Abstract
This essay shows to what extent the notion of »Lebensurlaub«, of a »holiday from life«, in Musil’s The Man Without Qualities not only forms the starting point but also a common theme in and possible end point of the novel’s plot. Since the novel is known to have remained unfinished, this essay takes into account preliminary drafts and variants of the manuscript alongside the official published version. Using the digital Klagenfurter Edition, it explores the terminological and conceptual environment of the »Lebensurlaub« and interprets these findings in the light of recent research on the novel. Finally, it places these findings within a broader network of associations between idleness, leisure, and mysticism in Musil’s novel.