Wolfgang Ecke
Wolfgang Ecke was a German author born on November 26, 1927, in Radebeul, near Dresden. He developed an early interest in literature, inspired by local writer Karl May, and pursued dramatic and musical studies at a university in Dresden before moving to West Germany. Ecke's experiences smuggling goods between East and West Germany influenced his writing, particularly in his notable novel "Flucht" (1966), which addresses the impact of war on children. Throughout his career, he wrote hundreds of radio dramas and children's books, specializing in mystery stories that depicted nonviolent crimes, featuring characters like Perry Clifton and Balduin Pfiff. Ecke's work garnered significant acclaim, earning him multiple awards and translations into about eight languages. His stories were also adapted for television and radio, reaching a wide audience across Europe. Ecke's life tragically ended in a car accident on November 3, 1983, in Upper Bavaria, leaving behind a legacy as a respected children's author.
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Wolfgang Ecke
Writer
- Born: November 26, 1927
- Birthplace: Radebeul, Germany
- Died: November 3, 1983
- Place of death: Murnau, Germany
Biography
Wolfgang Ecke was born on November 26, 1927, at Radebeul, Germany, a town near Dresden and close to the Czechoslovakian border. Interested in reading adventure books, Ecke appreciated that the notable western writer, Karl May, had resided in his hometown. When he was thirteen years old, Ecke left home to board at a school specializing in military instruction in addition to academics.
In 1945, Ecke enrolled at a Dresden university to study dramatic and musical courses. He remained on campus for two sessions before relocating to West Germany, where he pursued a variety of jobs. Ecke also smuggled goods between East and West Germany, and he later appropriated his smuggling experiences for his detective stories.
On a trip to East Germany in September, 1947, Ecke encountered an orphaned boy near the border who told Ecke he was twelve and unsuccessfully trying to enter West Germany without legal permission in order to find his grandmother. Alarmed by the boy’s story, Ecke decided to write a novel depicting war’s negative impact on children. Although he changed people’s names, calling his protagonist Peter Weise, Ecke factually portrayed postwar Germany in Flucht (1966; Flight Toward Home, 1970). He donated the book’s manuscript to the University of Minnesota Library’s Children’s Literature Research Collections.
Beginning in 1955, Ecke wrote several hundred radio dramas, many specifically for young listeners. By the early 1960’s, Ecke began writing books. During the 1970’s, he specialized in creating collections of short mysteries depicting nonviolent crimes, such as forgery, for the Club der Detektive series for children. These story collections contained appendices in which the clues for each crime were analyzed and the solutions to the cases revealed. The stories were set in Ecke’s native Germany as well as locations worldwide, and they featured the recurring investigators Perry Clifton, Balduin Pfiff, and Tom Knall, among others. Ecke’s fans also read his stories in a magazine, Wolfgang Eckes Kriminalmagazin.
Reviewers praised Ecke’s storytelling as clever and intriguing. In 1982, the International Reading Association and Children’s Book Council designated Ecke’s book, The Face at the Window, as a Children’s Choice title based on a poll of young readers. Ecke’s book, Der unsichtbare Zeuge (1977; Invisible Witness; 1981), received that same honor in 1983. At least two million copies of his books sold in Germany, resulting in Ecke being presented two Golden Pocket Book honors in that country. Ecke’s publisher arranged for his books to be translated into English and sold in Great Britain and North America. Television producers adapted Ecke’s novel, Flucht, for European viewers, and an adaptation of that novel was broadcast on the radio. The Book of the Month Club offered Ecke’s books as selections. His stories were translated into approximately eight languages and aired over nineteen networks in Europe.
Ecke married and lived in Upper Bavaria, and he and his wife had two daughters. While driving in the autumn of 1983, Ecke attempted to avoid hitting a cow that had wandered onto the road. Swerving, he lost control of his vehicle and was fatally injured. Ecke died on November 3, 1983, at Murnau, Germany.