Radio Benjamin

Appendix: Walter Benjamin’s Radio Broadcasts

The Appendix, a chronological presentation of Benjamin’s known broadcasts and, where possible, their titles, is intended to provide the reader with an overall sense of the scale and timing of Benjamin’s broadcast output. It is indebted to Sabine Schiller-Lerg’s seminal study, Walter Benjamin und der Rundfunk (see in particular her chronological listing of the broadcasts, pp. 530–2; for programming categories, see especially pp. 540–1), as well as to the editors’ notes to Benjamin’s Gesammelte Schriften. Both of these sources provide detailed information concerning the archival status, dating, and location of Benjamin’s broadcasts. Where indicated, the information comes from another source.

Below the individual translations in this volume, we have provided further information, where available, concerning the archival sources from which the dates of broadcast have been determined. There, where possible, we also indicate the length and time of the broadcasts.

For broadcasts that are translated and included in Radio Benjamin, the reader is referred to this volume. For broadcasts that do not appear in this volume but that have been translated elsewhere, the reader is referred to the relevant translation. For broadcasts that do not appear in this volume and, as far as we know, have not been translated elsewhere, the reader is referred to the relevant pages in the Gesammelte Schriften. In the last instance, the titles appear first in German, with a translation provided in brackets.

A word on the “lost or missing” broadcasts: these are known to have taken place in the sense that other archival traces, including announcements in radio journals such as the Berlin station’s Funkstunde or the Frankfurt station’s Südwestdeutsche Rundfunk-Zeitung, testify to the fact. These broadcast-events, for which there is no remaining typescript of the material in its broadcast form, fall into at least two categories: broadcasts for which there is no related, surviving “textual witness” to the broadcast material, in other words no existing material other than the mention of the broadcast in a radio journal or in Benjamin’s other broadcasts, letters, or other work; and broadcasts for which there exist other, related versions of the material, such as print versions published elsewhere by Benjamin. For the latter category, we refer the reader to the relevant pages of the related material in the Gesammelte Schriften, and, where possible, relevant translations of the related texts.

For dates on which a broadcast is known to have taken place but for which the precise title or content is not known, the relevant, if incomplete, information is given in brackets under the title column. These dates should be read in tandem with Table 2, which gives broadcast texts for which the precise date of broadcast is not known.

Table 3 provides information about radio texts that were planned or completed by Benjamin but were never aired, as well as about broadcasts that might have taken place but for which there is no further information.

Table 1: Chronological list of broadcast dates

Date

Station

Title

Programming Category / Broadcast Type

Reference

1.

3/23/1927

Frankfurt

“

Junge russische Dichter” [Young Russian Writers]

Talk

Lost or missing. See related text, “Neue Dichtung in Russland,” GS, 2.2, 755–62.

2.

8/14/1929

Frankfurt

“Die Romane von Julien Green” [The Novels of Julien Green]

Talk on the book-hour

Lost or missing. See related text, “Julien Green,” GS, 2.1, 328–34. Translated in SW, 2, 331–6.

3.

8/15/1929

Frankfurt

“Children’s Literature”

Talk

In this volume.

4.

8/20/1929

Frankfurt

“Reading of Works by Robert

Walser”

Reading

Lost or missing.

¹

5.

9/4/1929

Frankfurt

“Vorlesung aus eigenen Werken” [Readings from My Own Work]

Reading

Lost or missing.

6.

10/29/1929

Frankfurt

“Johann Peter Hebel”

Talk on the book-hour

GS, 2.2, 636–40.

7.

10/31/1929

Frankfurt

“Gides Berufung” [Gide’s Vocation]

Talk

GS, 2.1, 257–69.

8.

11/9/1929

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

9.

11/23/1929

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

10.

11/30/1929

Berlin

[In a series entitled “Tales and Adventures”; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

11.

12/7/1929

Berlin

“Berlin Puppet Theater”

Youth radio

In this volume.

12.

12/14/1929

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

13.

12/15/1929

Frankfurt

“Bücher von Thornton Wilder und Ernest Hemingway” [Books by Thornton Wilder and Ernest Hemingway]

Talk on the book-hour

GS, 7.1, 270–1.

14.

12/16/1929

Frankfurt

“Sketched in Mobile Dust”

Reading

In this volume.

15.

1/4/1930

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

16.

1/23/1930

Frankfurt

“Pariser Köpfe” [Parisian Minds]

Talk

GS, 7.1, 279–86.

17.

1/24/1930

Frankfurt

“Friedrich Sieburgs Versuch ‘Gott in Frankreich?’ ” [Friedrich Sieburg’s Essay “God in France?”]

Talk on the book-hour

GS, 7.1, 286–94.

18.

2/1/1930

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

19.

2/8/1930

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

20.

2/15/1930

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

21.

2/25/1930

Berlin

“Demonic Berlin”

Youth radio

In this volume.

22.

3/7/1930

Berlin

“Berlin Guttersnipe”

Youth radio

In this volume.

23.

3/15/1930

Berlin

“Berlin Toy Tour I”

Youth radio

In this volume.

24.

3/22/1930

Berlin

“Berlin Toy Tour II”

Youth radio

In this volume.

25.

3/26/1930

Frankfurt

“E. T. A. Hoffmann and Oskar Panizza”

Talk

In this volume.

26.

3/28/1930

Frankfurt

“Reuters

Schelmuffsky

und Kortums

Jobsiade

[Reuter’s

Scheimuffsky

and Kortum’s

Jobsiade

]

Talk on the book-hour

GS, 2.2, 648–60.

27.

3/29/1930

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

²

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

28.

4/5/1930

Berlin

“Borsig”

Youth radio

In this volume.

29.

4/12/1930

Berlin

[On a Berlin-related theme; title unknown]

³

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

30.

4/14/1930

Berlin

“Theodor Hosemann”

Youth radio

In this volume.

31.

5/9/1930

Frankfurt

“Prescriptions for Comedy Writers: A Conversation between Wilhelm Speyer and Walter Benjamin”

Dialogue

In this volume.

32.

5/11/1930

Frankfurt

“ ‘Die Angstellten — Aus dem neuesten Deutschland’ von S. Kracauer” [“White-Collar Workers: The Latest from Germany,” by S. Kracauer]

Talk on the book-hour

Lost or missing. See related text, “Ein Aussentseiter Macht sich Bemerkbar, Zu S. Kracauer. ‘Die Angestellten,’ ” GS, 3, 219–25. Translated as “An Outsider Makes His Mark,” SW, 2, 305–11.

33.

5/24/1930

Berlin

“Besuch im Kupferwerk” [Visit to the Copper Works]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

34.

6/22/1930

Berlin

Erzählung der Woche [Story of the Week]

Reading

Lost or missing.

35.

6/23/1930

Frankfurt

“Neues um Stefan George” [Something New About Stefan George]

Talk

Lost or missing. See related text, “Wider ein Meisterwerk: Zu Max Kommerell, ‘Der Dichter als Führer in der deutschen Klassik,’ ” GS, 3, 252–9. Translated as “Against a Masterpiece,” SW, 2, 378–85.

36.

6/24/1930

Frankfurt

“Bert Brecht”

Talk

GS, 2.2, 660–7. Translated in SW, 2, 365–71.

37.

7/1/1930

Berlin

[“A Visit to the Brass Works”]

Youth radio

In this volume.

38.

7/12/1930

Berlin

“A Visit to the Brass Works”

Youth radio

In this volume.

39.

7/16/1930

Berlin

“Witch Trials”

Youth radio

In this volume.

40.

9/20/1930

Berlin

“Das Leben des Autos”

⁴

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

41.

9/22/1930

Frankfurt

“

Myslowitz-Braunschweig-Marseille: Die Geschichte eines Haschisch-Rausches” [Myslovice-Braunschweig — Marseilles: The Story of a Hashish Trance]

Reading

Lost or missing. See related text in GS, 4.2, 729–37. Translated in SW, 2, 386–93.

42.

9/23/1930

Frankfurt

“Robber Bands in Old Germany”

Youth radio

In this volume.

43.

9/27/1930

Berlin

“True Dog Stories”

Youth radio

In this volume.

44.

10/2/1930

Berlin

“Robber Bands in Old Germany”

Youth radio

In this volume.

45.

10/23/1930

Berlin

“The Gypsies”

Youth radio

In this volume.

46.

11/8/1930

Berlin

“The Bootleggers”

Youth radio

In this volume.

47.

11/22/1930

Berlin

“Kaspar Hauser”

Youth radio

In this volume.

48.

11/23/1930

Frankfurt

“Alte und neue Graphologie” [Graphology Old and New]

Talk

Lost or missing. See related text in GS, 4.1, 596–8. Translated in SW, 2, 398–400.

49.

12/17/1930

Frankfurt

“Kaspar Hauser”

Youth radio

In this volume.

50.

12/29/1930

Frankfurt

“Carousel of Jobs”

Talk

In this volume.

51.

12/31/1930

Frankfurt

“The Bootleggers”

Youth radio

In this volume.

52.

1/16/1931

Berlin

[theme and title unknown]

⁵

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

53.

1/17/1931

Frankfurt

“Das Leben des Autos”

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

54.

1/30/1931

Berlin

“Dr. Faust”

Youth radio

In this volume.

55.

2/8/1931

Berlin

“Wie nehme ich meinen Chef?” [How Do I Deal with My Boss?] (with Wolf Zucker)

Listening model

See “A Pay Raise?! Whatever Gave You That Idea!” in this volume.

56.

2/11/1931

Frankfurt

“Theodor Neuhof, der König von Korsika” [Theodor Neuhof, the King of Corsica]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

57.

2/14/1931

Frankfurt

“Cagliostro”

Youth radio

In this volume.

58.

3/22/1931

Frankfurt

“Tag des Buches: Vom Manuskript zum 100. Tausend: Gespräch zwischen Ernst Rowohlt und Walter Benjamin” [Day of the Book: From Manuscript to One Hundred Thousand: A Conversation between Ernst Rowohlt and Walter Benjamin]

Dialogue

Lost or missing.

59.

3/26/1931

Frankfurt

Listening Model I: “A Pay Raise?! Whatever Gave You That Idea!” (with Wolf Zucker)

Listening model

In this volume.

60.

3/28/1931

Frankfurt

“Dr. Faust”

Youth radio

In this volume.

61.

3/28/1931

Frankfurt

“Das öffentliche Lokal, ein unerforschtes Milieu” [The Local Bar, an Unexplored Milieu]

Talk

Lost or missing.

62.

4/27/1931

Frankfurt

“Unpacking My Library: A Talk about Collecting”

Talk

Lost or missing. See related text translated in SW, 2, 486–93.

63.

4/29/1931

Frankfurt

“The Bastille, the Old French State Prison”

Youth radio

In this volume.

64.

5/9/1931

Frankfurt

“Naples”

Youth/School radio

In this volume.

65.

7/1/1931

Frankfurt

“Wie die Zauberer es machen” [How the Magicians Do It]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

66, 67.

7/1/1931

Frankfurt and Berlin

Hörmodell II: “Frech wird der Junge auch noch!” [Listening Model II: The Boy Is Getting Fresh, Too!] (with Wolf Zucker)

Listening model

Lost or missing.

68.

7/3/1931

Frankfurt

“Franz Kafka:

Beim Bau der Chinesischen Mauer

”

Talk on the book-hour

GS, 2.2, 676–83. Translated in SW, 2, 494–500.

69.

9/16/1931

Frankfurt

“Wie die Tierbändiger es machen” [How the Animal Tamers Do It]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

70.

9/18/1931

Berlin

“The Fall of Herculaneum and Pompeii”

Youth radio

In this volume.

71.

10/31/1931

Berlin

“The Lisbon Earthquake”

Youth radio

In this volume.

72.

11/5/1931

Berlin

“Canton Theater Fire”

Youth radio

In this volume.

73.

1/3/1932

Frankfurt

“

Funkspiele: Dichter nach Stichworten” [Radio plays: Poets by Category]

Radio play

Lost or missing.

74.

1/6/1932

Frankfurt

“The Lisbon Earthquake”

Youth radio

In this volume.

75.

1/19/1932

Frankfurt

“Auf der Spur alter Briefe” [On the Trail of Old Letters]

Talk

See the related material in GS, 4.2, 942–4. Translated in SW, 2, 555–8.

76.

1/21/1932

Frankfurt

Länder-Querschnitt III: “Frankreich in seiner Kunst” [Countries in Profile III: France in Its Art]

Talk

Lost or missing.

77.

2/3/1932

Frankfurt

“Canton Theater Fire”

Youth radio

In this volume.

78.

2/4/1932

Berlin

“The Railway Disaster at the Firth of Tay”

Youth radio

In this volume.

79.

2/16/1932

Berlin

What the Germans Were Reading While Their Classical Authors Were Writing

Radio play

In this volume.

80.

3/10/1932

Frankfurt

Much Ado About Kasper

Radio play for children

In this volume.

81.

3/23/1932

Berlin

“The Mississippi Flood of 1927”

Youth radio

In this volume.

82.

3/30/1932

Frankfurt

“The Railway Disaster at the Firth of Tay”

Youth radio

In this volume.

83.

5/16/1932

Frankfurt

The Cold Heart

(with Ernst Schoen)

Radio play for children

In this volume.

84.

7/6/1932

Frankfurt

“Denksport” [Mental Exercise]

Youth radio

See “A Crazy Mixed-Up Day: Thirty Brainteasers” in this volume.

85.

9/9/1932

Cologne

Much Ado About Kasper

Radio play for children

In this volume.

86.

1/19/1933

Frankfurt

“Von Seeräubern und Piraten” [On Pirates and Privateers]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

87.

1/29/1933

Frankfurt

“Aus einer unveröffentlichten Skizzensammlung

Berliner Kindheit um 1900

” [From an unpublished collection of sketches,

Berlin Childhood around 1900

]

Reading

Lost or missing. See the related material, translated as

Berlin Childhood Around 1900

, in SW, 3, 345–413.

¹ Information on this broadcast was provided by Thomas Küpper, coeditor (with Anja Nowak) of Benjamin’s radio writings in the new critical edition, Werke und Nachlaß (Berlin: Suhrkamp, forthcoming). The announcement of the broadcast was discovered by Mr. Gregor Ackermann, who found in the newspaper Frankfurter Nachrichten, vol. 208, no. 230 (August 20, 1929), a listing indicating that “Walter Benjamin would read the works of Robert Walser on Frankfurt radio the same day” (email from Thomas Küpper, February 8, 2013). Unfortunately, no surviving text for this broadcast has been found.

² Based on comments made by Benjamin in both “Borsig” and “The Rental Barracks,” Schiller-Lerg speculates that Benjamin’s broadcast for March 29, 1930 was on the subject of “Baugeschichte Berlins unter Friedrich Wilhelm I” [The Building History of Berlin under Frederick William I] (Walter Benjamin und der Rundfunk, 141–3, 530).

³ Schiller-Lerg suggests that “The Rental Barracks” was most likely broadcast on this date (Walter Benjamin und der Rundfunk, 112, 142, 532).

⁴ There is some debate on the title and subject-matter of this broadcast, as well as that of the subsequent broadcast on January 17, 1931. Schiller-Lerg lists “Vom Leben der Autos” as the title for the broadcast on September 20, 1930, and “Das Leben des Antos” for the broadcast on January 17, 1931. Her discussion of the broadcast makes a compelling case for a focus on “Autos,” or cars (Walter Benjamin und der Rundfunk, 169). The editors of the GS, however, dispute the spelling of “Autos” and insist that the title ought to be “Das Leben des Antos” (GS, 2.3, 1442).

⁵ Schiller-Lerg suggests “Postage Stamp Swindles” as a possible candidate for this broadcast (Walter Benjamin und der Rundfunk, 165).

Table 2: Broadcasts whose precise dates are not known

These titles should be read in conjunction with the dates listed in Table 1, where the exact title or content, as indicated in brackets, has not been determined.

Date

Station

Title

Category

Reference

1.

[probably Nov. or Dec. 1929]

Berlin

“Berlin Dialect”

Youth radio

In this volume.

2.

[probably end of 1929 or beginning of 1930]

Berlin

“Street Trade and Markets in Old and New Berlin”

Youth radio

In this volume.

3.

[probably 1929/1930]

Berlin

“Fontane’s

Wanderings Trough the Mark Brandenburg

”

Youth radio

In this volume.

4.

[probably spring or summer, 1930]

Berlin

“The Rental Barracks”

Youth radio

In this volume.

5.

[probably the second half of 1930]

Berlin

“Postage Stamp Swindles”

Youth radio

In this volume.

6.

[probably 7/6/1932]

Frankfurt

“A Crazy Mixed-Up Day: Thirty Brainteasers”

Youth radio

In this volume.

Table 3: Broadcasts that were planned, started, or completed, but never delivered on air, or broadcasts for which there is no further information

Status

Title

Category

Reference

1.

Completed, but never broadcast

Lichtenberg: A Cross-Section

Radio play

In this volume.

2.

Started

“Leben, Meinung und Taten des Hieronymus Jobs

von Kortum” [Kortum’s

Life, Opinions, and Deeds of Hieronymus Jobs

]

Youth radio

Lost or missing.

3.

Planned

[Radio play on Spiritism]

Radio play

No known text was ever produced.

4.

Planned

Hörmodell III: “Kannst Du mir bis Donnerstag aushefen?” [Listening model III: Can You Help Me Out Until Thursday?]

Listening model

Lost or missing.

5, 6, 7.

Possibly broadcast with Wolf Zucker

[Listening models IV–VI]

Listening models

Lost or missing.