Karla Höcker
Encyclopedia
Karla Alexandra Höcker (also used the pseudonym Christiana Rautter) was a German writer
and musician
.
was already a best-selling author when Karla was born, in Charlottenburg
. Her grandfather, Oskar Höcker
, and her great-uncle, Gustav Höcker
, were likewise writers. Karla was initially trained as a musician; she studied at the Berliner Musikhochschule
and became a musical director. Soon, however, she began to work as a writer, especially after her father fell ill and she had to assist him. She worked as a journalist and a writer about music, before becoming a professor of music in Berlin
. She received an honorary degree
in 1977.
In the 1920s and 1930s, she was a member of the Bornimer Kreis, a circle of architects, musicians, writers, and other artists and intellectuals; the nucleus of the Bornimer Kreis consisted of landscape architects Karl Foerster, Hermann Mattern, and Herta Hammerbacher. Members included pianist and composer Wilhelm Kempff
, conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwängler
(whom Höcker later went on tour with), and architects Otto Bartning
and Hans Poelzig
.
She spent World War II
in Berlin, and published a war memoir, Beschreibung eines Jahres: Berliner Notizen 1945, in which she noted, with surprise, that the Red Army
did not kill or deport the majority of the civilian population, and, like other authors of the period, spoke of how Berlin in 1945 and 1946 was felt to be in an "in-between" time. After the war, she became friends with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
, one of the greatest Lieder performers of the post-war period, and later collaborated with him in his writings.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Biography
Karla Höcker's father Paul Oskar HöckerPaul Oskar Höcker
Paul Oskar Höcker was a German editor and author, who also wrote under the pseudonym Heinz Grevenstett. He was one of the 88 signatories of the 1933 proclamation of loyalty to Adolf Hitler, the Gelöbnis treuester Gefolgschaft.-Biography:Paul Oskar Höcker was born the third son of author and actor...
was already a best-selling author when Karla was born, in Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
. Her grandfather, Oskar Höcker
Oskar Höcker
Oskar Höcker was a German author of historical novels for children and a stage actor.-Biography:Oskar Höcker was born in a suburb of Eilenburg, like his brother, author Gustav Höcker. He was educated in Chemnitz....
, and her great-uncle, Gustav Höcker
Gustav Höcker
Gustav Höcker was a German author and translator of popular historical novels.-Biography:Gustav Höcker was born on 28 September 1832 in a suburb of Eilenburg. His father was a colorist in the textile industry, and his younger brother was Oskar Höcker, who also became a writer...
, were likewise writers. Karla was initially trained as a musician; she studied at the Berliner Musikhochschule
Berlin University of the Arts
The Universität der Künste Berlin, UdK is a public art school in Berlin, Germany, one of the four universities in the city...
and became a musical director. Soon, however, she began to work as a writer, especially after her father fell ill and she had to assist him. She worked as a journalist and a writer about music, before becoming a professor of music in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. She received an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
in 1977.
In the 1920s and 1930s, she was a member of the Bornimer Kreis, a circle of architects, musicians, writers, and other artists and intellectuals; the nucleus of the Bornimer Kreis consisted of landscape architects Karl Foerster, Hermann Mattern, and Herta Hammerbacher. Members included pianist and composer Wilhelm Kempff
Wilhelm Kempff
Wilhelm Walter Friedrich Kempff was a German pianist and composer. Although his repertory included Bach, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms, Kempff was particularly well-known for his interpretations of the music of Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert, both of whose complete sonatas he also...
, conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler
Wilhelm Furtwängler was a German conductor and composer. He is widely considered to have been one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. By the 1930s he had built a reputation as one of the leading conductors in Europe, and he was the leading conductor who remained...
(whom Höcker later went on tour with), and architects Otto Bartning
Otto Bartning
Otto Bartning was a Modernist German architect, architectural theorist and teacher. In his early career he developed plans with Walter Gropius for the establishment of the Bauhaus. He was a member of Der Ring...
and Hans Poelzig
Hans Poelzig
Hans Poelzig was a German architect, painter and set designer.-Life:Poelzig was born in Berlin in 1869 to the countess Clara Henrietta Maria Poelzig while she was married to George Acland Ames, an Englishman...
.
She spent World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Berlin, and published a war memoir, Beschreibung eines Jahres: Berliner Notizen 1945, in which she noted, with surprise, that the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
did not kill or deport the majority of the civilian population, and, like other authors of the period, spoke of how Berlin in 1945 and 1946 was felt to be in an "in-between" time. After the war, she became friends with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is a retired German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous lieder performers of the post-war period and "one of the supreme vocal artists of the 20th century"...
, one of the greatest Lieder performers of the post-war period, and later collaborated with him in his writings.
Works
Höcker wrote novels and biographies of artists and musicians, and did interviews for German radio. She published some of those interviews in Gespraeche mit Berliner Kuenstlern ("Conversations with Berlin artists").Books authored (selection)
- Gespraeche mit Berliner Kuenstlern. Stapp, 1964.
- Die letzten und die ersten Tage: Berliner Aufzeichnungen 1945. Hessling, 1966.
- Johannes Brahms: Begegnung mit d. Menschen; mit 79 zeitgenöss. Bildern, Notenbeisp. u. Dok (introduction by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau). Klopp, 1983.
- Beschreibung eines Jahres: Berliner Notizen 1945. Berlin: Arani, 1984.
- Franz Schubert in seiner Welt. Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, 1984. ISBN 9783423079464.