Sooden-Allendorf/MZ – If you don’t want to compromise, it’s best to do everything yourself.
This is also what the 42-year-old from Nuremberg Martin Schülbe thinks, who on October 31st published his first comic strip “Der Lindenbaum” about the famous Dessau Wilhelm Müller and immediately founded a publishing house for this purpose. Because he didn’t want to be tampered with in his heart’s plan.
Although Nuremberg has nothing to do with Müller’s life story, Schülbe spent the first twenty years of his life in Bad Sooden-Allendorf in northern Hesse. “Only very few people know that the city on the Mulde and Elbe has an eighth sister city, albeit an unofficial one,” writes Schülbe in his announcement. He alludes to a story from his childhood that is still known today in Bad Sooden-Allendorf (then Allendorf). Schülbe says Müller would stop in front of the Zimmersbrunnen fountain on his travels between Dessau and Worms.
“As a kid, I never thought he might live anywhere else. She was right there. And no one knew if it could have been like this.” The particular detail: then as now there was a linden tree at the well. A fact that at least allows us to speculate whether Müller’s inspiration for his song “Der Lindenbaum” comes from there. There is no proof of this, but at least Müller’s famous song begins with the line: “At the fountain in front of the gate / There is a linden tree / I dream in his shadow / Many sweet dreams.”
Three days in Allendorf that never existed, but maybe were something like that
In his comic, Martin Schülbe plays with whether it is actually this place or just a coincidence, without wanting to provide any proof. “I personally believe Müller was there,” said Schülbe. The author and cartoonist takes his work one step further and recounts an imaginary visit by Müller to Allendorf. Plagued by lovesickness, he begins one of his trips to Worms. During the break he falls asleep under the linden tree and misses the start.
Since the next carriage won’t be around for three days, it now has to fill the time in Allendorf. Her first encounter is with Elise, who not only resembles her star-crossed love Luise Hensel by name. During the three days they both get to know each other better and Müller continues to find inspiration for his song about the linden tree, which he can’t give up. “In the end he realizes that he doesn’t love the woman, but the idea of love,” says Schülbe, emphasizing Müller’s poetic effort.
No poet but just as passionate
Martin Schülbe seems to have lost his passion, maybe not as a poet, but still. Because with his debut work, it was very important for him not to have to deviate from his idea. With the historically specific subject matter and manga-like elements, he moves into a more experimental area.
“When you go to a big publishing house, you have a lot of people who want to have a say, which can hurt the artist’s soul,” says Schülbe. So he founded a publishing house and took everything into his own hands. Whether successful or not, he certainly fulfilled a childhood wish with the publication.
The comic “Der Lindenbaum” is available at: www.martinschuelbe.de/products/der-lindenbaum
