Johannes Bobrowski
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Johannes Bobrowski
Johannes Bobrowski (b. 9 April 1917 in Tilsit, Germany, d. 2 September 1965 in Berlin) was an important German lyricist, narrative writer, adaptor and essayist.
Life
In 1925, Bobrowski moved first to Rastenburg, then in 1928 on to Knigsberg (Kaliningrad), where he attended the humanist Gymnasium (a type of German school). One of his teachers was Ernst Wiechert. In 1937, he started a degree in art history in Berlin. As a member of the Confessional Church, Bobrowski had contact to the Christian resistance against National Socialism. He was a lance corporal for the entire Second World War in Poland, France and the Soviet Union. In 1943 he married Johanna Buddrus.
From 1945 1949 Bobrowski was imprisoned by the Soviet Union, where he spent time working in a coal mine. On his release, he worked as an editor in Berlin, first for the Altberliner Verlag, a childrens publisher run by Lucie Grosner, and then from 1959 for the Union Verlag publishing house. His work was influenced by his knowledge of Eastern European landscapes and of the German and Slavic cultures and languages, combined with ancient myths. In 1964, Bobrowski became a member of the PEN Club.
On 2 September 1965, Brobowski died as a result of a perforated appendix. Since 1992, the Foundation for Prussian Maritime Trade (Stiftung Preuische Seehandlung) has donated funds towards the Johannes Brobowski Medal.
Literary works
- Sarmatische Zeit (The Land of Sarmatia), poems, 1961
- Schattenland Strme (Shadowland), poems, 1962
- Levins Mhle, 34 Stze ber meinen Grovater (Levins Mill,34 Stories About My Grandfather ) novel, 1964
- Boehlendorff und Musefest" Short stories, 1965
- Litauische Claviere (Lithuanian Pianos), novel, 1966
- Wetterzeichen (Weathersigns), poems, 1967
- Der Mahner (The Admonisher), short stories, 1967 translated with Boehlendorff und Mausefest as I Taste Bitterness in 1970
- Im Windgestruch (In the windy wilderness), poems from Bobrowskis literary executor, 1970
Films
- Levins Mhle (Levins Mill), filmed in 1980 by Horst Seemann for DEFA film studios, with Erwin Geschonnek, Christian Grashof and Katja Paryla.
- Grsse aus Sarmatien fr den Dichter Johannes Bobrowski (Greetings from Sarmatia for the Poet Johannes Bobrowski),1973 Short film by Volker Koepp
Opera
- Levins Mhle (Levins Mill) by Udo Zimmermann, premiere in 1973, produced by Harry Kupfer