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Wolfgang Hermann

ヴォルフガング・ヘルマン

Wolfgang Hermann

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1961-09-27 （Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria）
Died
null
Nationality
Austria
Languages
German
Residence History
Dornbirn, Vorarlberg (grew up) → Berlin (lived 1987–1990) → Paris (residence) → Aix-en-Provence (residence) → North Africa (residences) → Sicily (residences) → Tokyo (lectorship at Sophia University 1996–1998) → Vienna (current residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Radio dramatist, Translator
Active Years
1987-
Affiliations
PEN Centre Germany (PEN-Zentrum Deutschland), University of Vienna (former research staff), Sophia University (lectorship 1996–1998)
Memberships
PEN Centre Germany (PEN-Zentrum Deutschland)
Influenced By
Friedrich Hölderlin
Nominations
1988 nominated for Aspekte Literature Prize for 'Das schöne Leben'

Education

University of Vienna
Philosophy and German Studies / Department of Philosophy / German Studies
Degree: 博士（PhD / Dr. phil.）
Period: 1981–1986
Year of Graduation: 1986
Country: Austria
Doctoral dissertation on Friedrich Hölderlin

Awards

Literature Prize of the Jürgen Ponto Foundation
1987
Organization: Jürgen Ponto Foundation
Result: 受賞
Aspekte Literature Prize (Aspekte-Literaturpreis)
1988
Work: Das schöne Leben
Organization: ZDF / Aspekte
Result: ノミネート
Vorarlberg Literature Scholarship
1990
Organization: State of Vorarlberg
Result: 受賞
Theodor Körner Prize
1992
Organization: Theodor Körner Fund
Result: 受賞
Annual Scholarship of the State of Baden-Württemberg
1999
Organization: State of Baden-Württemberg
Result: 受賞
Rauris Promotion Prize (Rauriser Förderpreis)
2000
Work: Die Agentinnen
Organization: Rauris Literary Days (Rauriser Literaturtage)
Result: 受賞
Siemens Literature Prize
2002
Organization: Siemens
Result: 受賞
Puchberger Literature Prize
2003
Organization: Puchberger Literature Prize organization
Result: 受賞
Anton Wildgans Prize
2006
Organization: Anton Wildgans Foundation
Result: 受賞
Austrian Promotion Prize for Literature
2007
Organization: Austrian federal cultural institutions
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Das schöne Leben

1988 Prose (short prose)

A prose piece that moves between urban everyday life and the individual's inner world. An early representative work important for his urban imagery.

urban lifeeverydaymemoryinner life
Translations
  • English
  • French

Mein Dornbirn

1991 Essay

A personal essay reflecting on his hometown Dornbirn and considerations of regional identity.

nostalgiaregional identitymemory

Die Farbe der Stadt

1992 Novel

A novel set in the city using color and memory as motifs; fragmented memories and urban landscapes intertwine.

cityscapememoryidentity
Translations
  • English
  • Swedish

In kalten Zimmern

1997 Short story collection

A collection of short stories depicting personal loneliness and the uncertainty of relationships.

lonelinesshuman relationshipsalienation

Fliehende Landschaft

2000 Novel

A novel focused on landscape and the passage of time; memories and the present shift through movement and travel.

travellandscapetime

Herr Faustini verreist

2006 Novel

A volume in the Faustini series; explores the protagonist through travel and everyday life.

character studytraveleveryday life

Herr Faustini und der Mann im Hund

2008 Novel

A continuation of the Faustini series, blending fable and humor to depict inner life and strange encounters.

fable-likehumorencounter

Die Kunst des unterirdischen Fliegens

2015 Novel

A mid-career work that explores the boundary between reality and imagination with metaphoric and lyrical narration.

reality and imaginationmetaphormemory

Bruno

2000 Play (drama)

A play written for the stage; later adapted into an opera by a composer.

theatrehuman relationshipsidentity
Adaptations
  • [Opera] Bruno / Jakub Sarwas（作曲） (2007)

Der leuchtende Fluss (libretto)

2010 Libretto (opera)

Libretto for an opera composed by Johanna Doderer; premiered at Theater Erfurt in 2010.

music theatresymbolism
Adaptations
  • [Opera] Der leuchtende Fluss / Johanna Doderer（作曲） (2010)

Bibliography

  • Das schöne Leben. Prose. Hanser Verlag, Munich 1988
  • Mein Dornbirn. Essay. Hecht Verlag, Hard 1991
  • Die Namen die Schatten die Tage. Prose. Gatza Verlag, Berlin 1991
  • Die Farbe der Stadt. Novel. Bollmann Verlag, Bensheim et al. 1992
  • Paris Berlin New York. Transformations. Gatza Verlag, Berlin 1992 (reissues Limbus 2008, 2015)
  • Schlaf in den Fugen der Stadt. Long poem. Otto Müller Verlag, Salzburg 1993
  • In kalten Zimmern. Stories. Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt 1997
  • Fliehende Landschaft. Novel. Haymon Verlag, Innsbruck 2000
  • Ins Tagesinnere. Poems. Otto Müller Verlag, Salzburg 2002
  • Das Gesicht in der Tiefe der Straße. Moments of a City. Prose. Otto Müller Verlag, Salzburg et al. 2004
  • Herr Faustini verreist. Novel. Deuticke Verlag, Vienna 2006
  • Fremdes Ufer. Legends. Bucher, Hohenems 2007
  • Herr Faustini und der Mann im Hund. Novel. Deuticke Verlag, Vienna 2008
  • Konstruktion einer Stadt. Prose. Limbus Verlag, Innsbruck et al. 2009
  • Mit dir ohne dich. Novel. Haymon Verlag, Innsbruck 2010
  • In Wirklichkeit sagte ich nichts. Stories. Laurin Verlag, Innsbruck 2010
  • Die Augenblicke des Herrn Faustini. Novel. Haymon Verlag, Innsbruck 2011
  • Abschied ohne Ende. Story. Langen Müller Verlag, Munich 2012
  • Schatten auf dem Weg durch den Bernsteinwald. Poems. Limbus Verlag, Innsbruck 2013
  • Die Kunst des unterirdischen Fliegens. Novel. Langen Müller Verlag, Munich 2015
  • Die letzten Gesänge. Stories. Limbus Verlag, Innsbruck 2015
  • Herr Faustini bleibt zu Hause. Novel. Langen Müller, Munich 2016
  • Das Japanische Fährtenbuch. Afterword by Reinhard Kaiser-Mühlecker. Limbus Verlag, Innsbruck 2017
  • Die Tiere und die Wörter. Children's book. Nilpferd Verlag, Vienna 2018
  • Walter oder die ganze Welt. Story. Limbus Verlag, Innsbruck 2020
  • Der Lichtgeher. Story. PalmArt Press, Berlin 2020
  • Herr Faustini bekommt Besuch. Novel. Limbus Verlag, Innsbruck 2021
  • Insel im Sommer. Story. Czernin Verlag, Vienna 2022
  • Bildnis meiner Mutter. Story. Czernin Verlag, Vienna 2023
  • Der Garten der Zeit. With drawings by Timna Brauer. Czernin Verlag, Vienna 2023
  • Beduinen in Wien. Story. Literatur Quickie, Hamburg 2023
  • Herr Faustini und die Glatze der Welt. Novel. Milena Verlag, Vienna 2025

Adaptations

  • Atemanfall (libretto / music by Norbert Dehmke) - International Music School Festival Feldkirch premiere 2002
  • Totentanz (oratorio by Wolfgang Sauseng) - Vienna premiere 2009
  • Der leuchtende Fluss (opera by Johanna Doderer) - Theater Erfurt premiere 2010
  • Bruno (opera based on the play, music by Jakub Sarwas) - Osnabrück preview 2007

Translations by Author

  • Andy Warhol / Truman Capote: Ein Sonntag in New York (translation), Berlin 1993

Translations of Works

  • English
  • French
  • Spanish
  • Swedish
  • Arabic
  • Latvian
  • Slovenian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Russian
  • Polish
  • Czech
  • Serbian
  • Hindi

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical and symbolic proseurban imagery-focused narrationphilosophical and speculative expression
Recurring Motifs
cities and their colorsfragments of memorymovement and travelloneliness and othernesslanguage and names

Legacy

Wolfgang Hermann is one of the notable figures in contemporary Austrian literature; his poetic prose on cities and memory and his cross-genre work (novels, poems, plays, libretti, radio dramas) have been widely recognized. He has received multiple awards, his works have been translated into many languages, and several have been staged or turned into operas, earning international recognition.

Academic Societies

  • PEN Centre Germany (member)

Archives

  • German National Library (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek): GND 11582054X
  • VIAF (98450247)

Trivia

  • Received a doctorate in 1986 with a dissertation on Friedrich Hölderlin.
  • Has worked as a freelance writer since 1987.
  • Served as a lector at Sophia University in Tokyo from 1996 to 1998.
  • Works have been translated into many languages, including English, French, Spanish, Swedish, Arabic, Latvian, Slovenian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Polish, Czech, Serbian and Hindi.
  • His plays and libretti have been adapted into operas, showing close ties to stage arts beyond literature.