Enzensberger was born on November 11, 1929 in Kaufbeuren and grew up in Nuremberg. He studied literature and philosophy and, as an author, repeatedly got involved in social discourse and certain political debates.
He caused a stir with his first volume of poetry, “Defense of the Wolves” from 1957. Enzensberger wrote novels, essays, anecdotes and memoirs as well as dramas, such as Titanic, which was directed by George Tabori in 1980. He has received many awards for his work, including the Georg Büchner Prize when he was only 33 years old.
Tried many things
He was a member of Gruppe 47 and a key figure in the 1968 movement in Germany. One of his memoirs with the meaningful title “Tumult” provides information about his time in the then extra-parliamentary opposition (APO).
During this time he founded the culture magazine “Course Book” in 1965. Enzensberger tried many things: He was a publisher’s editor at Suhrkamp in Frankfurt, spent some time in socialist Cuba, lived in Norway, Italy, Mexico, the USA and West Berlin and finally came to Munich in 1979.
His book “Fallobst” (2019), in which he thought about the state of the art, for example on the subject of migration, showed that Enzensberger never got tired in old age.
Statements in political debates polarized
Enzersberger often took a stance in political conflicts – the German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas once attested to his astute observations and forecasts that he had “his nose in the wind”. The fact that he frequently changed his point of view also brought him criticism. Over time, for example, he turned away from the 1968 movement, which he initially supported. The fact that he equated Sadam Hussein with Adolf Hitler also polarized.
“You see, there are so many stories about me. There is the light-footed brother story about someone who goes along with everything and constantly changes his or her convictions, there is a story about a traitor who is unreliable and not a good comrade, there is a story about Germany about someone who has problems with his homeland “Enzersberger said, referring to critics in cultural and political debates in which he got involved.
“These are legends to live by. There is truth to all of these stories. I wouldn’t call any of them completely false. But why should I own them?”