Photo: Basch, [...] / Opdracht Anefo / CC0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Erich Kästner is one of those rare authors who never talked down to children, and that is exactly why adults still read him. Emil and the Detectives and Dot and Anton brim with warmth, yet underneath runs a sharp satirist who saw his country clearly. What moves me most is his courage: he stayed in Germany through the book burnings rather than flee, bearing witness from inside. The Andersen and Büchner prizes confirm his stature, but his real gift is pairing gentleness with steel. He remains, to me, a writer of uncommon decency and quiet bravery.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Erich Kästner
- Name (Japanese)
- エーリッヒ・ケストナー
- Reading
- えーりっひ・けすとなー
- Born
- February 23, 1899 – July 29, 1974
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Boar
- Origin
- Dresden, Saxony, Germany
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- writer / poet / novelist / children's writer / screenwriter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Leipzig University
Awards & achievements
- 1957 Georg Büchner Prize
- Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1960 Hans Christian Andersen Award
- 1955 Literary Prize of the State Capital of Munich
- 1968 Kulturpreis der deutschen Freimaurer
- 1968 Lessing Ring
- honorary golden medal of the state capital Munich
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Emil and the Detectives | — | |
| Notable work | The animals' conference | — | |
| Notable work | The 35th of May, or Conrad's Ride to the South Seas | — | |
| Notable work | When I Was a Little Boy | — | |
| Notable work | Dot and Anton | — | |
| Notable work | Emil and the three twins | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Erich Kästner born?
February 23, 1899 – July 29, 1974.
Where is Erich Kästner from?
Erich Kästner is from Dresden, Saxony, Germany.
What does Erich Kästner do?
Erich Kästner works as writer, poet, novelist, children's writer, screenwriter.
What is Erich Kästner known for?
Notable works include Emil and the Detectives, The animals' conference, The 35th of May, or Conrad's Ride to the South Seas.
Writer — see all → · Poet — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.