Friedrich Nietzsche, der erste tragische Philosoph

No philosopher like other philosophers Reto Winteler advocates the thesis that Nietzsche completed his project of a revaluation of all values and contributes with his investigation to a better understanding of the tragic philosopher. Nietzsche speaks again and again of the great 'task' of his life. This can be named at the latest since the time of Zarathustra as the revaluation of all values. Nietzsche pursued for a long time the intention to write a 'major work' on this topic. In the first part of his book, Reto Winteler explores the question why Nietzsche then suddenly considered this undertaking as completed with the Antichrist, arguing against the established thesis according to which Nietzsche's work was unfinished and he had failed in his philosophical 'task'. In the center of the second part is Zarathustra, in which, according to Winteler, Nietzsche's great 'task' crystallizes most clearly. Here, Nietzsche himself comes into view as the finisher of that 'Zarathustra-work', to which his protagonist has only become mature at the end of the poetry. Against the research oriented on the thesis of the author's death, according to which Zarathustra is not to be confused with his inventor, Winteler emphasizes that Nietzsche's 'son Zarathustra' should encourage his author himself to his decisive 'task'. The third part is devoted to the last year of the philosopher's life. Whereas until now this 'last' Nietzsche has always been read from behind, his end in madness, Winteler, in a subtle analysis of letters and works, is concerned to understand Nietzsche from his thinking to the end. The fourth and last part contains an interpretation of Nietzsche's last work, the Dionysus Dithyrambs. Since they concentrate that tragic pathos which characterizes the 'whole' Nietzsche, the Dithyrambs can be seen as a kind of culmination of his thought and life. But above all, these songs are Zarathustra's.