The Bürgermeister’s Daughter written by Steven Ozment is an in depth scope into 16th century Germany PDF

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Dylan Blankenship, [email protected] Midterm Examinations Re-do History A101 37158 April 15, 2016 Prof. Liburd

The Bürgermeister’s Daughter written by Steven Ozment is an in depth scope into 16th century Germany. Ozment takes a unique approach in this novel, focusing around the historic legal struggles of the rebellious Anna. Her father, Hermann Büschler is a prominent Bürgermesiter, and after his successful political stunt to secure rights and more equality for non-noble citizens, a local hero. Steven Ozment, the author of The Bürgermeister’s Daughter is more than qualified to write a piece of 16th century Germany. Having been a professor of ancient and modern history in Yale, Stanford and Harvard, this american historian has also taught at the University of Tübingen in Germany. Being a natural born citizen of the United States does not seem to affect his research into German civilization, Steven Ozment’s american background seems to lend a helpful outsider's perspective on German History. While many professors fall guilty of having an agenda hidden behind their work, Ozment successfully opens several sensitive dialogues about class, religion and gender in The Bürgermeister’s Daughter without a detectable trace of agendasetting bias. Ozment does this by providing so much historical setting that a reader feels confident they are receiving the full spectrum when these issues are addressed. Making it easy on the reader to come to their own conclusions. The only flaw in Ozments writing was the drama, timing, and setting of the book was often interrupted by textbook like factual accounts of events taking place that while relevant to the setting in some small sense, did not seem to account for pages of backstory. It displaces the reader and distracts from the author's points.

The title of the book leads us to believe it will be focusing around gender and class. This is not misleading as the book from start to finish is in fact about that. The scandalous daughter and her legal battles with her father the mayor are fit for a modern day reality television show. Unlike reality T.V. Ozment makes his thesis abundantly clear throughout the story, even dedicating his last chapter The Moral to further elaborate on it. Most tend to think woman were treated very poorly with little to no basic rights until very recently, the argument Ozment makes is contradictory to this. His thesis can be pulled from directly from the text “Anna may have been more heroic than the Bürgermeister of hall and the Schenk of Limpurg” as well as “Society’s general attitude toward woman at this time is more accurately described as condescending and protective than as hateful and dismissive.” Both these points are not stated by the author until the last chapter. Ozment slowly builds an entertaining story by telling the tale of Anna Büuschler, an unmarried young woman who is able to use the courts, powerful allies and perseverance to battle her seemingly untouchable father for her inheritance. Ozment builds this story upon blocks of historical evidence. Then at its conclusion reveals the thesis and uses his factual story as evidence, successfully making a compelling argument about Anna, and women in 16th century Germany. A factual story must have its sources, and Steve Ozment has a very thorough and exhaustive twenty-five page bibliography. It was an easy to use bibliography, organized chronologically, then by chapter. The Bürgermeister’s Daughter being published in 1996, have surprisingly up to date secondary sources for a historical novel about the 16th century. The majority of the secondary sources appear to be written after 1970. Ozment shows a good ratio of primary to secondary sources, taking quite a few

facts straight from historic German records. And, of course, entire chapters of primary sources, letters to and from Anna and her lovers. This is reassuring as it shows the reader that there is not too much reliance on second hand accounts. The pictures added to this book were a nice touch. To be able to see the Bueschler coat of arms, the Castle Schenk entrance, and even Anna’s family home really added to visualization of this book. It also credits the author as the photos were taken directly by him, inadvertently letting the reader know the extent of research this author must have gone through to write this book. The passion behind it to find, and travel to the actual places in this book. The authors purpose, to enlighten the reader to a woman's place in 16th century germany, was achieved in The Bürgermeister’s Daughter. The facts are presented and constructed in such a way that even a well learned scholar of history would learn something from this book, even if the thesis is not agreed with. Ozment paints a world in which we can all relate. Not of plague, or knights, but family drama and legal battles. While we are in this relatable world Ozment cleverly presents us with the facts. While parts of the book where setting was being explained in heinous detail were tedious to go through, what really did damage this books argument was Ozment would occasionally go off on a wild speculation. Notably the small subchapter titled Incest? In where the author speculates based on rumor that maybe Hermann was having an incestual relationship with his daughter. While Ozment does acknowledge this is pure speculation and probably not true, it begs the question on why even put such material in a book. It seems to the reader as a cheap way to spice up the topic, while discrediting the actual facts of the novel.

Ich komme aus Stuttgart. Dies stadt im ist Baden-Wurttemberg. So personally having lived in the setting this book was in, I have a good perspective on what the author was talking about. The author argues that women, especially persistent ones had the resources in 16th century Germany to be just as effective in the political sphere as their male counterpart; albeit more struggles. The author accomplishes this is an entertaining way and I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in 16th century Germany.

Bibliography Ozment, Steven E. The Bürgermeister's Daughter: Scandal in a Sixteenthcentury German Town. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996....