Ricarda Huch

Huch, Ricarda 

Born July 18, 1864, in Braunschweig; died Nov. 17, 1947, in Schünberg. German writer.

Huch studied at the faculty of history and philosophy of the University of Zürich from 1888 to 1891 and received the degree of doctor of philosophy in 1892. She became a member of the Prussian Academy of Arts in 1926 but subsequently resigned in protest against the fascist dictatorship. After the defeat of fascist Germany she became an honorary chairman of the Kulturbund.

Huch’s novel Recollections of Ludolf Ursleu the Younger (published 1893) describes the decline and fall of an ancient patrician family. Psychological insight and wide-ranging social interests distinguish such novels as Vita Somnium Breve (1903; renamed Michael Unger, 1913) and Of Kings and Crown (1904). She wrote several historical works on the social development of Europe and three volumes of the work German History (published 1934–49). She was a master of the lyric poem (first collection, 1891), the short story, and the essay. Huch was awarded the Goethe Prize in 1931.

WORKS

Gesammelte Werke, vols. 1–10. Edited by W. Emrich. Cologne-Berlin, 1966–70.
In Russian translation:
Delo doktora Derugi. Leningrad, 1926.
Svetoprestavlenie i drugie novelly. Leningrad, 1970.

REFERENCES

Istoriia nemetskoi literatury, vol. 4. Moscow, 1968.
Baumgarten, H. Ricarda Huch. Weimar, 1964.

S. G. SLUTSKAIA