Die Nibelungen. Interpreted by Franz Keim and illustrated by Carl Otto Czeschka. Wien; Leipzig: Verlag Gerlach u. Wiedling, [1909]
This copy of Die Nibelungen was a gift by Harpur College alumnus, William M. Voelkle. It is an Austrian folktale about the royal family or lineage of the Burgundians who settled in the early 5th century at Worms. The story is derived from Norse and Germanic mythologies, and is retold by Franz Keim. Keim was an Austrian writer whose literary works were predominately based on Austrian folktales. Although small in size, this book is richly illustrated by Carl Otto Czeschka, an Austrian painter and graphic designer. It remains an outstanding example of the Art Nouveau movement in Austria. This localized art movement is better known by the numerous artists of the Vienna Secession, a secession that was initiated in 1897 by Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Max Kurzweil, Otto Wagner, in addition to other painters.
Another copy of this book was highlighted by the Art Nouveu society in 2009, and can be viewed in its entirety online.
If you would like to see Binghamton University Libraries’ copy of Die Nibelungen, come to Binghamton University Libraries’ Special Collections. We are located on the second floor of the Bartle Library (off of the North Reading Room).