Harro Harring – a revolutionary philhellene and writer from North Friesland. The representation of the Greek struggle for independence in his literary texts

Abstract

The article focuses on the writer Harro Harring, whose works “The Island of Sphaghia”, “Tragicomic adventures of a Philhellene”, “The Corsar” and “The Mainots” deal with the Greek struggle for freedom. The short story “The Island of Sphaghia” is a unique case in the German philhellenic literature, because the Greeks are not exclusively positively portrayed as fighters for the liberation of Greece. The text “Tragicomic adventures of a Philhellene” is the 4th volume of the extensive autobiographical novel “Rhongar Jarr. Journeys of a Friese”. The other two texts are plays. The play “The Mainots” was the first drama to be performed on this theme with great success in a German theatre. Harro Harring is one of the few writers who took part in the Greek struggle for freedom as a volunteer.