Die Frau ohne Geist

(The Woman without Intellect) by Hugo Lubliner.

   Premiered 1878. This comedy by Lubliner (also known as Hugo Bürger) treats the rise of the Wilhelmine nouveau riche in the person of the play's title character, Stephana Kopsch, the daughter of the wealthy parvenu August Kopsch. His ill breeding is evident in nearly every uncouth remark that comes out of his mouth. He is a typical product of the Gründerjahre (the "Foundation Years" of the 1870s), standing in stark contrast to men whose wealth was inherited. The action takes place in the prosperous and tradition-rich publishing firm of Westermann, where Hedwig Westermann and her cousin Adrienne live in a tastefully furnished apartment above the business. Adrienne is in love with the rich and handsome Werner, and to win him over, Hedwig introduces him to the somewhat unsophisticated Stephana; she is unassuming and much less "vivacious" than Adri-enne. The scheme backfires when Werner finds Stephana preferable to Adrienne. Upon the announcement of Werner's engagement to Stephana, Adrienne tells Stephana that Werner was a victim of a scheme that went awry, and that in his heart he still prefers her. But Werner and Stephana get married anyway, much to the chagrin of the entire Westermann family, not to mention the heartbroken but still vivacious Adrienne.