Hans Krieger
Encyclopedia
Hans Krieger is a German writer, essayist
, journalist of influential weekly papers such as Die Zeit
, broadcaster and poet. He lives and works in Munich
.
, and literary and nonfiction reviews in the newspapers Die Zeit
and the Süddeutsche Zeitung
, among others. He has been an influential reviewer of books and authors, such as Wilhelm Reich
, Alice Miller
, Arthur Janov
, Arno Gruen
and Otto Mainzer.
. In 2004, he was a co-founder of the independent association "Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung" (Council for German Orthography) and became its president.There are two organizations with this name, the international regulating body and an association
in Munich
, founded on August 22, 2004. Krieger is a co-founder of the association in Munich. He was one of the 100 authors who signed an appeal to withdraw the 1996 orthography change, alongside Günter Grass
, Martin Walser
and Ralph Giordano
. Krieger was president of the Stiftung zur Förderung des Schrifttums (Foundation for the Advancement of Writing) in Munich, which was founded by Friedrich Märker and has awarded the Friedrich-Märker-Preis
for essays since 1986. Krieger himself received the prize in 1997.
, commenting: "Gedichte sind Musik aus Worten" ("poems are music [made] from words"). A review of the Süddeutsche Zeitung called his poems "leicht und schwer zugleich" ("simultaneously light and heavy"). His collection of poems, Frei wie die Zäune – eine Saison in Virginia ("Free as Fences – A Season in Virginia
"), reflects on his two-month stay in the United States. Topics are, among others, the treatment of Native American Indians, slavery and the wars of the 20th century, summarized by a review in the Nürnberger Nachrichten
as "Die dunkle Seite der politischen US-Seele" (The dark side of the political U.S. soul).
set a selection from Das Asphalt-Zebra. Animalphabetische Verse for cello and speaking voice, titled Animalia. He wrote Im Gebirg (The Mountain) on a poem of Krieger for mezzo-soprano, alto flute, cello and piano, premiered at the Gasteig
in 2010 by Martina Koppelstetter, Jens Josef
, the composer and Christopher White. In 2011, Krieger wrote the text for a Christmas cantata
.
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
, journalist of influential weekly papers such as Die Zeit
Die Zeit
Die Zeit is a German nationwide weekly newspaper that is highly respected for its quality journalism.With a circulation of 488,036 and an estimated readership of slightly above 2 million, it is the most widely read German weekly newspaper...
, broadcaster and poet. He lives and works in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
Life
Hans Krieger studied German and Romance Studies in Frankfurt, Munich and Dijon. From 1963 to 1998, he was cultural editor and director of the arts section of the weekly Bayerische Staatszeitung (Bavarian State newspaper). Krieger wrote poetry, essays, cultural criticism, theater and art reviews, translated books from French and taught theatre criticism at the University of Munich. He has authored numerous papers and radio journalism for the Bavarian radio, Bayerischer RundfunkBayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
, and literary and nonfiction reviews in the newspapers Die Zeit
Die Zeit
Die Zeit is a German nationwide weekly newspaper that is highly respected for its quality journalism.With a circulation of 488,036 and an estimated readership of slightly above 2 million, it is the most widely read German weekly newspaper...
and the Süddeutsche Zeitung
Süddeutsche Zeitung
The Süddeutsche Zeitung , published in Munich, is the largest German national subscription daily newspaper.-Profile:The title literally translates as "South German Newspaper". It is read throughout Germany by 1.1 million readers daily and boasts a relatively high circulation abroad...
, among others. He has been an influential reviewer of books and authors, such as Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
, Alice Miller
Alice Miller (psychologist)
Alice Miller née Rostovski was a psychologist and world renowned author, who is noted for her books on child abuse by their own parents, translated in several languages...
, Arthur Janov
Arthur Janov
Arthur Janov is an American psychologist, psychotherapist, and the creator of primal therapy, a treatment for mental illness that involves repeatedly descending into, feeling, and expressing long-repressed childhood pain. Janov directs a psychotherapy institute called the Primal Center in Santa...
, Arno Gruen
Arno Gruen
Arno Gruen is a Swiss-German psychologist and psychoanalyst.-Biography:Gruen was born in Berlin in 1923 and emigrated to the United States as a child in 1936 when his parents James and Rosa Gruen fled Germany to save their lives...
and Otto Mainzer.
German Orthography
Since 1963, Krieger has been active in discussions to reform German orthography. He fought the German orthography reform of 1996. His book Der Rechtschreibschwindel – Zwischenrufe zu einem absurden Reformtheater ("The Orthography Fraud – Heckling in the Theater of Absurd Reform"),Krieger's books and articles are in German only; titles translated for reference. first published in 1998 and expanded in 2000, is a collection of essays on the topic, in print and broadcast, from 1971 to 2000. In 2003, he was co-author of the book Deutsch. Eine Sprache wird beschädigt ("German. A Language Gets Damaged"), illustrated by Paul FloraPaul Flora
Paul Flora is known for his black ink line drawings. "Flora was one of Europe’s most profiled illustrators since the 1960s. He worked for British newspapers The Times and The Observer as well as for Germany’s Die Zeit".-Career:...
. In 2004, he was a co-founder of the independent association "Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung" (Council for German Orthography) and became its president.There are two organizations with this name, the international regulating body and an association
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, founded on August 22, 2004. Krieger is a co-founder of the association in Munich. He was one of the 100 authors who signed an appeal to withdraw the 1996 orthography change, alongside Günter Grass
Günter Grass
Günter Wilhelm Grass is a Nobel Prize-winning German author, poet, playwright, sculptor and artist.He was born in the Free City of Danzig...
, Martin Walser
Martin Walser
At first the speech did not cause a great stir. Indeed, the audience present in Church of St. Paul received the speech with applause, though Walser's critic Ignatz Bubis did not applaud, as confirmed by television footage of the event...
and Ralph Giordano
Ralph Giordano (writer)
Ralph Giordano is a German writer and publicist.Giordano was born to a Sicilian father and a Jewish mother....
. Krieger was president of the Stiftung zur Förderung des Schrifttums (Foundation for the Advancement of Writing) in Munich, which was founded by Friedrich Märker and has awarded the Friedrich-Märker-Preis
Friedrich-Märker-Preis
Friedrich-Märker-Preis is a Bavarian prize given to essayists. It is named after the essayist Friedrich Märker.Since 1986, the award has been given annually by the Münchner Stiftung zur Förderung des Schrifttums of Munich. The prize as of 2011 is 4000 €...
for essays since 1986. Krieger himself received the prize in 1997.
Lyric poetry
Since 1993, Krieger has published six volumes of poetryLyric poetry
Lyric poetry is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world, lyric poems were those which were sung to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat...
, commenting: "Gedichte sind Musik aus Worten" ("poems are music [made] from words"). A review of the Süddeutsche Zeitung called his poems "leicht und schwer zugleich" ("simultaneously light and heavy"). His collection of poems, Frei wie die Zäune – eine Saison in Virginia ("Free as Fences – A Season in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
"), reflects on his two-month stay in the United States. Topics are, among others, the treatment of Native American Indians, slavery and the wars of the 20th century, summarized by a review in the Nürnberger Nachrichten
Nürnberger Nachrichten
The Nürnberger Nachrichten was originally a local daily in the Nuremberg-Erlangen-Fürth area. With its regional editions it now covers the whole of Middle Franconia and parts of Upper Franconia and the Upper Palatinate. With a total circulation of, currently, about 300,000, it is one of Germany's...
as "Die dunkle Seite der politischen US-Seele" (The dark side of the political U.S. soul).
Illustrations and music
Krieger's poems inspired Christine Rieck-Sonntag to illustrations. Composer Graham WaterhouseGraham Waterhouse
Graham Waterhouse is an English composer and a cellist. He is known for chamber music and for unusual scoring, such as Piccolo Quintet, Bright Angel for three bassoons and contrabassoon, Chieftain's Salute for Great Highland Bagpipe and string orchestra, and works for speaking voice and cello,...
set a selection from Das Asphalt-Zebra. Animalphabetische Verse for cello and speaking voice, titled Animalia. He wrote Im Gebirg (The Mountain) on a poem of Krieger for mezzo-soprano, alto flute, cello and piano, premiered at the Gasteig
Gasteig
Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig...
in 2010 by Martina Koppelstetter, Jens Josef
Jens Josef
Jens Josef is a German composer of classical music, a flutist and academic.- Career :Jens Josef received flute instructions from Rita Eggenweiler and Klaus Grünow, principal flute of the Staatstheater Kassel, and took composition classes with Jörn Tegtmeyer, the director of church music of Hann...
, the composer and Christopher White. In 2011, Krieger wrote the text for a Christmas cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
.
Selected publications
- Gottverdauen - Ein Stimmengewirr, poems (1993)
- Im Schattenschwarz deines Haars – Tag und Nacht der Liebe, poems (1995)
- Der Rechtschreib-Schwindel – Zwischenrufe zu einem absurden Reformtheater (1998/2000)
- Liedschattig, CD of poems (2000)
- Blinzelblicke – Ein Frühjahr in Manhattan, poems (2002, Arcos-Verlag)
- Wortschritte - Über Kunst und Politik, über Gott und die Welt, essays (2003)
- Liedschattig, poems (2004, Oreos-Verlag)
- Frei wie die Zäune – Eine Saison in Virginia, poems (2005)
- Das Asphalt-Zebra, Animalphabetische Verse, poems on animals in alphabetic order (2006)
- Nachtflügel, poems (2007, Oreos-Verlag)
- Apfelfall, poems (2010)
Selected articles
- In der Einsamkeit des Gehirns – Maria Erlenbergers Bericht vom Ort des Wahnsinns (In the loneliness of a brain – Maria Erlenberger's report from the location of insanity), Die ZeitDie ZeitDie Zeit is a German nationwide weekly newspaper that is highly respected for its quality journalism.With a circulation of 488,036 and an estimated readership of slightly above 2 million, it is the most widely read German weekly newspaper...
, No. 15, 1977 - Reise ins Bodenlose – Ein Autor ist zu entdecken: Ernst-Jürgen Dreyer (Journey to the bottomless – An author to be discovered: Ernst-Jürgen DreyerErnst-Jürgen DreyerErnst-Jürgen Dreyer is a German writer and musicologist.- Prose:* Die Spaltung, novel, Siegburg, 1979. Berlin 1980** Die Spaltung, 2 vols, ed...
), Die Zeit, No. 37, p. 45, 1980 - Partisan der Liebe (Partisan of love), about Otto Mainzer, Die Zeit, 28 May 1982
- Zehetmairs Mut und Chance – Der Ex-Kultusminister soll den Rechtschreib-Frieden stiften. (Zehetmairs courage and chance – The former cultural minister shall bring orthography-peace), Bayerische Staatszeitung, edition 50, 10 December 2004
External links
- Hans Krieger Oreos-Verlag, pictured
- Hans Krieger Lyrikwelt
- Hans Krieger lsr-projekt.de
- Hans Krieger reading his poem "Panther"