Open Access

Miroslav Urbanec

• Wartburg castle is associated not only with Luther's German translation of the Bible, but also with the legendary singing contest that is said to have taken place there in the early 13th century. Although today it is impossible to tell whether this was a real event or merely a legend, the contest became a popular basis for literary treatments. The "classic" version of the story was presented in the 19th century by Richard Wagner in his opera "Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg", while the most recent version of the story dates from 2012: Robert Löhr's novel "Krieg der Sänger". Because Löhr's version was almost immediately compared with Wagner's, the aim of this study is to analyze the two works and draw conclusions from such a comparison. Which sources did both authors work with, and how? Were they primarily concerned with a historically accurate depiction of events, entertaining the reader or audience, or communicating some deeper thoughts? In what light are the main hero and his competitors presented? What do Wagner and Löhr have in common, and how do they differ?