Hermann Lenz

Hermann Lenz (1913–1998) was a German writer. He first studied theology in Tübingen, followed by art history, archaeology, and German studies in Heidelberg and Munich. From 1940 to 1946, he served as a soldier in France and Russia and was briefly held as an American prisoner of war. His best-known works include the novels “Andere Tage” and “Neue Zeit,” part of the so-called “Swabian Chronicle,” in which his alter ego Eugen Rapp experiences the period of National Socialism. Lenz was associated with Group 47 but never considered himself a member. His work received, among other honors, the Georg Büchner Prize (1978), the Jean Paul Prize (1995), and the Würth Prize for European Literature (1997).