Erich Kästner
Erich Kästner was a prominent German author known for his contributions to children's literature and satirical poetry. Born in 1899 in Dresden, he was the only child of a leather worker and a seamstress. Kästner's education in literature and theater at various universities was interrupted by his service in World War I, which influenced his pacifist views. His notable work, "Emil und die Detektive," published in 1929, has been widely translated and adapted into film, establishing him as a significant figure in children's literature.
Kästner's career faced severe limitations during the period of the Third Reich, as he was banned from publishing due to his antiwar stance and criticism of the regime. Despite these challenges, he rebuilt his reputation after World War II, receiving numerous literary awards, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. His writing style is marked by precision and a respectful approach toward children, treating them as rational beings. Kästner's legacy is further enriched by his memorable antiwar poetry, establishing him as a key voice in German literature. He passed away in 1974, leaving behind a lasting impact on literature and cultural discourse.
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Erich Kästner
Writer
- Born: February 23, 1899
- Birthplace: Dresden, Saxony, Germany
- Died: July 29, 1974
- Place of death: Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Biography
Erich Kästner was the only child of Emil Richard Kästner (1867-1957), a leather-worker, and his wife Ida Amalia Kästner (1871-1951), née Augustin, a seamstress and hairdresser. She was a devoted mother, and Erich was determined to live up to her expectations.
Kästner went to public school in Dresden in 1906, and then entered the Freiherr von Fletscher teachers’ college in 1913. His studies were interrupted by World War I. He served in the heavy artillery from 1917 to 1918, and suffered from heart problems for the rest of his life. Kästner finished his teacher’s certificate at the Strehlen teachers’ college, and then audited the prerequisite courses at the König Georg Gymnasium to qualify for university. The City of Dresden awarded him its Gold Scholarship in 1919.
He studied German literature and theater at the universities of Leipzig, Rostock, and Berlin. Kästner became editor of the arts section of the Neue Leipziger Zeitung (new Leipzig newspaper) in 1922. In 1925, he earned his Ph.D. with a superb thesis on Frederick the Great and German literature.
In 1927, Kästner went to Berlin and received critical and popular acclaim for his satirical poetry and excellent children’s books. His children’s story Emil und die Detektive (1929) was produced as a film in 1930 and has been translated into many languages. In 1931, Kästner was elected to the PEN Club (Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists).
Kästner’s career was on hold during the Third Reich, from 1933 to 1945. His experience in World War I had made him a pacifist. Parodying the beautiful, well-known poem from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, Kästner wrote: “Do you know the land where the cannons bloom?” As a result, he was no longer allowed to publish in Germany, and the Nazis burned his books. He was arrested in 1934 and in 1937 and released both times. In 1942, he was forbidden to write in Germany or abroad.
After Kästner’s Berlin apartment was bombed in 1944, he moved in with Luiselotte Enderle (1908-1991), a journalist from Leipzig. They lived together for the rest of Kästner’s life, and Enderle became his biographer. In 1945, they moved to Munich, where Kästner quickly reestablished his reputation as an author.
From 1951 to 1962, Kästner was president of the West German PEN. He was awarded the City of Munich Prize for Literature (1956); the prestigious Büchner Prize (1957); the Hans Christian Andersen Medal (1960); First Prize in the international Humorist Competition of the Bulgarian newspaper for young people Narodna Mladesch (1966); the Lessing Ring and Prize for Literature from the German Free Masons (1968); the Munich Honorary Prize for Culture (1970); and the Munich Honorary Gold Coin (1974).
Health problems caused Kästner to cease writing. In 1961, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and subsequently spent 24 months in a sanatorium in Agra, Tessin. He died of esophageal cancer. Kästner and Luiselotte Enderle are buried together in the St. George Cemetery in Munich-Bogenhausen.
Kästner’s style is precise and persuasive. He addresses children as reasonable people, and his satirical poetry contains some of the most memorable antiwar lines in German literature.