Heinrich Mann (1871-1950) was a German writer. His younger brother Thomas Mann (1875-1955) was also a German writer.
Both were well-known in Germany before World War Two. Thomas was also well-known in the English-speaking world, because his books were translated into English. But Heinrich was not well-known or popular in the US.
Why not?
For several reasons:
# 1. His books were not translated into English. They were not available to the average American reader, because he or she could not read a German book
# 2. His political position was on the left wing of the political spectrum. He was far too left for the average American reader.
# 3. He had no job in the US. He did not make any money in the US.
# 4. He had no friends in the US. He relied on his brother Thomas who helped him in many ways.
# 5. His wife Nelly Kröger-Mann was never able to make a good life for herself and her husband in the US.
Nelly was an alcoholic. While driving a car, she was stopped by the police. She had been drinking and driving. Her driver's license was suspended.
But she kept on driving. When she was stopped by the police, she was in trouble, because she was driving while her license was suspended. Her life was in a downward spiral. She took her own life in 1944.
Heinrich died in the US in 1950. His life in the US was never really a happy life.
REFERENCES
The Brothers Mann:
The Lives of Heinrich and Thomas Mann
By Nigel Hamilton
(1978)
House of Exile: The Lives and Times of Heinrich Mann and Nelly Kroeger-Mann
By Evelyn Juers
(2011 = hardcover)
(2012 = paperback)
*****
The two brothers:
Heinrich and Thomas Mann
*****
Heinrich Mann (1871-1950) and
Nelly Kroeger (1898-1944)
*****
The Brothers Mann:
The Lives of Heinrich and Thomas Mann
By Nigel Hamilton
(1978)
*****
House of Exile:
The Lives and Times of
Heinrich Mann and Nelly Kroeger-Mann
By Evelyn Juers
(2011 = Hardcover)
(2012 = Paperback)
*****
No comments:
Post a Comment