Alexander Friedrich Ladislaus Roda Roda (13 April 1872 – 20 August 1945) was an Austrian writer and satirist.

Biography

Roda Roda was born as Šandor Friedrich Rosenfeld in Drnowitz,

Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

(now Drnovice,

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

). His sister was the physician Gisela Januszewska. As a child, he moved with his family to

Slavonia Slavonia (; ) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria County, Istria, one of the four Regions of Croatia, historical regions of Croatia. Located in the Pannonian Plain and taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with f ...

. He Germanized his name from Šandor to Alexander, and his surname from Rosenfeld to Roda Roda. Roda is the Croatian word for

stork Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes . Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons and ibise ...

. He chose his new surname because storks nested on the chimney of his house in Esseg (today

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

). In 1894, Roda Roda converted from Judaism to Catholicism.Kaiser, Max: "Roda Roda (bis 1899 Rosenfeld, 1899–1906 Roda), Alexander (Sándor) Friedrich (seit 1894 zusätzl. Ladislaus) (Pseudonym Aaba Aaba, Nikolaus Suchy)"
''

Neue Deutsche Biographie (''NDB''; Literal translation, literally ''New German Biography'') is a Biography, biographical reference work. It is the successor to the ''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'' (ADB, Universal German Biography). The 27 volumes published thus far co ...

'' 21 (2003), pp. 687–689 In 1902, Roda Roda quit the military career and became a journalist (during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he was war correspondent); he contributed to the German satirical magazine ''

Simplicissimus :''Simplicissimus is also a name for the 1668 novel ''Der abenteuerliche Simplicissimus, Simplicius Simplicissimus'' and its protagonist.'' ''Simplicissimus'' () was a German language, German weekly satire, satirical magazine, founded by Albert ...

''. In 1938, he emigrated to the US. He wrote many comedies (''Der König von Crucina'', 1892; ''Bubi'', 1912, with

Gustav Meyrink Gustav Meyrink (19 January 1868 – 4 December 1932) was the pseudonym of Gustav Meyer, an Austrian author, novelist, dramatist, translator, and banker, most famous for his novel ''The Golem (Meyrink novel), The Golem''. He has been described as ...

), tales and novels (''Soldatengeschichten'', 2 volumes, 1904; ''Der Ehegarten'', 1913, ''Der Schnaps, der Rauchtabak und die verfluchte Liebe'', 1908; ''Die Panduren'', 1935), and autobiographical books (''Irrfahrten eines Humoristen 1914–1919'', 1920; ''Roda Rodas Roman'', 1925). He died in New York City. In 1911 Roda Roda published a series of articles for the ''

Neue Freie Presse ''Neue Freie Presse'' ("New Free Press") was a Viennese newspaper founded by Adolf Werthner together with the journalists Max Friedländer and Michael Etienne on 1 September 1864 after the staff had split from the newspaper ''Die Presse''. It ...

'', one of Austria's most respected newspapers. Between 1914 and 1917, he produced nearly 700 articles as war correspondent for the paper as well as the German-language newspaper published in Budapest, ''

Pester Lloyd ''Pester Lloyd'' is a German-language online daily newspaper from Budapest, Hungary with a focus "on Hungary and Eastern Europe". History during the Austrian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire Its first stint of existence was from 1854 to 1 ...

''. In the 1920s, Roda Roda's humorous and satirical book publications were largely successful. He appeared in cabarets, traveled extensively, and had contact with dozens of authors, actors, filmmakers, and other artists of his milieu. His work was part of the literature event in the art competition at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

. Roda Roda's ashes are buried at

Feuerhalle Simmering Feuerhalle Simmering is a crematorium with attached urn burial ground in the Simmering (Vienna), Simmering district of Vienna, Austria. It lies at the end of an alley, directly opposite Vienna Central Cemetery's main gate. Description Opened o ...

. Roda Roda was also a passionate chess player and often played in the Munich coffee house

Café Stefanie The Café Stefanie was a coffeehouse in Munich which around the 1900s till the 1920s was the leading artists' meeting place in the city, similar to the ''Café Größenwahn'' atmosphere of the Café des Westens in Berlin and the Café Grienste ...

. Here he found inspiration for his humorous text that discusses chess, "Das Pensionistengambit" (The Pensioners' Gambit), originally the chapter "Schach" in his 1932 collection ''Roda Roda und die vierzig Schurken''.Chapter 93, "Schach"
in ''Roda Roda und die vierzig Schurken'' (1932) In 1952, Vienna's city district

Floridsdorf Floridsdorf (; ) is the 21st district of Vienna, Austria (''21. Bezirk''). Located north of the Danube, it comprises former villages such as Floridsdorf, Donaufeld, Jedlesee, Leopoldau, Stammersdorf, Strebersdorf, and Groß-Jedlersdorf. With a pop ...

(the 21st district) named a street, Roda-Roda-Gasse, after the author. The city of

, Croatia, also boasts a bust of Roda Roda in front of the library building in Europska avenija.

Bibliography

*1892 – ''Der Gutsherr von Ljublin'' *1906 – ''Eines Esels Kinnbacken'' *1908 – ''Von Bienen, Drohnen und Baronen'' *1909 – ''Bummler,Schummler und Rossetummler'' *1913 – ''500 Schwänke'' *1924 – ''Ein Frühling in Amerika''; new 2021 by Berlinica *1925 – ''Roda Rodas Roman'', ''Roda Roda erzählt'' *1927 – ''Donner und Doria''

Filmography

Film adaptations

* '' Der Feldherrnhügel'', directed by Hans Otto and

Erich Schönfelder Erich Schönfelder (1885–1933) was a German screenwriter, actor, and film director of the silent film, silent and early sound film, sound eras. Early in his career he worked frequently with Ernst Lubitsch. Selected filmography Writer * ''Shoe ...

(1926, based on the 1910 play of that name) * '' Grandstand for General Staff'', directed by

Eugen Thiele Eugen Thiele (1897–1938) was an Austrian film director and screenwriter. Of Jewish backgroundPrawer p.213 he was the younger brother of Wilhelm Thiele. After a spell as an actor he established himself as a director in the Cinema of Germany, Germ ...

(1932, based on the play ''Der Feldherrnhügel'') * '' Der Feldherrnhügel'', directed by

Ernst Marischka Ernst Marischka (2 January 1893 – 12 May 1963) was an Austrian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 90 films between 1913 and 1962. He also directed 29 films between 1915 and 1962. He wrote and directed the Sissi trilogy ...

(1953) * ''Der Knabe mit den 13 Vätern'', directed by Thomas Fantl (1976, TV series, based on the novel ''Der Knabe mit den 13 Vätern'')

Screenwriter

*'' K. und K. Feldmarschall'', directed by

Karel Lamač Karel Lamač (27 January 1897 – 2 August 1952) was a Czech film director, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He directed more than 100 films in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Life Lama� ...

(1930, German adaptation of a Czech screenplay) *''Er und seine Schwester'', directed by Karel Lamač (1931, German adaptation of a Czech screenplay) *', directed by

Géza von Bolváry Géza von Bolváry (born Géza Gyula Mária Bolváry Zahn, ; 26 December 1897 – 10 August 1961) was a Hungarian actor, screenwriter, and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Austria. Biography Géza von Bolváry was born i ...

(1931)

References

External links

"Roda Roda, Alexander"
, list of works * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roda Roda, Alexander 1872 births 1945 deaths Writers from the Margraviate of Moravia People from Vyškov District Moravian-German people Converts to Roman Catholicism from Judaism Austrian male writers Austrian emigrants to the United States Burials at Feuerhalle Simmering Art competitors at the 1936 Summer Olympics War correspondents of World War I