Wolfgang Koeppen facts for kids

Wolfgang Arthur Reinhold Koeppen (born June 23, 1906 – died March 15, 1996) was a German writer. He was one of the most famous German authors after World War II. He wrote novels that explored important ideas about Germany's past and future.

Life Story

Wolfgang Koeppen was born in Greifswald, a town in Pomerania, Germany. His mother, Marie Köppen, was a seamstress and worked at the local theater. Wolfgang did not know his father.

He moved around a lot when he was young. He lived with his grandmother, then with his aunt in Szczytno, and moved back and forth between Greifswald and East Prussia. After World War I, he returned to Greifswald. He worked as a delivery boy for a book store and volunteered at the theater. He also attended classes at the University of Greifswald.

In 1920, Koeppen left Greifswald for good. After many years of moving, he settled in Munich. He lived there for the rest of his life. In the 1950s, he traveled widely. He visited the United States, the Soviet Union, London, and Warsaw.

Koeppen's wife passed away in 1984. He died in a nursing home in Munich in 1996. To remember him and keep his writings safe, the Wolfgang Koeppen Foundation was started in Greifswald in 2000. Famous writers like Günter Grass helped create it.

His Books

Koeppen started his writing career by publishing stories in magazines. In 1931, he became a journalist for a newspaper called Berliner Börsen-Courier.

His first novel, Eine unglückliche Liebe (A Sad Affair), came out in 1934. His second novel, Die Mauer schwankt (The Wall Sways), was published in 1935. These books hinted at the difficult times in Germany as the Nazis came to power. They showed the challenges artists faced during that period.

In 1947, Koeppen was asked to write a book for Jakob Littner. Littner was a stamp collector and a survivor of the Holocaust. The book was published in 1948 without Koeppen's name on it. Later, in 1992, a new version was released that gave Koeppen credit.

In 1951, Koeppen published Tauben im Gras (Pigeons on the Grass). This novel used a special writing style called stream of consciousness. This means it shows the characters' thoughts and feelings as they happen. Many people think it is a very important German book.

His novel Das Treibhaus (1953) was translated into English as The Hothouse. It was praised by the New York Times. Koeppen's last main novel, Der Tod in Rom (Death in Rome), was published in 1954.

Der Tod in Rom tells the story of different people in Rome. One character, Gottlieb Judejahn, was a former high-ranking officer during Nazi Germany. He is trying to buy weapons for another country. His family members are also in Rome. His son, Adolf, is becoming a priest. Another character, Siegfried, is a young composer. The book explores important topics. These include the impact of the Holocaust, feelings of guilt in Germany, and how different generations deal with the past.

Awards He Won

Wolfgang Koeppen received many literary awards. These were given to him between 1962 and 1987. In 1962, he won the famous Georg Büchner Prize.

List of Works

• Eine unglückliche Liebe (1934)
• Die Mauer schwankt (1935)
• Jakob Littners Aufzeichnungen aus einem Erdloch (1948/1992)
• Tauben im Gras (1951)
• Das Treibhaus (1953)
• Der Tod in Rom (1954)
• Amerikafahrt (1959)
• Jugend (1976)

See also

In Spanish: Wolfgang Koeppen para niños