The series "13 Attempts to Become a Rooster" dates back to the years 1977/78.
The series may be considered a surreal Curriculum Vitae.
Image Ten, like Image Seven, shows an interior space. Unlike Image Seven, however, the rooster is in colour once more, although flat and leaning against the wall. The powers that threaten his existence are now clearly visible and thus predictable and defeatable.
In his surreal story, "A Painter - Searching for Himself in the Fog", Wolfgang Lettl writes the following regarding his interaction with his military superiors:
I dreamt that I was still running around in a corporal’s uniform, although I had been a sergeant for some time already. It should be noted that I had actually made it to sergeant after six years of war service, but not until just before the end of the war, in March of 45, when the snow was melting in Norway. I could not be promoted any earlier, although I had kept strictly to an order, while the others had not.
This is how it came about:
On the way from my lodgings to the canteen I, like everybody else, used to urinate in the snow, but I did so by writing my name, which was particularly suitable because it was short and had continuous lines. I was taken to task about it, but insisted that I was within my rights, as there was no rule for this.
My superiors then wrote an order which expressly forbade me to do the above, because it might damage the reputation of the German Army.
I always followed orders, at least this time, and could do so with a clear conscience, because my comrades now made sure that my name would still be written in the snow. It was simply the most suitable name. But my promotion had to wait until after the snow had melted, and by then it was too late to save the fatherland.
Details