The following years marked the high point in his career, until the Nazi’s rise to power. He is best known for his novel Berlin Alexanderplatz (1929), which earned him global fame. Regardless, he went on to become a doctor, practising Psychiatry in the worker’s district of Alexanderplatz in Berlin. Although bright, his grades declined as a response to his opposition to the militaristic style of education. Like most of the famous German authors of the time, Döblin was no exception when it came to school performance. His mother decided to move with her five children to Berlin. 10, 1878, Stettin, (at the time Germany, now Poland) – June 26, 1957, West Germany) When Döblin was just 10 years old, his father’s love affair broke the family up. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. His most recognized books of literature are Siddhartha (1922), Steppenwolf (1927) and The Glass Bead Game (1943). His divorce, his criticism against German nationalism, his travels and his search for enlightenment are at the core of his writing. Much of his work will reflect his life experiences. At the age of 13, Hesse considers suicide before leaving the school that causes him so much stress. It tells the story of an overly diligent student that is driven to self-destruction, as a consequence of such an oppressive atmosphere. To such an extent, that he expressed his disgust in his novel Unterm Rad (1906 Beneath the Wheel). As a child, Hesse disliked the rigidness of the German educational system of his time. They became integral to his being and were a constant reflection in his writings. Early on, Hesse was exposed to religious influences of Protestantism, as well as Eastern religions and philosophies. His parents as well as his grandfather were missionaries in India. Hermann Hesse – (J– August 9, 1962) was born in a small village on the edge of the Black Forest.A philosophical drama that inspired intellectuals, such as, Nietzsche, Beckett and Kafka. Faust was Goethe’s masterpiece, which took him 60 years to complete. From theatre, poetry to novels, his literary genius makes Goethe one of the most influential authors of all times. Goethe spent most of his long life in Weimar. Soon after, he was invited to the court of Karl August, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, becoming the Duke’s friend and chief adviser. In 1774 he wrote the book which would bring him worldwide acclaim, The Sorrows of Young Werther. From the very young age of 25, he achieved fame as a writer. Goethe (Aug– March 22, 1832) – leaves a legacy as statesman, critic, natural philosopher, but Goethe was mostly renowned for his writing.Some would say Germany’s Shakespeare: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe In the top position, is the most famous German author of all time. Here is my list of popular German authors, in no particular order. I still managed to find two female German authors /poets/novelists, now considered the greatest of their time, in their own genre. This is one of the biggest barriers against receiving international acclaim. There are a number of women poets, novelists, etc, but their works have never been translated. What I encountered was disappointing, but not surprising. So I started searching for Famous Female German Authors. I didn’t encounter many female names on the lists. One thing was missing during my search for Best German Authors. I have summarized as best as I could, for your own amusement. Especially interesting are their own personal stories. Of course I’d heard of Goethe, Mann, etc., but my preconceptions of German literature held me back. I have been reading a lot more these days (due to COVID-19 restrictions) and realized I have not read many works of literature written by German authors. German authors that were geniuses of their time and continue to inspire us today.
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