Georg Büchner Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 37 (1962) Winner
Wolfgang Koeppen
ウォルフガング・ケッペン
Wolfgang Koeppen
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1906-06-23 （Greifswald, Province of Pomerania）
- Died
- 1996-03-15 （Munich） age 89
- Nationality
- German
- Languages
- German
- Residence History
- Greifswald (early life) → Ortelsburg (now Szczytno, East Prussia) → Netherlands (residence during 1930s) → Munich (from 1943 until death)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, author, journalist
- Active Years
- 1931-1996
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Greifswald (attended lectures) | — | — | — | 1918-1920（講義聴講、正式な学位取得は不明） | Germany |
University of Greifswald (attended lectures)
Period:
1918-1920（講義聴講、正式な学位取得は不明）
Country:
Germany
No confirmed degree; attended lectures at the university.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Georg Büchner Prize | — | — | Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung | 受賞 |
Georg Büchner Prize
1962
Organization:
Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A Sad Affair
1934 novelKoeppen's early novel dealing with personal and social conflicts.
personal conflictsocial tension
Translations
- 2003 translation by Michael Hofmann: 'A Sad Affair'
Die Mauer schwankt / Die Pflicht
1935 novelAn early novel from the 1930s hinting at the precarious social situation around the rise of the Nazis.
political tensionposition of the artist
Jakob Littner's Notes from a Dugout
1948 memoir/creative nonfictionKoeppen worked on the memoirs of Holocaust survivor Jakob Littner. The first edition did not credit Koeppen; his authorship was acknowledged in later editions.
Holocaustmemory and testimony
Pigeons on the Grass
1951 novel (stream of consciousness / modernist)A stream-of-consciousness novel portraying fragmentary scenes of postwar German society. Considered significant by critics such as Marcel Reich-Ranicki.
postwar societyfragmented consciousness
Translations
- Translated by David Ward (1988) and Michael Hofmann (2020)
The Hothouse
1953 novelA novel addressing social and moral issues of the 1950s. English translation published in 2001 and was named a Notable Book by The New York Times.
social criticismmoral decay
Translations
- 2001 translation by Michael Hofmann: 'The Hothouse'
Death in Rome
1954 novelA major work exploring German guilt, the silencing of the past, and generational conflict. Through characters connected to a condemned SS general, it examines the Holocaust and responsibility.
Holocaustguiltgenerational conflictsilencing of the past
Translations
- Translated by Mervyn Savill (1956) and Michael Hofmann (1992)
Journey Through America
1959 travelogue / nonfictionA record of travels in the United States, offering observations of American society in the 1950s.
cultural observationcomparative society
Translations
- 2012 translation by Michael Kimmage: 'Journey Through America'
Jugend
1976 novelA later work addressing youth and memory.
memoryyouth
Bibliography
- Eine unglückliche Liebe (1934)
- Die Mauer schwankt / Die Pflicht (1935)
- Jakob Littner's Notes from a Dugout (1948/1992)
- Pigeons on the Grass (1951)
- The Hothouse (1953)
- Death in Rome (1954)
- Journey Through America (1959)
- Jugend (1976)
Translations of Works
- Tauben im Gras — English translations by David Ward and Michael Hofmann
- Das Treibhaus — English translation by Michael Hofmann (2001)
- Der Tod in Rom — English translations by Mervyn Savill (1956) and Michael Hofmann (1992)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- modernist prose employing stream-of-consciousnessfragmentary, multi-perspective narration
- Recurring Motifs
- German guilt and silencing after the wargenerational rupturememory and denial
Legacy
Wolfgang Koeppen is one of the leading postwar German authors, known for works such as 'Tauben im Gras' and 'Death in Rome' that incisively probe moral and mnemonic issues in postwar society. The Wolfgang Koeppen Foundation was established in 2000 to preserve his legacy.
Academic Societies
- Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung
Archives
- Wolfgang Koeppen Archive (University of Greifswald)
- Wolfgang Koeppen Foundation (Greifswald)
Quotes
-
'Tauben on the Grass' is considered a significant work of German-language literature.
Source: Commentary by critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki
Trivia
- Born out of wedlock; his father never formally acknowledged paternity.
- His wife died in 1984.
- A foundation to preserve his legacy was established around 2000 (Wolfgang Koeppen Foundation).