Günter Wilhelm Grass was born on October 16, 1927, in Danzig-Langfuhr, the son of a merchant family, and died on April 13, 2015, in Lübeck. He was one of the most important German writers of the post-war period.
Günter Grass at the Book Fair, Frankfurt am Main (2004) by Florian K [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Less well known to many people is the fact that the trained sculptor was also a passionate sculptor, painter and graphic artist, and left behind a whole series of artworks.
Grass had been a member of Group 47 since 1957 and became an internationally highly respected author of German post-war literature The Tin Drum
Grass's work and role as an author and political intellectual have been and continue to be the subject of extensive research and media interest both in Germany and abroad. From 1961 to 2005, he was a publicly active supporter of SPD politicians such as Willy Brandt, Gerhard Schröder, and Heide Simonis.
Grass' central motivation was the loss of his homeland Danzig and the confrontation with the National Socialist past , which is reflected in many aspects of his work.
His books have been translated into numerous languages and some have been adapted into films. In 1999 he received the Nobel Prize in Literature , and he has been honored with a multitude of other awards.
Günter Grass wrote, drew, and designed books until the very last minute of his life. The catalogue raisonné of his graphic works, “In Kupfer, auf Stein” (In Copper, on Stone), was published in 1992 as the first literary title by Steidl Verlag .
Political engagement
Throughout his life, Günter Grass actively participated in socio-political debates. For example, he supported Willy Brandt's policy of reconciliation with Poland and campaigned for the SPD. Grass sparked heated controversies, most recently in 2012 because of a poem critical of Israel.
His autobiographical book, "Peeling the Onion," sparked controversy starting in 2006. In it, Grass surprisingly revealed that he had been a member of the Waffen-SS at the age of 17 at the end of World War II. The author was subsequently accused of having concealed his SS membership for too long, while repeatedly criticizing others for their Nazi past.
Documentaries, reports and video contributions
Günter Grass at 85 – German documentary about Günter Grass, the poet and provocateur
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I wrote book after book (documentary about Günter Grass, 2014)
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Günter Grass on the question “What remains?”
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Further information and reports
Current news, information and photos about Günter Grass can be found via the following links:
Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor, and passionate blogger in the fields of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Graduated with a degree in web design from university (2008). Further developed creative techniques through courses in freehand drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market gained through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with key players and institutions in the arts and culture sector.
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