Angelika:
Many thanks for your wonderful posting and translation of Bert's FC
analysis of Thomas Mann and his family.
http://www.angelika.schenk.com/thomas_mann.htm
I find it very illuminating, especially when you consider that Mann's
"Death in Venice": has been consistently voted as the Number One novel
of gay literature in polls taken of the gay literary community.
The only thing I would add to your article is a link to this review
article of Mann's life and works from the gay literary perspective.
http://www.glbtq.com/literature/mann_t.html
From this view, we can see clearly how Thomas Mann "encoded" (i.e.,
kept secret) his own homosexuality in his books, specifically his
desire of "ephebophilia," which is the attraction of adult men toward
post-pubescent teenaged boys. This is the exact syndrome of the
Catholic priests who are molesting altar boys all over the Catholic
world which I grew up in. (You too, "Over-Easy Eddie!")
From the FC perspective, it is clear that his son Klaus, as loving
systemic family scapegoat, overtly expressed the homosexuality that
his father was terrified to allow. I love this passage right here
because it speaks to the namesake of Klaus the son as taking on not
only his father's gay repression, but also taking the name of his
mother's twin brother!
Bert pontificates:
======================================
In Thomas Mann's present system it is significant that his wife,
Katja, had a twin brother by the name of Klaus. Twin siblings often
search for a replacement for the twin sibling, either in an
extramarital relationship or in a child.
It was possibly son Klaus who had to take on this role. Through this
he would have been in a subconscious conflict with his father.
This made it difficult to turn to his father fully and is perhaps one
of the roots for his homosexuality. He remained within the sphere of
the mother.
Additionally, his mother felt like a boy towards her brother, whom she
saw as a girl. Her confusion about the gender roles between her and
her brother may have reflected back on her son Klaus and made the
homosexuality stronger.
A homosexual man often has to feel and behave like a woman, because
the male drive is not permitted or forbidden. Therefore, the
homosexual man loves a man like a woman lives a man.
That Klaus as well as Heinrich and Thomas turn themselves into a woman
in their writings would be typical for a homoerotic entanglement
shared by the three.
The "shameless" revealing of family secrets, common to all three in
their literature has probably also some psychological connection to
their homoeroticism.
====================
My only objection to what you have written, Geli, is your own
self-denigration, in your introduction, when you seem to make
apologies for not being "as good as" Bert.
Angelika writes:
==================================
Bert wrote this in 2001. Though he works differently now, I found it
very worth while to study this piece of work. It shows how much
careful groundwork Bert has done before he hands over to the movements
of spirit. The musician with a classical training and high
accomplishments now submits to intuition. The intuition so well
trained hears the note to be sounded with clarity and precision.
=================================
you seem to imply here that Suitbert is this great concert pianist who
now can employ his intuition better than you because you are merely some
dilettante tinkler on the keys. My reaction here, if I may be allowed
to express it ever so delicately: "manure under the constellation of
Taurus!" --- or more colloquially in German: "ganz Quatsch!" I would
imagine that you, like every other constellator I know, has undergone
his or her own FC in your training; indeed I have been a
representative in several of these constellations, where the "family
secrets" and "not so family secrets" are laid bare for all fellow
systemic students to see.
On the other hand, Opa Bert has still steadfastly refused to put his
own family system under the same scrutiny as here he puts the family
of Thomas Mann. Until he "practices what he preaches," I will not
consider him a better "concert pianist" than you or any other
constellator I know or know of. Maybe he can play "Ich hatte einen
Kamaraden" better than you in the oompah band, but I trust your
intuition is as good as his!
Best regards,
Thomas Mensch
