Ernst Lothar
Ernst Lothar was a notable Austrian writer and literary figure born in 1890 in Moravia, Austria. He initially pursued a career in law, earning his degree from the University of Vienna in 1914 and working as a prosecutor and later in the ministry of trade. However, Lothar transitioned to writing in the early 1920s, producing theater criticism, political essays, and poetry, with his first published work being a collection of poems in 1910. His novels gained recognition in the 1930s, particularly titles like "Die Muehle der Gerechtigkeit" and "The Mills of God." With the rise of the Nazi party, Lothar left Austria for Switzerland and subsequently immigrated to the United States in 1939. In the U.S., he continued to write, teach, and lecture, receiving notable accolades such as the Literary Guild Book Selection for his 1943 novel "Beneath Another Sun." Lothar became a U.S. citizen in 1944 and eventually returned to Austria, where he continued his literary career until his passing in 1974. His life reflects the experiences of a writer navigating the challenges of political upheaval and cultural displacement.
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Ernst Lothar
Author
- Born: October 25, 1890
- Birthplace: Brünn, Moravia, Austria
- Died: October 30, 1974
- Place of death: Vienna, Austria
Biography
Ernst Lothar was born in 1890 in Moravia, Austria. The son of a lawyer, he was raised and educated in Vienna. Lothar’s father insisted that he study law, and Lothar completed his law degree from the University of Vienna in 1914. After completing his degree, Lothar became a prosecutor for the Austrian ministry of justice. He later held a position with the ministry of trade.
In the early 1920’s, Lothar quit his government job to write theater criticism and essays. He had published his first work in 1910, a collection of poems titled Der ruhige Hain: Ein Gedichtbuch. During those early years, Lothar had also written numerous political essays. Lothar’s novels began to catch the attention of American critics in the 1930’s, when he was publishing numerous novels, including Die Muehle der Gerechtigkeit: Oder, Das Recht auf den Tod (1933; The Mills of God, 1935; also translated as The Loom of Justice, 1935).
In the late 1930’s, when the Nazi party began to rise to power, Lothar left Austria for Switzerland. He did not remain there long and immigrated to the United States in 1939. Lothar was able to continue his literary work in the United States. He wrote and published novels and took jobs teaching and lecturing in American universities, including a stint teaching drama at Colorado College. In 1943, his novel Beneath Another Sun was named a Literary Guild Book Selection; the German translation of the book, Unter anderer Sonne: Roman des Südtiroler Schicksals, appeared in 1961. Lothar became a citizen of the United States in 1944. Five years later, he returned to his native Austria, where he continued to work and write until his death in 1974.