Erich Kastner

Erich Kästner (1899–1974) was a German writer, poet, and author of children’s books. Born in Dresden, he died in Munich. He first gained recognition for his poetry and works such as “Herz auf Taille” (1928), and became internationally famous with “Emil and the Detectives” (1929). His other well-known books include “The Parent Trap” (“Das doppelte Lottchen”), “Three Men in the Snow” (“Drei Männer im Schnee”), and “The Conference of the Animals” (“Die Konferenz der Tiere”). After the Nazis came to power, his books were burned in 1933 and he was banned from publishing; he nevertheless remained in Germany and published, among other places, with Swiss publishers. After the Second World War, Kästner served as president of the West German PEN Centre. He received numerous literary honors, including the Georg Büchner Prize.