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Günter Grass

Günter Grass was a German writer. Born in Danzig in 1927, he is best known for his first novel, The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel, 1959).

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Bela B. playing a drum set during a concert in Cologne.

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Filmszene Die Blechtrommel von Volker Schlöndorff

Germany's Oscar-winning 'The Tin Drum' returns

Volker Schlöndorff's "The Tin Drum" won an Academy Award 40 years ago. A restored version is now released in theaters.
CultureAugust 31, 2020
Filmszene Die Blechtrommel von Volker Schlöndorff

Günter Grass: 'The Tin Drum'

Oskar Matzerath and his tin drum — an unforgettable literary figure that is world-renowned.
LiteratureOctober 8, 2018
DW Kultur 100 gute Bücher | 100 German must-reads | The Tin Drum, by Günter Grass

'The Tin Drum' by Günter Grass

AAAAAAH! A voice that can shatter glass. Curtain up for Oskar Matzerath, Günter Grass and "The Tin Drum" !
LiteratureOctober 5, 201802:17 min
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Günter Grass and Kolkata

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TravelJuly 27, 2017
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The unknown side of Winston Churchill

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CultureNovember 14, 20167 images
Cover "Mondscheindrache" von Cornelia Funke - © Loewe Verlag / Cornelia Funke

The magical world of Cornelia Funke

Dive into the fantastical world of Cornelia Funke, one of Germany's most popular children's authors.
CultureSeptember 23, 20169 images
Günter Grass in 2005, Copyright: picture alliance/dpa//Agencja Gazeta/D. Sadowski

Germany remembers Günter Grass one year after his death

A re-edited version of Günter Grass' final three autobiographical works has been published one year after his death.
April 13, 2016
Deutschland Günter Grass Schriftsteller s/w

Günter Grass’ memoirs

One year after the death of Günter Grass, a re-edited version of his final 3 autobiographical works has been published.
April 11, 2016

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Culture 2015: People who left their mark

DW looks back at some of the artists who made an impact on cultural life in Germany in 2015.
December 30, 201514 images
Günter Grass, Copyright: Getty Images/Sean Gallup

Günter Grass' final work

He never avoided controversy. His last book, now available in German, deals with aging and mortality.
August 28, 2015
Günter Grass, Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa/Gambarini

Günter Grass' last book

Just before he died earlier this year, the Nobel Prize winner completed his last book, to be published this week.
August 26, 2015
Deutschland Eröffnung des Günter Grass Archivs in Göttingen

Günter Grass archive opens in Göttingen

An archive has opened in the German city of Göttingen dedicated to the late Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass.
June 12, 2015
Zentrale Gedenkfeier für Günter Grass

Günter Grass farewelled

Germany has bid farewell to literary great Günter Grass at a memorial service in his home town of Lübeck.
May 10, 2015
Günter Grass, Copyright: dpa - Bildfunk

Remembering Grass

Nobel Prize-winning writer Günter Grass was one of Germany's most influential voices.
May 7, 2015
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Inside Europe

Taking stock of populist politics across Europe. Will Russia's decision to send a missile system to Iran complicate negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program? Germany pays tribute to one literary giant. Also, Europe and North Africa team up to fight terrorism, Is political mudslinging destabilizing Macedonia? And, an historic referendum in Malta fails to stop spring hunting of migratory birds.
April 16, 201555:00 min
Germany's Günter Grass' self portrait

Beating the drum for Günter Grass

A German literary giant dies, DW's Kate Müser assesses his impact with Helen Seeney.
April 16, 201504:55 min
Deutschland Günter Grass Schriftsteller Selbstbildnis mit Ratte

Günter Grass - the artist

Günter Grass was not only an author but also a talented artist. Here is a collection of his works.
CultureApril 15, 201510 images
Günter Grass receiving the Nobel Prize in 1999, Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa

With Grass

DW reporter Stefan Dege recalls the time he spent with Günter Grass at the Nobel Prize ceremony in 1999.
April 15, 2015
Günter Grass. Copyright: dpa/Bildfunk.

Grass and Israel

Günter Grass was not one to temper public debate or criticism - also not when it comes to Israel.
April 14, 2015
Mario Vargas Llosa, Copyright: AFP/Getty Images/A.-C. Poujoulat

Llosa remembers Grass

Günter Grass belonged to a disappearing generation of politically active writers, says Mario Vargas Llosa.
April 14, 2015
Polen Danzig Günter Grass Blechtrommel-Parade

Poland mourns Günter Grass

Poland mourns Günter Grass
April 14, 2015
Deutschland Günter Grass Schriftsteller mit Pfeife

Mourning Günter Grass

In the wake of Günter Grass' death, the artistic, intellectual and political worlds pay tribute to a literary giant.
April 14, 2015
A sketch by Günter Grass for his novel, "The Tin Drum," Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Puchner

Six must-reads

From war guilt to fish, here are the major works by Günter Grass to add to your reading list.
April 14, 2015
Berlin-based Russian author Wladimir Kaminer

Grass' legacy

Günter Grass' books are his 'ticket to immortality,' says the Berlin-based Russian author Wladimir Kaminer.
April 13, 2015
Jeffrey Eugenides. Copyright: picture alliance /Effigie

'Grass showed US writers how to be political'

Pulitzer Prize winner Jeffrey Eugenides tells DW how his own writing was influenced by Günter Grass.
April 13, 2015
German author Hans Christoph Buch, Copyright: Soeren Stache dpa

Literature versus politics

'Literature had a life of its own' for Günter Grass, explains his friend and fellow writer, Hans Christoph Buch.
April 13, 2015
Günter Grass Bücher Buchhandel Die Blechtrommel

Overshadowed by scandal

Grass' literary achievements have taken a backseat. Unrightfully so, says Jochen Kürten.
April 13, 2015
Günter Grass

'A titan, a giant'

Günter Grass' works had great aesthetic weight, says literary critic Denis Scheck.
April 13, 2015
Neueröffnung Günter Grass-Haus Lübeck

Günter Grass: Life in pictures

Germany's Nobel Prize winning author Günter Grass passed away on April 13. DW looks back on his eventful life.
April 13, 201513 images
Günter Grass, Copyright: "picture-alliance/dpa/Hoppe

Günter Grass has died

Nobel Prize winning author Günter Grass has passed away in Lübeck at the age of 87.
April 13, 2015
Copyright: Leipziger Messe GmbH / Uli Koch

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March 16, 2015
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December 10, 201305:38 min

Lübeck - Queen of the Hanseatic League

Lübeck became known the world over because of a novel, Buddenbrooks, by Nobel literature laureate Thomas Mann. But the city has much older links with the Hanseatic League, a medieval mercantile association under which maritime trade in northern Europe flourished. And Lübeck marzipan also should never be forgotten on any trip to the Hanseatic city, parts of which are a UNESCO world heritage site.
CultureDecember 29, 201205:03 min
Der Literaturnobelpreistraeger Guenter Grass liest am Sonntag (06.02.11) in Hamburg auf der Buehne des Ernst-Deutsch-Theaters anlaesslich eines Treffens mit dem SPD-Spitzenkandidaten fuer die Hamburger Buergerschaftswahl, Olaf Scholz, aus seinem neuen Buch "Grimms Woerter". Grass steht jahrzehntelangen Differenzen zum Trotz fest zur deutschen Sozialdemokratie. Folgerichtig hat sich der 83-Jaehrige am Sonntag im Wahlkampf fuer den Hamburger SPD-Buergermeisterkandidaten Olaf Scholz stark gemacht. Im Anschluss an eine Lesung aus seinem aktuellen Buch "Grimms Woerter" sprach der Schriftsteller im Hamburger Ernst-Deutsch-Theater mit dem ehemaligen Bundesarbeitsminister ueber die Notwendigkeit des buergerlichen Engagements - zu allen Zeiten der Geschichte und ueberall auf der Welt. Foto: Axel Heimken/dapd

Günter Grass turns 85

The Nobel Prize-winning author, poet laureate and taboo-breaker Günter Grass turns 85.
October 16, 2012
Günter Grass has published another volume of work in which he criticizes Israel. (Clemens Bilan/dapd)

Günter Grass draws more fire

Nobel prize-winning author Günter Grass, who drew fire from Israelis in April over a poem in which he said Israel threatened world peace, has published a new volume of poetry critical of the Jewish state.
September 30, 2012
What drives Günter Grass?

What drives Günter Grass?

DW talks to Günter Grass expert and biographer Volker Neuhaus about the controversial author.
June 8, 2012
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Günter Grass and Israel - What are the Limits of Artistic License?

Nobel literature laureate Günter Grass unleashed a storm of protest after publishing a poem accusing Israel of endangering world peace - and of planning a nuclear strike against Iran.
PoliticsApril 13, 201204:30 min
Gunter Grass

Israel bars Nobel-winner Grass

Israel has barred Nobel laureate Günter Grass from entering the country, after the author wrote a poem in which it is depicted as endangering global peace. Grass says he is a friend to Israel despite his comments.
April 9, 2012
Writer Günter Grass in 2009

Grass mounts defense

Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass defends his poem "What Must Be Said" against a wave of criticism.
April 6, 2012
Günter Grass

A failed intervention

Günter Grass should have written a political essay rather than a poem, says DW's Bettina Marx.
April 5, 2012
German writer Günter Grass

Grass poem sparks storm

German writer Günter Grass has sparked controversy after a poem criticizing Israel.
April 4, 2012
Günter Grass on the cover of the Süddeutsche Zeitung

Political lyric

German writer Günter Grass has shocked the public with poetic accusations against Israel.
April 4, 2012

Visit Lübeck

Three Nobel Prize winners and a history as an economic center: Lübeck has much to offer.
March 28, 2012
A man in Darfur holds up a human skull

The Power of the Pen

EU and African writers have said Darfur and Zimbabwe must be addressed by the continents' leaders.
December 4, 2007
Günter Grass at the Leipzig Book Fair

A Haunting Past

Günter Grass is suing a publisher over a claim he willingly joined the Nazis' Waffen SS unit.
November 24, 2007
Photograph of Günter Grass

Günter Grass Turns 80

Controversial German author and Nobel laureate Günter Grass celebrates his 80th birthday.
October 16, 2007