Briesen, Western Prussia, Germany, 1881 — Buenos Aires, 1946

 

Writer, poet, playwright, journalist, pacifist

 

Both poets and admirers of the Belgian Émile Verhaeren and French literature, the German Paul Zech and Austrian Stefan Zweig met before the First World War, which turned them into staunch pacifists. The friendship endured through to exile in South America, where both died - Zweig in Petrópolis, in 1942, and Zech in Argentina, in 1946. The extensive correspondence between them began in 1910 (published by S.Fischer in 1986) and was interrupted a few days before the suicide, when Zweig, in a letter to his friend, dated 4th February, revealed clues as to his intentions: “About my forthcoming activities you will receive word, either directly or indirectly through that means of communication I so despise.” Zweig hated the radio.

 

Zech was a controversial character and had the habit of manipulating his curriculum vitae at will. He was a prolific writer and poet from an early age. He wrote poetry from 1901, when he still lived in Wuppertal. In 1912 he moved to Berlin, where he joined the literary circles and also met the writer Franz Werfel. In 1913 he worked on his first translations of Émile Verhaeren, who was venerated by Stefan Zweig. Soon after the outbreak of the First World War, Zech enlisted voluntarily. His early enthusiasm for the war soon gave way to scepticism. His injuries by a poison gas grenade affected him for the rest of his life. In 1916 he published a letter which he claimed to have received from Verhaeren, revealing the Belgian author as conciliatory and peaceful, rather than hostile towards the Germans. It was published in a Berlin newspaper and caused some controversy between Germany and Belgium.

 

In March 1933, Zech was fired from the post of librarian due to his proximity with the Social Democratic Party. Soon afterward, he was investigated in a case of book theft. He fled to Vienna and Trieste, and then to Montevideo and Buenos Aires. There, he lived in poverty – he worked as pianist in a bar in Boca, night-watchman, and peddler – assisted by Zweig and the film-maker William Dieterle, in exile in Hollywood, until his death in 1946. He had a difficult temperament, fought with everyone, including his brother who lived in Buenos Aires, secured his entry into Argentina and helped him financially. He also quarrelled with the owners of the Argentinisches Tageblatt, a newspaper he wrote for. He met Zweig in the Argentinian capital in 1936 and 1940. Zech described the meetings as “rushed”. The second was also with Lotte, whom Zech portrays with great affection.

 

The list of works by Zech numbers dozens of titles (the full list is in Ward B. Lewis, Poetry and Exile. An Annotated Bibliography of the Works and Criticism of Paul Zech (Bern and Frankfurt/M. 1975). Among works reprinted over the last three decades are: Die lasterhaften Balladen und Lieder des François Villon. Nachdichtung von Paul Zech. Mit einer Biographie über Villon [The Immoral Ballades and Songs of François Villon. Recreated by Paul Zech. With a biography of Villon]. Munich, dtv, 1962, Deutschland, dein Tänzer ist der Tod [Germany, Your Dancer is Death], ein Tatsachen-Roman. Frankfurt/Main 1984, Michael M. irrt durch Buenos Aires [Michael M. Wanders Through Buenos Aires]. Rudolfstadt 1985, Von der Maas bis an die Marne. Ein Kriegstagebuch [From Maas to Marne. A War Diary]. Rudolfstadt 1986, Paul Zech Lesebuch [The Paul Zech Reader]. Org. Wolfgang Delseit. Cologne 2005.

 

Address listed: c/o Presse. 360 Calle Castelli, Buenos Aires