A life with Thomas Mann The Tel Aviv Doctor and his Love of “The Magic Mountain”

Michael Siedner reads a little Thomas Mann every day. “Because he touches my soul,” explains the doctor from Tel Aviv. The 69-year-old has read The Magic Mountain in its entirety at least 50 times. During a visit to the Goethe-Institut Tel Aviv, he reveals why this particular German author means so much to him.

Three portraits hang above my piano: my mother’s, my father’s, and, next to them, one of Thomas Mann. To me, he’s a genius. My entire life – there’s no other way to put – has been enlightened by him, again and again.
 
Anyone who reads Mann will quickly realise that writing was his life’s purpose. A true master of language, he remained prolific until the very end. To me, he also represents humanity, wisdom and curiosity. A friend recently asked whether Thomas Mann might even be something of a father figure to me. I have to admit, there’s some truth to that. I was brought up in a strict household. My father was already over 60 when I was born. When my parents talked to each other, the name Thomas Mann would occasionally be mentioned. Even though I had no idea who or what they were referring to, I could sense their deep admiration, even as a child. That admiration still connects us today.
 
If someone asks me to name my absolute favourite Thomas Mann book, choosing just one feels as difficult as having to shorten my favourite finger! If I remember correctly, Thomas Mann was once asked which of his protagonists resembled him most, and he replied: all of them.
 
Nevertheless, The Magic Mountain is a novel everyone should read at least once. It perfectly exemplifies why Thomas Mann is such a genius. It’s as complex and as intricately structured as a musical fugue. Like so many readers, I find myself returning to it again and again, each time, uncovering something new. The novel spans politics, art, music, medicine, physics, anatomy and theology. In fact, it’s almost like an encyclopaedia. With his keen eye for detail and ability to describe things with precision and humour, Thomas Mann creates a unique cosmos on this magic mountain, where the characters become as familiar as friends. At times, you can almost hear their voices. One of the things that fascinates me so much about The Magic Mountain is undoubtedly its setting. In the sanatorium, death – or the anticipation of it – is ever-present. As a doctor, and the son of a doctor, I naturally encounter the end of life more often than most. Yet even I am not immune from the fear of death. Somehow, though, this book has taken away this fear.

The friend who recently suggested Thomas Mann might be a kind of father figure to me also asked me what I would ask the writer if I had the chance to meet him. Honestly, I wouldn’t ask him anything. I would simply thank him. I believe he would be deeply gratified to know how profoundly he continues to impact people.
 
 
Mika Adler, an employee of the Goethe-Institut Israel, conducted the interview with Michael Siedner. Cedric Dorin, journalist and photographer, recorded Michael Siedner‘s statements and took the photos.