Ernst Wiechert
Ernst Wiechert was a notable German novelist born in 1887 in Sensburg, East Prussia. Growing up in the scenic Mansurian marshlands, he developed a deep appreciation for nature, which significantly influenced his literary work. Wiechert's career began in education, after completing his studies at the University of Königsberg, where he also worked as a private tutor. His first novel, "Die Flucht," published in 1916 under a pseudonym, marked the beginning of a prolific writing career that included several novels and short stories reflecting themes of solitude in nature.
Wiechert's life took a dramatic turn during the rise of the Nazi regime, with which he had a contentious relationship. His outspoken criticism of Nazi policies led to surveillance by the Gestapo and ultimately his imprisonment in Buchenwald concentration camp for four months. Despite the dangers he faced, he continued to write, burying his manuscripts to protect them from Nazi censorship. After World War II, Wiechert remained an active voice against the horrors of the Holocaust, receiving threats as a result. Fearing for his safety, he eventually fled to Switzerland, where he lived until his death in 1950. His life and work reflect a profound engagement with themes of nature, personal freedom, and moral courage in the face of oppression.
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Ernst Wiechert
Writer
- Born: May 18, 1887
- Birthplace: Sensburg, East Prussia, Germany
- Died: August 24, 1950
- Place of death: Orikon, Switzerland
Biography
Ernst Wiechert, a twentieth century novelist, was born in Sensburg, East Prussia, Germany, in 1887. His father was the chief forester in the imperial German civil service. Due to his father’s position, Wiechert grew up in the wooded area of the Mansurian marshlands. His father taught Wiechert to appreciate the outdoors and Wiechert’s love of the woods was reflected in his later writings.
At the age of eleven, Wiechert entered school in Konigsburg, Germany. After completing high school, he studied at the University of Konigsburg, where he learned German, English, and philosophy. While at the university, Wiechert supported himself by working as a private tutor to the children of a baron. Following his graduation, Wiechert was hired as a teacher at a Konigsburg school in 1911. At this time, he married Meta Mittelstadt.
In 1916, Wiechert published his first novel, Die Flucht, under the pseudonym Ernst Barany Bjell. The book ended with the protagonist fleeing to the safety of the woods. In 1918, Wiechert served in the German army during World War I. While engaged in battle on the eastern front, he was wounded and discharged. He returned to Konigsburg, where he continued to teach school and write novels.
Between 1922 and 1926, Wiechert published four novels and several short stories. The majority of these works reflected his love of nature and always concluded with the main character escaping to the solitude of the woods. In 1928, Wiechert, who was still married, had an affair with a married woman named Paula Marie Junker. Their affair created a controversy at the school where Wiechert taught and eventually led to his resignation. In 1933, after his first wife’s death, Wiechert married Junker and relocated to the countryside outside of Munich.
At this time, the Nazi Party began to gain power in Germany. Although Wiechert’s work was praised by the Nazis, he resented being labeled a Nazi writer. Wiechert became openly critical of Nazi policies, especially those that abused human rights. In 1935, Wiechert presented a highly critical lecture against the Nazi regime at the University of Munich. Following this lecture, Wiechert was put on watch and was frequently followed by the Gestapo.
In 1938, Wiechert asserted himself as “the voice of Germany’s conscience” in another university lecture in which he encouraged young Germans to revolt against Nazism. Following this lecture, Wiechert was arrested and transported to a concentration camp in Buchenwald, Germany, where he spent four months. Wiechert later wrote about his experiences at the concentration camp in his novel Der Totenwald: Ein Bericht (1945; The Forest of the Dead 1947)
Wiechert was forbidden to publish and was warned that any further dissent would result in his death. Despite imminent danger, Wiechert continued to write throughout World War II, but he did not dare to publish any of his work. Instead, he buried all of his manuscripts in his garden. He also slept with a gun under his pillow, claiming that he would take his own life before going back to a concentration camp.
After World War II and during the de-Nazification of Germany, Wiechert once again spoke out against the Third Reich and the horrors of the Holocaust. As a result, he began to receive personal threats and his home was vandalized by former Nazis. In 1948, afraid for his life, Wiechert fled to Switzerland and settled near the Lake of Zurich. He remained in Switzerland until his death in 1950.