Gunter Grass
Gunter Grass
Günter Wilhelm Grasswas a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor, and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth16 October 1927
CountryGermany
against age altogether begins life literary memory observe plays principle reinvent tend terms time tricks
Over the years, I had something in principle against autobiographical writing altogether because memory plays tricks on us, and we also tend to reinvent ourselves. But there comes an age when one begins to observe life, and there are things that need time to mature, also in terms of literary form.
amidst beyond books corner early imagine learned
My sister and I did not have our own rooms, or even a place to ourselves. In the living room, beyond the two windows, was a little corner where my books were kept, and other thing - my watercolors and so on. Often I had to imagine the things I needed. I learned very early to read amidst noise.
account behind determined existence guests leave nuclear period recognise short spend
If we take into account the existence of our planet, we have to recognise that we are guests that spend a short and very determined period in this world, and all we leave behind is nuclear waste.
brought catholic moved religion
I was brought up Catholic and know the stench of the Catholic Church. I moved away from religion early, but the impression remains.
things-change translators translations
Translation is that which transforms everything so that nothing changes.
nice color play
And when the sun goes down and the mood comes upon me, I'll watch the play of the colors on the water, yield to the fleetly dissolving images, and turn into pure feeling, all soft and nice....
generations socialism grew
I belonged to the generation that grew up under National Socialism, and was blinded and led astray - and allowed itself to be led astray.
auschwitz explanation ifs
Even if surrounded with explanations, Auschwitz can never be grasped.
bit newspapers tone
I think it's a shame that we have 'Bild' like you have the 'Sun'. Now serious newspapers like 'FAZ' and 'Spiegel' use a bit of the tone of 'Bild.' This is terrible.
democratic drawings poetry side work
Prose, poetry, and drawings stand side by side in a very democratic way in my work.
children
I've always been surrounded by children - never bothered by their noise.
art flowering stays
No idea stays pure. Even the flowering of art isn't pure. And the sun has spots.
bound future minds mixed possible present thinking
Our minds aren't bound by a chronological corset. When thinking and dreaming, past, present and future are mixed up. That's also possible for a writer.
artificial certain cultivated face including keeps literary plant test writer
A writer must face up to the test of reality, including political reality, and that can't be done if he keeps his distance. A literary style cultivated like a hothouse plant may show a certain artificial purity, but it won't really be pure.