Johannes Mario Simmel

Johannes Mario Simmel (1924–2009) was an Austrian journalist and writer born in Vienna. He became known chiefly for internationally successful novels addressing contemporary and social issues, as well as for children’s books. His works were published in around 40 countries, with total editions of approximately 73 million copies, and were adapted for film several times. Simmel received the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, First Class, and in 1991 was awarded the Society of Writers’ Award of Excellence.