Otfries Proysler Children's writer Date of Birth: 20.10.1923 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Otfried Preußler
2. Early Life and Influences
3. War and Imprisonment
4. Writing Career
5. Recognition and Legacy

Biography of Otfried Preußler

Otfried Preußler, a beloved children's writer, has captivated generations of children with his amazing fairy tales. His books have become classics of children's literature, translated into 55 languages and sold over 50 million copies worldwide. Preußler's biography could easily be the plot of a fairy tale itself, with its own share of scary scenes.

Early Life and Influences

Otfried Preußler was born on October 20, 1923, in the historic town of Reichenberg (now Liberec), located in Upper Bohemia. He comes from a family of Sorbian ethnicity, and his father changed their surname from "Syrowatka" to the more Germanic "Preußler" in 1941. His father, Josef Preußler, was a school teacher who had a great passion for history and folklore. He had a vast library and shared many tales and legends with young Otfried. It was Otfried's grandmother, Dora, however, who had the most significant influence on him, with her vast knowledge of fairy tales and ancient legends.

During his school years, Otfried excelled in languages and literature. He dreamed of studying history or philology and attending Charles University in Prague. He also met his one true love, Anneliese Kind, and they were already considering marriage. However, their plans were disrupted by the outbreak of World War II.

War and Imprisonment

In 1942, immediately after graduating from school with honors, Otfried was drafted into the army and sent to the Eastern Front. In 1944, as a lieutenant, he was captured and spent five years in prisoner-of-war camps, mostly in Elabuga and near Kazan. His time in captivity was challenging, as he battled malaria and typhus and lost a significant amount of weight, reaching only 40 kilograms. After his release from captivity in 1949, Otfried set out to find his family and Anneliese. He reunited with them in Rosenheim, a Bavarian town, and they got married. They went on to have three daughters.

Writing Career

Otfried Preußler began his career as an educator, initially working as a primary school teacher and later becoming a school principal. At the beginning of his teaching career, a senior colleague advised him not to scold children for their mistakes but to tell them a suitable story with a happy ending. Inspired by this advice, Otfried started creating his own fairy tales, which he eventually put down on paper. He also worked as a reporter for a local newspaper and wrote scripts for children's radio programs.

In 1956, his first book, "The Little Water Sprite," was published, aside from the stories he had previously published in the newspaper. The following year, he released his most popular fairy tale, "The Little Witch." According to his recollections, it was based on a story he told his daughter, who had been frightened by a tale about an evil witch. The invented little witch was only 127 years old and preferred to use her magic to amuse and delight people. She managed to defeat the wicked old witches. The idea that any evil can be overcome through reason, kindness, and perseverance became the main theme of Preußler's tales, which is why children love them.

In total, Otfried Preußler's literary legacy includes 32 books, including several collections of early stories. One of his notable works is the fairy tale novella "Krabat," published in 1971. It is based on the folk traditions of the Sorbs, which Preußler was familiar with since his childhood. The book, written in a historical novella style, is considered one of the best works for teenagers and has stood the test of time. Its plot revolves around the conflict between the young Krabat and a dark sorcerer, his moral choices, the impossibility of escaping a cursed place, and the triumph of love.

Recognition and Legacy

Otfried Preußler's books have received numerous national and international awards. He was honored with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1993, the Bavarian Order of Merit in 1979, and the Bavarian Maximilian Order in 2010. His works have been adapted into 13 film adaptations, including two Soviet films based on "The Little Witch" (a stage-play film in 1986 and an animated film in 1991).

In his final years, Preußler resided in Prien am Chiemsee, near Rosenheim. He dedicated much of his time to his work and sponsorship in the German War Graves Commission. Additionally, Preußler wrote a substantial memoir about his time in captivity, but he requested that it only be published after his death.

Otfried Preußler passed away on February 13, 2013. His daughter, Regina Stigloher, a literary editor, devotes ample time to preparing her father's unpublished manuscripts for publication and establishing a memorial museum in his home.