Joseph Breitbach

Joseph Breitbach ( born September 20, 1903 in Ehrenbreitstein; † 9 May 1980 in Munich) was a German - French writer and journalist, who in 1930 campaigned since his move to France to improve the cultural and political Franco-German relations.

Throughout his life obsessed with politics, social issues, literature and painting, he thematized as one of the first in his stories the fate of the employees and was interested in the reality of the common man. Even before Hitler came to power he moved to Paris. It was not until the early 1960s, he took on the additional apartment in Munich. In addition to his ongoing work as a writer 1921-1980 he participated as a consultant and publicist strong influence on the political and cultural relations between France and Germany. About Jean Schlumberger, he had direct access to high -ranking figures in the French government, likewise in Germany by General Hans Speidel. Breitbach sat down especially after the Second World War for the German - French understanding one.

Life

Breitbach was the son of the rector of Ehrenbreitsteiner elementary school. He left the Koblenz Kaiserin-Augusta High School in 1921 before graduation to become a bookseller, and learned at the Koblenz daily Rheinische Rundschau publishing assistant. From 1925 to 1928 he worked as a bookseller in the department store Landauer in Augsburg. Here he had close contacts with the KPD. The department store fired him after the publication of stories red against red Augsburg's time was marked by trips to Berlin, Paris, Prague, Vienna and Munich, where he was able to make important contacts with writers and publishing people.

From 1929 lived Breitbach in France, in 1931 in Paris, where he also worked as a businessman. At the same time he wrote for French newspapers. The conversion of Susanne Dassel Village: On November 2, 1932, his first novel was published in Berlin Kiepenheuer -Verlag. 1933 his books were banned in Germany. In 1937 he returned to his German passport and applied for French citizenship. For now, he was stateless.

In 1939, he was interned as a native German. He opted for the employees in the Foreign Legion and the French secret service. After the German invasion of Paris in 1940, the Gestapo confiscated wide Bach's library and manuscripts by him therein contained. 1945 Breitbach became a French citizen. He stood up for German prisoners of war. From 1948 to 1951, the weekly newspaper published The Time Posts wide Bach about the culture and politics of France. In 1961, the author had again a second residence in Germany. 30 years after the first published Breitbach in 1962, his second novel: Report on Bruno. Especially in the USA, the work was a great success.

In his will, the author decreed to award a prize to German -language writer. Named after him, Joseph Breitbach Prize is awarded annually and funded by the same Foundation in Vaduz. He is the most highly endowed award for German -speaking writer. Wide Bach's works were reissued in recent years, so that his work received new prominence.

Works

From Breitbach originate novels, stories, dramas, comedies, reviews and essays, including:

  • Red vs Red, 1928
  • The conversion of Susanne Dassel Village, novel, 1932
  • Report on Bruno, 1962
  • The birthday girl / Comrade Veygond / Requiem for the Church, 1972
  • The Rabenschlacht, 1973
  • The blue bidet or The real life 1978

Honors and Awards

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