Author Siegfried Lenz dies
October 7, 2014
German author Siegfried Lenz died on Tuesday surrounded by his family, #link:http://www.hoffmann-und-campe.de/presse/pressemeldungen/presse-archiv-2014-hoffmann-und-campe-verlag/tod-siegfried-lenz/:publisher Hoffmann und Campe announced#. He was 88.
One of the most prominent figures in post-war literature, Lenz was best known for his novels including The Heritage (Heimatmuseum) and The German Lesson (Deutschstunde), the latter of which addressed the huge moral issue of duty versus conscience during Germany's Nazi era. For Lenz, reconciliation with Poland and solidarity with Israel remained a priority throughout his life.
Born in 1926 in Elk in the region of Masuria, now in Poland, Lenz served in Nazi Germany's navy before studying philosophy, english and literature at Hamburg University, which he gave up to work at German newspaper Die Welt.
In 1988, Lenz won the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, a prize awarded annually at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
ksb/jr (epd, dpa)