Erich Kestner: biography and creativity of the writer

Erich Kestner (1899-1974), a German writer and critic, comes from Dresden, who gained his popularity thanks to humorous novels for children and topical poetry with a touch of satire.

Childhood

About the writer's childhood years you can learn from his work entitled "When I was a little boy". Of the biographical texts available on the Web, not very much is known: the boy grew up in Dresden, and at age 14 entered the teacher's courses. However, three years later, shortly before their official completion, Erich Kestner interrupted his studies. Later these events will be described by the author himself in the book "Flying Classroom."

The house where the boy lived with his family was located on Koenigsbruck Strasse. Now in the vicinity of it is a museum dedicated to the writer himself. Kestner's father worked as a saddler, and his mother managed to visit three "roles": a servant, a housekeeper and a hairdresser.

The young man loved her very much, therefore, even leaving his father's house with the beginning of the First World War (1917), he continued to write to his mother, writing touching letters and postcards. Tender feelings for her Erich Kestner transferred to their works. Moreover, his attitude was not shaken even with the appearance of rumors that she was cheating on her husband with their family doctor Emil Zimmermann. However, this information was not confirmed, as well as the assumption that Erich could be his son.

Youth

Being called up for military service, the young man was trained in a company of heavy artillery. This proved to be a very difficult test for the young Kestner and played a major role in shaping his worldview.

In the army, Erich was heavily drilled, which led to the development of heart disease in the future writer. Somewhat later, the image of his main offender, Sergeant Waurich, will appear in one of the satirical poems that ridicules German militarism and similar people who happily support this policy.

Career

After the completion of the First World Erich, Kestner was enrolled in the University of Leipzig, where he preferred the humanities and theatrical studies. However, the training was not free, and the empty pockets made the young man think about the need to earn extra money, despite the "golden scholarship" he received earlier.

As a result, Kestner tried very much: from the seller of spirits to the assistant of the stockbroker. After defending his dissertation in 1925, Erich began to become infected in the sphere of journalism by criticizing theatrical performances in the column of one of the local newspapers, but two years later he was fired. The young man was accused of frivolous behavior for writing a poem "Evening Song of the chamber virtuoso", which has a clear erotic overtones.

Almost immediately after the events described, Kestner Erich moved to Berlin to continue work in the same newspaper, only as a freelancer in the department of culture. During the time, the young man has touched many pseudonyms, under which he published his articles: Berthold Burger, Melchior Kurtz, Peter Flint and Robert Neuner.

To date, it became known that in the period from 1923 to 1933. Kestner wrote more than 350 articles. The exact figure is unknown, since many of the writer's works were destroyed by fire in 1944.

In the period from 1926 to 1932. In the newspaper Beyers für Alle came out just under two hundred different stories and puzzles for children written by Erich and published under the pseudonym Klaus and Clare. In addition, the man printed his articles and other materials in various periodicals, which quickly brought him fame in the intellectual circles of Berlin.

Erich Kestner: Author's books

The first book of the writer, published in 1928, was a collection of poems, as well as three subsequent ones. A year later, works appeared in prose: one of them (the children's novel "Emil and Detectives") has been popular so far. Several films and even a mini-series have been shot on it, although some edits have been made to the plot of the very first screen version, in accordance with the requirements of that time.

Later other children's works were published: "Button and Anton", "Flying Classroom", "Two Lottas". The only novel of value from the point of view of literary significance is the "Fabian: The History of a Moralist", published in 1931.

In 1933, Erich Kestner, whose books were burned as discrediting and objecting to the German spirit, was deleted from the Writers' Union after several interrogations in the Gestapo. The writer, who remained in Berlin because of the reluctance to leave his mother, personally watched the "fiery show" in the square.

As a result, the publication of his works was strictly forbidden in the Third Reich, but Erich managed to publish several quite harmless novels in Switzerland.

At the end of the war, the author will write an autobiographical novel about his childhood years "When I was little," and also "Little Max" and "Little Max and the Little Miss" (1957), dedicated to the son of Erich.

The last work Kestner, published in 1961, will be his diary "Notabene 45".

After the Second World War

In 1944, Kestner's apartment burned out as a result of the bombardment, so when the war was over, the writer moved to Munich, where he took a leading position in the local newspaper department, spoke on the radio and in a literary cabaret.

Apparently, thanks to such a stormy life, Kestner Erich was never married, but had Thomas's beloved son. The writer died in one of the Munich clinics (Neuperlach) in July 1974 and was buried in the cemetery of St. George.