Who was Stefan Zweig?

Who was Stefan Zweig?

Stefan Zweig was an Austrian novelist, playwright, journalist and biographer who was one of the most popular writers in the 1920s and 1930s. Not only he had record sales, there was no other author more widely translated at that time. His experience of the First World War had made him a lifelong pacifist who advocated for the unification of Europe.

What is the philosophy of Zweig?

Zweig, a committed cosmopolitan,) believed in internationalism and in Europeanism, as The World of Yesterday, his autobiography, makes clear: “I was sure in my heart from the first of my identity as a citizen of the world.”.

What happened to Zweig and his wife?

Nonetheless, as the years passed Zweig became increasingly disillusioned and despairing at the future of Europe, and he and his wife Lotte were found dead of a barbiturate overdose in their house in Petrópolis on 23 February 1942; they had died the previous day. His work has been the basis for several film adaptations.

Is Zweig related to Egon Hostovský?

Zweig was born in Vienna, the son of Moritz Zweig (1845–1926), a wealthy Jewish textile manufacturer, and Ida Brettauer (1854–1938), a daughter of a Jewish banking family. He was related to the Czech writer Egon Hostovský, who described him as “a very distant relative”; some sources describe them as cousins.

Who is Maximilian Zweig?

Born into a wealthy Jewish family in Vienna, Zweig turned from casual globe-trotting to literature after World War I, wrote prolifically, smoothly, successfully in many forms.

What does Hofmann say about Zweig’s work?

Michael Hofmann scathingly attacks Zweig’s work. Hofmann uses the term “vermicular dither” to refer to a passage attributed to Zweig and quoted in 1972, though the passage does not occur in Zweig’s published work. Hofmann adds that in his opinion “Zweig just tastes fake. He’s the Pepsi of Austrian writing.”