Friedrich Torberg facts for kids
Friedrich Torberg (born Friedrich Kantor) was an Austrian writer. He was born in Vienna on September 16, 1908, and passed away in Vienna on November 10, 1979.
Life of Friedrich Torberg
Friedrich Torberg worked as a critic and journalist in Vienna and Prague. This was until 1938, when he had to leave his home. Because he was Jewish, he faced danger from the Nazis. He first moved to France.
Later, he was invited to the United States by the New York PEN-Club. This club invited "Ten outstanding German Anti-Nazi-Writers." Other famous writers like Heinrich Mann and Franz Werfel were also invited. In the U.S., Torberg worked as a scriptwriter in Hollywood. He also worked for Time magazine in New York City. In 1951, he returned to Vienna, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Torberg is best known for his funny and sharp writings. He wrote both fiction and non-fiction. He also translated stories by Ephraim Kishon into German. These translations are still the most popular German versions of Kishon's work. Torberg was strongly against communism. He used his position as a theater critic to stop the plays of Bertolt Brecht from being shown in most of Austria for over ten years.
An Austrian Olympic swimmer and model named Hedy Bienenfeld inspired a character in his book. She was the inspiration for "Lisa" in his novel The Pupil Gerber.
Awards and Recognitions
Friedrich Torberg received many awards for his work:
- Julius-Empire Award (1933)
- Title of Professor (1958)
- City of Vienna Prize for Journalism (1966)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1968)
- Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class (1968)
- Gold Medal of the Austrian capital Vienna (1974)
- Richard Champion Medal (1974)
- Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (1976)
- Grand Austrian State Prize for Literature (1979)
- A street in Vienna, Torberggasse, was named after him in 1981.
Important Books
Here are some of Friedrich Torberg's well-known books:
- Der Schüler Gerber hat absolviert (1930): This book is partly about his own life. It tells the story of a high school student dealing with a very strict teacher. Later, the title was shortened to Der Schüler Gerber.
- … und glauben, es wäre die Liebe (1932)
- Süsskind von Trimberg (1972): This novel is a made-up biography.
- Die Tante Jolesch oder Der Untergang des Abendlandes in Anekdoten (1975): This is a collection of funny and sometimes sad stories. They are about Jewish life and people in Vienna and Prague before the Nazis, and also about their lives after leaving their homes.
- Die Erben der Tante Jolesch (1978): This book is a follow-up to Die Tante Jolesch.
See also
In Spanish: Friedrich Torberg para niños
