from his father, and the experience he gains about the dangers posed by human hunters in the forest. It is also, in its most complete translation, seen as a parable of the dangers and persecution faced by Jews in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Florian</span> Christian saint (250–304)

Florian was a Christian holy man and the patron saint of chimney sweeps; soapmakers, and firefighters. His feast day is 4 May. Florian is also the patron saint of Poland, the city of Linz, Austria, and Upper Austria, jointly with Leopold III, Margrave of Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felix Salten</span> Austro-Hungarian author and literary critic

Felix Salten was an Austro-Hungarian author and literary critic in Vienna. His most famous work is Bambi, a Life in the Woods, which was adapted into an animated feature film, Bambi, by Walt Disney Productions in 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lipizzan</span> Horse breed noted for use in the Spanish Riding School in Vienna

The Lipizzan or Lipizzaner is a European breed of riding horse developed in the Habsburg Empire in the sixteenth century. It is of Baroque type, and is powerful, slow to mature and long-lived; the coat is usually gray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Riding School</span> Traditional riding school in Vienna

The Spanish Riding School is an Austrian institution dedicated to the preservation of classical dressage and the training of Lipizzaner horses, based in Vienna, Austria, whose performances in the Hofburg are also a tourist attraction. The leading horses and riders of the school also periodically tour and perform worldwide. It is one of the "Big Four", the most prestigious classical riding academies in the world, alongside the Cadre Noir, the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, and the Royal Andalusian School.

<i>Josephine Mutzenbacher</i> Austrian novel

Josephine Mutzenbacher or The Story of a Viennese Whore, as Told by Herself is an erotic novel first published anonymously in Vienna, Austria, in 1906. The novel is famous in the German-speaking world, having been in print in both German and English for over 100 years and sold over 3 million copies, becoming an erotic bestseller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alois Podhajsky</span> Austrian equestrian

Alois Podhajsky was an Austrian soldier and Equestrian, riding instructor and Olympic medal-winner in dressage. He was the director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria and competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics and the 1948 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stud farm</span> Establishment for selective breeding of livestock

A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding". Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the development of a stud book. Male animals made available for breeding to outside female animals are said to be "standing at stud", or at "stud service", referencing the relatively high probability that they are kept at a stud farm.

<i>Bambis Children</i>

Bambi's Children: The Story of a Forest Family is a 1939 coming-of-age novel written by Austrian author Felix Salten as a sequel to his 1923 work Bambi, a Life in the Woods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rottaler</span> German breed of horse

The Rottaler is a German breed of riding and carriage horse of heavy warmblood type. The name derives from that of the Rottal, the valley of the Rott in the Landkreis of Rottal-Inn in south-eastern Bavaria. It is critically endangered. The Bavarian Warmblood derives from it.

Kurt Wiese was a German-born book illustrator, who wrote and illustrated 20 children's books and illustrated another 300 for other authors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piber Federal Stud</span> Lipizzan horse stud farm in Austria

The Piber Federal Stud is a stud farm dedicated to the breeding of Lipizzan horses, located at the village of Piber, near the town of Köflach in western Styria, Austria. It was founded in 1798, began breeding Lipizzan horses in 1920, and today is the primary breeding farm that produces the stallions used by the Spanish Riding School, where the best stallions of each generation bred at Piber are brought for training and later public performance. One of Piber’s major objectives is "to uphold a substantial part of Austria’s cultural heritage and to preserve one of the best and most beautiful horse breeds in its original form."

<i>Florian</i> (film) 1940 American film

Florian is a 1940 American romantic drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin, and starring Robert Young and Helen Gilbert. It is loosely based on the novel Florian by Felix Salten.

<i>The Hound of Florence</i> Book by Felix Saten

The Hound of Florence: A Novel is a 1923 novel written by Felix Salten. It is best known today for partly inspiring the 1959 Walt Disney Productions film The Shaggy Dog as well as its sequels and remakes. The novel was first translated into English in 1930 by Huntley Paterson, and the translation has illustrations by Kurt Wiese.

<i>Fünf Minuten Amerika</i>

Fünf Minuten Amerika is a 1931 travel book by the Austrian writer Felix Salten, depicting his tour of 1930 in the United States of America. This is his second travel book, following his account of Palestine, Neue Menschen auf alter Erde, of 1925. Salten himself considered these two books to be his foremost.

<i>Neue Menschen auf alter Erde</i>

Neue Menschen auf alter Erde: Eine Palästinafahrt is a 1925 travel book by Felix Salten, depicting his 1924 visit to Mandatory Palestine. Like his 1931 travel volume Fünf Minuten Amerika, also Neue Menschen auf alter Erde was first published as a series of feuilletons in a Vienna newspaper. Salten himself considered these two books to be his foremost.

<i>Renni the Rescuer</i> 1940 novel by Felix Salton

Renni the Rescuer: A Dog of the Battlefield is a 1940 war novel by Felix Salten, describing the career of a military working dog called Renni, a German Shepherd dog, and his master, Georg.

<i>Djibi, the Kitten</i>

Djibi, the Kitten is the last novel of Felix Salten, published originally in 1945 and translated into English in 1946. Similarly as in other Salten's late books, the protagonist is an animal, this time a young female cat called Djibi.

<i>Fifteen Rabbits</i> 1927 novel by Felix Salten

Fifteen Rabbits is a 1929 survival and adventure novel by the Austrian writer Felix Salten. The novel depicts a year in the life of a colony of rabbits in the same forest where Bambi dwells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altwürttemberger</span> Horse breed from Germany

The Altwürttemberger is a horse breed from Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With origins dating back to the 16th century, the breed originated at Germany's oldest stud farm, Marbach. The Altwürttemberger is mainly descended from the Anglo-Norman founder stallion Faust. Its studbook was created in 1895, and the breed was established at the beginning of the following century. Until the Second World War, this horse was used for agricultural work, then declined for lack of use. A small number of specimens were saved with the formation of an association in 1988.

References

  1. Ehness, Jürgen (2002). Felix Saltens erzählerisches Werk: Beschreibung und Deutung (in German). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. p. 256. ISBN   3-631-38178-6.
  2. Eddy, Beverley Driver (2010). Felix Salten: Man of Many Faces. Riverside (Ca.): Ariadne Press. p. 252. ISBN   978-1-57241-169-2.
  3. Ehness (2002), p. 255.
  4. Ehness (2002), p. 260.
  5. Ehness (2002), p. 261.
  6. 1 2 Strigl, Daniela (2020). "Bambi & Co.: Saltens Tierbücher als Dokumente der Zeitgenossenschaft". In Atze, Marcel (ed.). Im Schatten von Bambi: Felix Salten entdeckt die Wiener Moderne (in German). Wien: Residenz Verlag. p. 338. ISBN   978-3-7017-3520-4.
  7. 1 2 Eddy (2010), p. 253.
  8. Eddy (2010), pp. 138–139.
  9. Mattl, Siegfried; Schwarz, Werner Michael (2006). "Felix Salten: Annäherung an eine Biografie". Felix Salten: Schriftsteller – Journalist – Exilant. Wien: Holzhausen. p. 65. ISBN   978-3-85493-128-7.
  10. 1 2 3 Eddy (2010), p. 254.
  11. Florian (1933), pp. 219–224.
  12. Florian (1933), pp. 242–249.
  13. Salten, Felix (1937). Woude, Adam van der (ed.). Florian: Das Pferd des Kaisers. Roman (in German). Zwolle: Tjeenk Willink.
  14. 1 2 Felix Salten: A Preliminary Bibliography of His Works in Translation.
  15. Salten, Felix (2021). Florian, keisarin hevonen: Romaani (in Finnish). Translated by Markus Lång. Helsinki: Books on Demand. p. 222 (translator's note). ISBN   978-952-80-4318-8.
  16. Florian (1933), p. 235–236.
  17. Florian: The Emperor's Stallion (1934), pp. 246–247.
  18. Florian the Lipizzaner (1963), pp. 207–208.
  19. Florian at IMDb OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg