Robert Musil - Timeline

Timeline

• 1880 November 6, Robert Musil born in Klagenfurt. Father Engineer Alfred Musil, mother Hermine.
• 1881–1882 The Musils move to Chomutov in Bohemia.
• 1882–1891 The Musils move to Steyr (Austria). Robert attends the Elementary School and the first grade of the gymnasium.
• 1891–1892 Moves to Brno. Attends the Realschule.
• 1892–1894 Attends the military boarding school in Eisenstadt.
• 1894–1897 Attends the military Militär-Oberrealschule in Hranice (present-day in the Czech Republic) During his working with artillery Musil discovers his interest in technique.
• 1897 Attends the Technische Militärakademie in Vienna.
• 1898–1901 Quits officer training and starts studies at the Technical University in Brno. His father was a professor there since 1890. First literary attempt, and first diary notations.
• 1901 doctorate exams.
• 1901–1902 Musil enlists in the infantry regiment of Freiherr von Hess Nr. 49 in Brno
• 1902–1903 Moves to Stuttgart to work at the University. Works on his first novel Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törless
• 1903–1908 Takes up a philosophy study; his majors are "logic and experimental psychology".
• 1905 In his diaries he makes the first notes that will eventually lead to Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften.
• 1906 Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Torless is published. Developed an apparatus to research colour experience in people.
• 1908 Beiträge zur Beurteilung der Lehren Machs is the title of his doctoral thesis with which he promotes in philosophy, natural science and mathematics. Declines an offer to upgrade his last military rank to an equal civilian rank in favour of writing.
• 1908–1910 Works in Berlin as an editor for the magazine Pan and on his Vereinigungen and Die Schwärmer.
• 1911–1914 Librarian at the Technical University of Vienna.
• 1911 On 15 April Musil marries Martha Marcovaldi. Vereinigungen is published.
• 1912–1914 Editor for several literary magazines, including Neue Rundschau.
• 1914–1918 During World War I, Musil is officer at the Italian front. Decorated several times.
• 1916–1917 July–April: publishes the "Soldaten-Zeitung".
• 1917 On 22 October, Alfred Musil was hereditary ennobled as Alfred Edler von Musil, so Robert Musil also belonged to the nobility until it was abolished less than two years later.
• 1918 Takes up writing again.
• 1919–1920 Works for the Information Service of the Austrian foreign department in Vienna.
• 1920 April–June: lives in Berlin. Meets Ernest Rowohlt who will become, in 1923, his publisher and will remain so.
• 1920–1922 Adviser for army matters in Vienna.
• 1921–1931 Works as theatre critic, essayist and writer in Vienna. Works on Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften.
• 1921 The play Die Schwärmer is published.
• 1923–1929 Is vice-president of Schutzverbandes deutscher Schriftsteller in Östereich. Meets Hugo von Hofmannsthal, who is president of the foundation.
• 1923 Awarded the Kleist Prize for Die Schwärmer. On December 4 Vinzenz und die Freundin bedeutender Männer is premièred in Berlin.
• 1924 On 24 January his mother and on 1 October his father die. Awarded the art prize of the city of Vienna. Drei Frauen is published.
• 1927 Holds a speech on the occasion on the death of Rainer Maria Rilke in Berlin.
• 1929 4 April première of Die Schwärmer. In spite of protests by Musil, the play is shortened and therefore incomprehensible, according to Musil. In the autumn awarded the Gerhart Hauptmann award.
• 1930 The first two parts of Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften are published. In spite of critical support, the financial situation is precarious.
• 1931–1933 Lives and works in Berlin.
• 1932 Foundation of a Musil-Gesellschaft by Kurt Glaser in Berlin. The foundation aims to provide Musil with the means necessary to continue working on his novel. At the end of the year the third part of Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften is published.
• 1933 In May Musil leaves Berlin, with his wife Martha. Via Karlovy Vary and Potstejn in Czechoslovakia they eventually reach Vienna.
• 1934–1938 After the dismantling of the Berlin Musil-Gesellschaft, a new one is founded in Vienna.
• 1935 Lecture for the Internationalen Schriftstellerkongress für die Verteidigung der Kultur" in Paris.
• 1936 Publishes his collection of thoughts, observations and stories Nachlass zu Lebzeiten. Suffers a stroke.
• 1938 Via northern Italy Musil and his wife flee to Zürich. Two days after their arrival, on September 4, they are having tea at Thomas Mann's home in Küsnacht.
• 1939 In July moves to Geneva. Musil continues to work on his novel under the worst financial circumstances, and grows lonelier with exile. Thanks to the Zürich vicar Robert Lejeune, Musil receives some financial support, including from the American couple Henry Hall and Barbara Church. In Germany and Austria Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften and Nachlaß zu Lebzeiten are banned and this ban is extended to all of his works in 1941.
• 1942 April 15, Musil dies in Geneva.
• 1943 Martha Musil publishes the unfinished remains of Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften on her own account.
• 1952–1957 Adolf Frisé publishes the complete works of Robert Musil at Rowohlt.