About
Hans Magnus Enzensberger, born in 1929 in Kaufbeuren and died in 2022 in Munich, is a major figure in German intellectual life. After studying literature and philosophy, he earned a doctorate at the Sorbonne. A founding member of Group 47, he established himself as a major political voice with his first collection, Verteidigung der Wölfe (1957). He founded the journal Kursbuch (1965) and the collection Die Andere Bibliothek (1985). Author of more than 70 books, he explored poetry, essays, novels, and children's literature, including The Number Devil (1997), an international bestseller. Translated into over 40 languages, he received numerous awards, including the Georg Büchner Prize (1963) and the Prince of Asturias Award (2002).
* 1929-11-11 — † 2022-11-24
Major works
- Verteidigung der Wölfe (1957)poetry
- Mausoleum: 37 Balladen aus der Geschichte des Fortschritts (1975)poetry
- Der Untergang der Titanic (1978)narrative poem
- Ach, Europa! (1987)travelogue
- Der Zahlenteufel (1997)children's literature
Key milestones
- 1955Earned a doctorate at the Sorbonne with a thesis on Clemens Brentano's poetics.
- 1965Founded the radical cultural journal Kursbuch, which became a forum for the 1968 student movement.
- 1985Founded and edited the prestigious book series Die Andere Bibliothek.
Themes
politicshistoryprogressmathematicsEurope
Sources: suhrkamp.de · poetryfoundation.org · griffinpoetryprize.com