About
Gustav Meyrink, born Gustav Meyer in Vienna in 1868, was an Austrian writer of German language. After a banking career in Prague, he turned to occultism following a personal crisis. Wrongly accused of fraud, he left banking and became a writer, contributing to the satirical journal Simplicissimus. His novel The Golem (1915) was a major success and a landmark of fantastic literature. He also translated Dickens, Kipling, and Hearn. Converted to Buddhism in 1927, he died in 1932.
* 1868-01-19 — † 1932-12-04
Major works
- Der Golem (1915)novel
- Das grüne Gesicht (1916)novel
- Walpurgisnacht (1917)novel
- Der weiße Dominikaner (1921)novel
- Der Engel vom westlichen Fenster (1927)novel
Key milestones
- 1891After a nervous breakdown and suicide attempt, turned to occult studies.
- 1902Wrongly accused of fraud, left banking and moved to Germany.
- 1917Legally changed his surname from Meyer to Meyrink.
Themes
OccultismFantasticJewish mysticismAlchemyBuddhism
Sources: bavarikon.de · oxfordreference.com