Unrat

Unrat is a German noun meaning filth or refuse. In literary contexts, Der Unrat refers to a novella by Heinrich Mann, first published in 1905. The work is also known by English titles such as Professor Unrat or The Rotten One, and it is best known for inspiring the 1930 film The Blue Angel.

The story follows a stern, middle‑aged professor in a provincial German city who adheres to rigid moral codes. His life becomes entangled with Lola Lola, a vivacious cabaret singer, and his growing obsession exposes the hypocrisies of bourgeois society. As the relationship unfolds, the professor’s reputation and position deteriorate, culminating in a social and personal downfall. The novella is noted for its satire of respectability and its critique of moral rigidity.

The Unrat narrative achieved broader cultural impact through adaptations and influence. Heinrich Mann’s novella laid the groundwork for the screenplay that Josef von Sternberg later adapted into The Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel) in 1930. In the film, the professor character is renamed Professor Rath, and Lola Lola is portrayed by Marlene Dietrich; the movie is regarded as a landmark in early sound cinema and helped launch Dietrich’s international career.

In German usage, Unrat literally connotes filth or scum, and Der Unrat remains a reference point for discussions of bourgeois morality, social hypocrisy, and the tension between respectability and desire in early 20th‑century literature.