Peter Härtling

For his lasting contribution as a children's writer, Härtling was a finalist in 2010 for the biennial, the international Hans Christian Andersen Award, and the highest recognition available to creators of children's books.

He was a writer and actor, known for Krücke (1993), Ben liebt Anna (1980) and Kaze no kodomo no youni (1992). He was married to Mechthild Maier.

In the winter semester of 1983/84, he hosted the annual Frankfurter Poetik-Vorlesungen, a lecture series, in which a prominent writer discourses on topics pertaining to their work. Härtling used his lectureship to demonstrate the process of using a found object as the inspiration for a literary work. During the series of lectures, he wrote Der spanische Soldat, a short story based on a photograph by Robert Capa.

Thousands of children and young readers in Germany grew up with the book "Ben Loves Anna," which was published in 1979.

In 1976, he published a fairy tale called, Fundevogel (English version as "The Foundling"), which is part of the children's book Update on Rumpelstiltskin and other Fairy Tales by 43 Authors, which is compiled by Hans-Joachim Gelberg, illustrated by Willi Glasauer, and published by Beltz & Gelberg.

Härtling has devoted a large proportion of his literary output - both in poetry, and in prose - to the reclamation of history, and his own past. His autobiographical novel, Zwettl (1973), deals with the period he spent living in Lower Austria, after his family fled from the Red Army. Nachgetragene Liebe (1980) recounts Härtling's earliest memories of his deceased father.

In 1969, after writing a eulogy for the Czech children's writer Jan Procházka, Härtling began writing books for children. His first children's book, Und das ist die ganze Familie, was published the following year.

From 1967 to 1973, Härtling was the managing director of the German publishing house S. Fischer Verlag, located in Frankfurt. Härtling became a full-time writer after leaving S. Fischer Verlag.[.

Härtling had his first collection of poetry published in 1953.

Härtling's father was captured by the Russians, and died in June 1945 at the prisoner-of-war camp in Dollersheim. His mother committed suicide in October 1946.

Peter Härtling was born on November 13, 1933 in Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany.