Spiritual Salvation and Political Critique: Klabund’s Reconstruction of Wilhelm’s German Daodejing and Its Literary Afterlives After WWI

The publication of Richard Wilhelm’s German translation of the Daodejing in 1911 ignited a “Daoist enthusiasm” in German literary circles, offering spiritual solace to a generation disillusioned by World War I. This article explores the creative reception of Daoist thought by the German writer Klabund (1890–1928), arguing that he reinterpreted Daoism not merely as a philosophy but as a religious response to the spiritual and political crises of post-war Germany. Through a comparative analysis of Klabund’s Laotse. Sprüche and Wilhelm’s source text, this study reveals how Klabund, through the selection, reorganization, and substitution of key terms, constructs a “practicable faith” for his contemporaries. The article further examines how this reconstruction extends into his literary works: Li-Tai-Pe aestheticizes Daoist themes like “softness” and “water”, Dreiklang elevates Laozi to a “divine incarnation” within a syncretic religious framework alongside Christ and Buddha, and The Last Emperor applies Daoist political wisdom to critique imperial power. Klabund’s approach illustrates a unique model of cross-cultural dialogue, where ancient Eastern wisdom is transformed into a “revolution of the heart”, serving as a spiritual antidote to the modern Western crisis of faith.