Ludlamshöhle

The Ludlamshöhle was a literary society founded by the Austrian playwright Ignaz Franz Castelli together with August von Gymnich in Vienna, Austria, in 1819, which existed until 18 April 1826.

The society was named after the theatre play Ludlam's Höhle by Adam Oehlenschläger. After the first performance on December 15, 1817, a group of "literati" (already existing since 1816) met in the "Haidvogels Gasthaus" (Schlossergäßchen, Vienna) to discuss the performance. As this play had failed with the audience that evening, Castelli suggested giving the group the name "Ludlamshöhle" as a consolation for the Danish writer. The adjoining room in "Haidvogel's Gasthaus", where the daily meeting at the regulars' table took place, was declared a clubhouse.

The Ludlamshöhle did not pursue any political or artistic goals; the regulars' table every evening served without exception for social gatherings. From today's point of view, the Ludlamshöhle is a prime example of the Biedermeier sociability.

During the night of 18–19 April 1826, this society was suspected (unjustified by anything) of "endangering the state" and was banned. By order of the Viennese police chief Alois von Persa, more than 30 policemen occupied the inn, arrested those present and confiscated all manuscripts found. The private flats of the arrested "Ludlamites" were also searched until the early hours of the morning. Some of their members continued to suffer years of spying and other harassment. It was precisely this excessive action by the authorities that led to the mythification of the group and its members in the following years.

A new member had to prove to the amusement of all that he was capable of increasing the pleasure of the society by joining. He was then examined in the subjects Ludlam History, Ludlam Finance and Frivolity Science, with several whispering seconds being given to the subject. After passing the exam, the new member was given a "Ludlam name" and the "recording song" was sung together. Various songs for the society have been preserved by Antonio Salieri, including the texts Es lebe Ludlam and ''O Gott, o Gott! d´Ludlam ist todt''.

After 1848, an attempt was made to revive the Ludlamshöhle, but it was a failure.

In 1949, the writers Franz Karl Franchy, Egon Hajek, Theodor Mayer, Friedrich Schreyvogel and Karl Wache joined in Vienna to form a society called "Neue Ludlamshöhle" which lasted until 1972. <!--

Members (with their name as member of the Ludlamshöhle)

 * C. N. L. Abrahams – Isaak Crassus Hamlet
 * Heinrich Anschütz – Lear, der Neuwieder oder Ludlams Chorführer
 * Ignaz Aßmayer – As-Major oder Es-Minor
 * Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom – Thiodolf der Dalekarlier
 * von Balcz – Eßfürsechs
 * Wilhelm Bethmann – Antenbrener an der Spree
 * Joseph Biedermann – Pipo Canastro oder Ludlams Mauerbrecher
 * Julius Benedict – Maledünntus Wagner, der Weberjunge
 * Gottlob Benedict Bierey – Rossini von Nowgorod
 * Sebastian Joseph Binder – Tenorisso Bindermesser
 * Joseph Blahetka – Der neue Jephta
 * Carl Wilhelm August Blum – Blümlein, der Alleser
 * Ignaz Franz Castelli – Cif Charon, der Höhlenzote
 * Ernst Florens Friedrich Chladni – Monochord, der Tongrübler
 * Czerkowitz – Zwickobacke, der muntere Seifensieder
 * Anton Deinhardstein – Müller von Führweg
 * Johann Ludwig Deinhardstein – Samestill von Disputirowar (auch: Seinsmestill von Desputirowat)
 * Fiedler – Fidelio, Göd von Cremona
 * Joseph Fischhof – …
 * Johann Jakob Franck – …
 * Augustin Fröschl – Ludlams Qua qua qua
 * Fuchs – Reinecke von Passau
 * Nicolai Nathan Fürst – Nils, das Nordenkind
 * Karl Ludwig Giesecke – Harpun, der Robber
 * Joseph Götz – Lidol de Bassano
 * Johann Grill – Zirpzirp, der Arianer
 * Franz Grillparzer – Saphokles, der Istrianer
 * Joseph Gschladt – Ting tang ping pung pang paff
 * Mauro Giuliani – Vitac Umo Capodastro
 * August von Gymnich –
 * Adalbert Gyrowetz – Notarsch Sakramensky
 * Habermuß – Julius Solar, der Berliner
 * Friedrich Ludwig Halirsch – Peter, der Grantige
 * Hartwig – Tristan Abreisky
 * Franz Josef Hasaureck – der ewige Schatten
 * Vinzenz Hauschka – Greif von am Katzendarm
 * Cäsar Max Heigl – …
 * Theodor Hell alias Karl Gottfried Theodor Winkler – Faifer von Faifersberg
 * Emerich Thomas Hohler – …
 * Franz Ignaz Holbein – Friedel Küffner
 * Karl von Holtei – Hudltei, Schirmherr der Abruzzen
 * Alois Jeitteles – Glazo Barbirmi di Lanzetta
 * Ignaz Jeitteles – Roller, der Unbegreifliche
 * Felix Joël – Hokuspokus Jod
 * Kaskel – Mai guter Kaskatelli
 * Carl Keller – Flautrowersch, der Prügelbeißer
 * Georg Johann Kettel – Fessel, der schwarze Sieger oder Zoteninfant
 * Koppmann – Geschwindfortino da Pestilenza
 * Friedrich Leopold Krug – Salami dei Sardelle
 * Josef Küstner – Kekulus Naso
 * Christoph Kuffner – Lord Plautel Plauting
 * Kumorsky (laut dem Tagebuch des Ludlamiten Rosenbaum: Georg Carl Friedrich Kunowski) – Pontifex, der Vogelsteller
 * Joseph Kupelwieser – Domwiesel, der Eiltrichter
 * Eduard Lannoy – Bocko, der Hühnerschicker
 * Friedrich Wilhelm Lemm – Don Lemmos Santos von Templos
 * Daniel Leßmann – Donel Lessly
 * August Lewald – Blut von Sühne
 * Joseph Limberger – Markäse Frommaggio
 * Johann Nepomuk Mailáth – Traubinger à Codexi
 * Ignaz Moscheles – Tasto, der Kälberfuß
 * Johann Theodor Mosewius – Sebastiano da Solfeggio
 * Müllersheim – Chevalier Molineux oder Sergent der Ludlam
 * Adam Oehlenschläger – …
 * Karl Pachler – Grazius Advo-Kater an der Mur
 * Joseph Panny – …
 * Petz – Schach-Bär, der Seltene
 * Ludwig Rellstab – Spreesprung, der Kühne
 * Joseph Carl Rosenbaum – Laritaferl Optikus
 * Friedrich Rückert – Voran, der Geharnischte
 * Johann Baptist Rupecht – Van der Gumpendorf
 * Antonio Sacchetti – Zimmetreis, der Süd-Slawack
 * Antonio Salieri – Don Tarar di Palmira
 * Moritz Gottlieb Saphir – Witzbold, der Rebeller oder Ludlams lapis infernalis
 * Schimmer – Hadschi Bion von Wudidlhe
 * Franz Xaver Schlechta von Wschehrd – Gutauch mit dem grünen Mantel
 * Carl Schwarz – Rauchmar der Cigaringer, Kalif der Ludlamshöhle
 * Johann Sedlaczek – Sedl von Latschek
 * Johann Gabriel Seidl – Zweipfiff, der Sizilianer
 * Seiffert – Vetter Lerchenhain
 * Heinrich von Sichrovsky – Potz Hunderttausend Plumper
 * Joseph Stierle-Holzmeister – Muzius, der Pfeifensklave
 * Johann August Stöger – Innozenz Stiernit, der Abbrandler
 * Johann Heinrich Stürmer – Armandus Cantor
 * Franz Eugen von Stubenrauch – Tacitus Lachelberger oder Ludlams Knödel-Hogarth
 * Theodor von Sydow – …
 * Ludwig Titze – Diskantino, der Biermane
 * Karl Friedrich Töpfer – Geist vom Hafnerberg
 * Ludwig Wahlbach – Junker Stilling, der Ballwächter
 * Carl Maria von Weber – Agathus der Zieltreffer, Edler von Samiel
 * Weld – Woiwod Didelot oder Ludlams Knackbeißer
 * Worbs – Leinewand von Zweifelsburg
 * Wilhelm Würfel – Cubus, der Rübenzähler
 * Joseph Christian von Zedlitz – Kolumbus Turturella oder Ludlams Solon
 * Friedrich Wilhelm Ziegler – Mirsa Abdul Hassan Temperament Chan

Nach derzeitigem Wissen (2006) können folgende Ludlams-Namen noch nicht eindeutig zugeordnet werden:

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 * Diddelkamp, der Abgesandte
 * Gele Lepusculus
 * Marc Angelo, genannt Diavolett
 * Meyer auf der Stiege – eventuell Matthäus Stegmayer (1771–1820), österreichischer Librettist und Schriftsteller