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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
I'm looking for the source and original German for the famous quote by Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser that in English is something like "card tricks are the Poetry of Magic."
Vielen Dank! ----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez
----- Sonny Narvaez
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Uli Weigel Inner circle Berlin, Germany 1478 Posts |
The original source is a letter, that was first published in Ottokar Fischer's book "Zauberkünste" (Berlin, 1942). Hofzinser wrote to his friend Carl von Pospischil on the 15th of march 1872. He complains a bit about another friend, who got some of Hofzinser's double ended cards. Hofzinser disliked, that this other friend handled the cards in a dry and too prosaic way. Then follows the famous quote:
"Ich für meine Person behaupte: Karten-Piecen sind die Poesie der Taschenspielerkunst! Ohne Poesie kein Dichter! Ohne Kartenkünste kein Taschenspieler, selbst wenn derselbe hexen könnte. Zwar gestehe ich diese meine Schwäche ein, lieber Freund, aber sehen Sie, eben diese Schwäche hat meinen Ruhm als Kartenkünstler stark gemacht, sowohl in Wien, Berlin, München etc. Und gibt die Karte, basiert auf guter Schule, nicht das beste Zeugnis für staunenerregende Handfertigkeit? Und wird durch diese Handfertigkeit nicht auch so mancher Apparat als Handfertigkeit seinen Glauben finden?" Here's my attempt at a rough english translation. Hope this makes sense. "I myself claim: card pieces are the poetry of prestidigitation! Without poetry no bard! Without the art of cards no prestidigitator, even if he could do real magic. Indeed I confess this is a weakness of mine, dear friend, but look, this exact weakness strengthened my fame as a card artist in Vienna, Berlin, Munich etc. And is it not true, that the cards, based on good education, bear strong testimony to awe-inspiring sleight of hand? And is it not true, that sleight of hand also lends more credibility to many an apparatus?" |
Uli Weigel Inner circle Berlin, Germany 1478 Posts |
Sorry, the last sentence should read something like: And is it not true, that sleight of hand also lends more credibility to the handling of many an apparatus?"
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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
Vielen Dank, Uli.
----- Sonny Narvaez
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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Magicians of old » » Hofzinser quote in original German? (1 Likes) |
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