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“The German nation stands in contemplative remembrance of Martin Walser. His memory will persist,” expressed Steinmeier in a poignant condolence message to the bereaved spouse of the writer, Käthe Walser.

Born on March 24, 1927, in the picturesque town of Wasserburg in Bavaria, Martin Walser grew up amidst the humble yet warm ambiance of a family-run inn. This petit bourgeois milieu of his childhood extensively informed his future oeuvre, particularly embodied in his novel, Ein Springender Brunnen. His academic journey primarily unfolded in Lindau, only to be punctuated by the call of military duty during World War II. Nazi party documents reveal that Walser joined their ranks in January 1944 and served in the Wehrmacht until the war’s cessation.

The post-war period cultivated Walser’s authentic intellectual trajectory. After successful graduation from Lindau, he delved into the academic realms of literature, history and philosophy in Regensburg and Tübingen. Earning a doctorate in 1950 with a thesis on Franz Kafka signaled the inaugural phase of his ascendancy within the literary world. Throughout his studies, he functioned as a reporter for Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR) and composed radio plays (Hörspiele).

Martin Walser’s literary fame was not long in the making. His debut novel, Ehen in Philippsburg (Quadrille in Philippsburg) created ripples in 1957, cementing his enduring reputation. From that point on, he emerged as one of the most influential post-war novelists, penning his works at his residence near Lake Constance, where he lived with his wife Katharina “Käthe” Neuner-Jehle and their four daughters.

Throughout his career, Walser was notable for his profound understanding of the internal conflicts of the anti-hero and his skill in vividly portraying petit-bourgeois microcosms. Nonetheless, he also emerged as a contentious figure, particularly concerning his stance on the Holocaust and his strained relationship with literary critiques, notably with Marcel Reich-Ranicki, which earned him accusations of anti-Semitism.

Walser was also a significant actor in the German political landscape. In the 1960s, he was an ardent supporter of Willy Brandt for the position of federal chancellor and was vocally against the Vietnam War. In the 1970s, he showed sympathies for the German Communist Party (DKP), although he never formally became a member.

Walser bid adieu to this world on July 28, 2023, in Überlingen, Baden-Württemberg. He leaves behind an intricate and prolific body of work, which continues to evoke both admiration and debate. His contributions to German literature remain an integral component of the country’s cultural heritage, bearing witness to the richness and complexity of post-war German society.

With AFP