Reiner Kunze
Encyclopedia
Reiner Kunze is a German writer and GDR dissident. He studied media and journalism at the University of Leipzig
. In 1968, he left the GDR state party SED
following the communist Warsaw Pact
countries invasion of Czechoslovakia
in response to the Prague Spring
. He had to publish his work under various pseudonyms. In 1976 his most famous book The Lovely Years, which contained critical insights into the life and the policies behind the Iron Curtain
, was published in West Germany
to great acclaim. In 1977, the GDR regime expatriated him and he moved to West Germany
(FRG). He now lives near Passau
in Bavaria.
His writings consists mostly of poetry, though he wrote prose as well, including essays. He is also a translator of Czech
poetry and prose.
mein kampf
died 2011
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
. In 1968, he left the GDR state party SED
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
following the communist Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
countries invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in response to the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. He had to publish his work under various pseudonyms. In 1976 his most famous book The Lovely Years, which contained critical insights into the life and the policies behind the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
, was published in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
to great acclaim. In 1977, the GDR regime expatriated him and he moved to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
(FRG). He now lives near Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
in Bavaria.
His writings consists mostly of poetry, though he wrote prose as well, including essays. He is also a translator of Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
poetry and prose.
Writings
- Die Zukunft sitzt am Tische. 1955 (with Egon Günther)
- Vögel über dem Tau. Liebesgedichte und Lieder. 1959
- Fragen des lyrischen Schaffens, 1960 (Beiträge zur Gegenwartsliteratur Issue 18).
- Widmungen. 1963
- Die guten Sitten. 1964 (with Heinz Knobloch)
- sensible wege, 1969
- Der Löwe Leopold, fast Märchen, fast Geschichten, 1970
- zimmerlautstärke, 1972
- Briefe mit blauem Siegel, 1973
- Die Wunderbaren Jahre, 1976
- Die Wunderbaren Jahre, 1979 [movie script]
- auf eigene hoffnung, 1981
- Gespräch mit der Amsel, 1984
- eines jeden einziges leben, 1986
- Zurückgeworfen auf sich selbst, Interviews (1984–1988), 1989
- Das weiße Gedicht, 1989
- Deckname „Lyrik“, 1990
- Wohin der Schlaf sich schlafen legt, 1991
- Am Sonnenhang. Tagebuch eines Jahres, 1993
- Steine und Lieder : namibische Notizen und Fotos, 1996
- ein tag auf dieser erde, 1998
- Nocturne in E, 2001 (with Andreas Felger)
- Die Aura der Wörter. 2002
- Der Kuß der Koi, 2002
- Wo wir zu Hause das Salz haben, 2003
- Bleibt nur die eigne Stirn. 2005
- Lindennacht. 2007
mein kampf
Awards
- 1968 Übersetzerpreis des Tschechoslowakischen Schriftstellerverbandes
- 1971 Deutscher JugendbuchpreisDeutscher JugendliteraturpreisThe Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis is an annual award established in 1956 by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth to recognise outstanding works of children's literature. It is Germany's only state-funded literary award. In the past, authors from many countries...
- 1973 Literaturpreis der Bayerischen Akademie der Schönen Künste u. Mölle-Literaturpreis, Schweden
- 1977 Georg Trakl-Preis, Österreich, Andreas Gryphius-Preis u. Georg Büchner-Preis
- 1979 Bavarian Film AwardsBayerischer FilmpreisThe Bavarian Film Awards have been awarded annually since 1979 by the State Government of Bavaria in Germany for “exceptional achievement in German filmmaking.” Along with the German Film Awards, these are the most highly regarded awards for filmmaking achievement in Germany.The Bavarian Film...
, Best Screenplay http://www.bayern.de/Anlage19170/PreistraegerdesBayerischenFilmpreises-Pierrot.pdf - 1981 Geschwister Scholl-Preis
- 1984 Eichendorff Literaturpreis u. BundesverdienstkreuzBundesverdienstkreuzThe Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
1. Klasse - 1988 Bayerischer Verdienstorden
- 1989 Kulturpreis Ostbayerns
- 1990 Herbert und Elsbeth Weichmann-Preis u. Hanns Martin Schleyer-Preis
- 1993 Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz, Kulturpreis deutscher Freimaurer u. Ehrendoktor der Technischen Universität Dresden
- 1995 Ehrenbürgerschaft der Stadt Greiz u. Kulturpreis des Landkreises Passau
- 1997 Weilheimer Literaturpreis
- 1998 Europa-Preis für Poesie, Serbien
- 1999 Friedrich Hölderlin-Preis
- 2000 Christian Ferber-Ehrengabe der Deutschen Schillerstiftung
- 2001 Hans Sahl-Literaturpreis u. Bayerischer Maximiliansorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst
- 2002 Kunstpreis zur deutsch-tschechischen Verständigung, Prag u. Berlin
- 2003 Ján Smrek-Preis, Slowakei, u. Ehrenbürgerschaft der Stadt Oelsnitz/Erzgeb.
- 2004 STAB-Preis der Stiftung für Abendländische Besinnung, Schweiz, u. Übersetzerpreis "Premia Bohemica" d. Gemeinschaft d. Schriftsteller Tschechiens
- 2006 Ehrengast des Heinrich-Heine-Hauses Lüneburg
- 2008 Verdienstorden des Freistaats Thüringen
- 2009 Memminger Freiheitspreis 1525
died 2011
British/American editions
- The Lovely Years
- In time of need: A conversation about poetry, resistance & exile (with Mireille Gansel)