Torberg, Friedrich, 1908-1979

A native of Prague, Friedrich Torberg (1908-1979) had been professionally active as a writer and journalist in Prague, Leipzig, and Vienna; his books were banned by the Nazis in 1933. He emigrated to Switzerland in 1938 and to France in 1939. From there he took a path similar to that of Franz Werfel and Alma Mahler, fleeing to Spain and Portugal, and then finally succeeding in emigrating to the U.S., arriving in New York City at the end of 1940. He had been acquainted with Werfel in passing in Vienna and then had encountered Werfel and Alma Mahler in Portugal in 1940. In 1941 Torberg moved to California and quickly became a close friend of both Franz and Alma, remaining so over the years; Torberg moved back to New York in 1944. Marietta Torberg (née Bellak) was Friedrich's wife; they married in 1945. The Torbergs returned to Vienna in 1951. Arlt was a professor of German at UCLA and a good from of Alma Mahler and Franz Werfel; Torberg communicated with Arlt upon hearing of Werfel's death. Hermann Hiltbrunner (1893-1961) was a Swiss writer who published an article in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung about Werfel and Rilke; he was the addressee of a letter from Torberg in response. The Österreichische Furche was a weekly Catholic newspaper based in Vienna, which published an article about Werfel on the 10th anniversary of his death; Torberg wrote a letter to the editor in response. Lorenz was apparently the author of the article in the Österreichische Furche and responded to Torberg about it. Broch was a friend of Alma Mahler; she shared with him a proposal written by Torberg about a film adaptation of Werfel's novel Der Stern der Ungeborenen, after a film agent had rejected it; Torberg subsequently corresponded with both Alma and Broch about his objections to Alma's involving Broch in the matter.

From the description of Correspondence : with Alma Mahler, Franz Werfel, and Adolf Klarmann 1940-1979. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155864630

Author.

From the description of Reminiscences of Freidrich Torberg : oral history, 1978. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122419771