Jeremias Gotthelf: Historisch-kritische Gesamtausgabe (HKG)

The edition of Jeremias Gotthelf's calendar writings comprises the quarto issues of the Neues Berner-Kalender written and edited by him for the years 1840-1845. There is extensive handwritten material on the texts of the Neues Berner-Kalender, but in no case is there a direct print copy. Some of the texts, such as 'Der bekehrte Mordiofuhrmann' or 'Das gelbe Vögelein und das arme Margrithli' (both from the NBK 1840) were later published by Gotthelf elsewhere in revised form. Gotthelf did not plan his own collection of his calendar stories in the sense of a 'treasure box', as published by Johann Peter Hebel or Berthold Auerbach. For the first time, the present edition reproduces the calendar versions, the preparatory work and later adaptations of the texts in their entirety. The complete facsimiles of all calendar years included in the edition also preserve the medial unity of the calendar. The comprehensive commentary also reveals a basic function that Gotthelf assigned to the calendar, especially in his detailed annual reviews: to follow the daily press as a critical observer and to educate the calendar recipients to become responsible members of the Republic. The edition not only makes visible the design intention of the editor Jeremias Gotthelf, which is effective in all parts of the calendar, but also represents the first ever historical-critical edition of a popular calendar and thus provides insights into the journalism of popular education.