Heinrich Mann
WriterAfter starting his career as editor of the conservative monthly Das zwanzigste Jahrhundert [The twentieth century], Heinrich Mann advanced from his beginnings in an upper middle class merchant family from Lübeck to become one of the most influential critics of Wilhelmine Germany.
Klaus Mann
An Autobiographical Chronicler of his TimeWriterOf Thomas Mann’s six children, all of whom were active as writers, his eldest son, Klaus, left behind the most extensive work – and the most important from a literary standpoint. He published his first novel Der fromme Tanz [The Pious Dance] at the age of 19.
Thomas Mann
Power and Ineffectuality of the Nobel Laureate for LiteratureWriterWith widely read novels like Buddenbrooks (1901) [Buddenbrooks (1924/1993)], Königliche Hoheit (1909) [Royal Highness (1916)] and Der Zauberberg (1924) [The Magic Mountain (1927/2005)], the later Nobel laureate Thomas Mann had gained a reputation in the first three decades of the 20th century as being, in the view of Marcel Reich-Ranicki, "the greatest stylist of German since Goethe’s death". The son of a merchant and senator from Lübeck, for a long time he presented himself as an apolitical writer, but transformed in the 1920s, moving away from conservatism by increasingly becoming an advocate of the Weimar Republic.
Ernst May
ArchitectErnst May's emigration to East Africa was a marked turning point in his career. The architect and town planner had previously worked in Silesia, Frankfurt am Main and the Soviet Union with great success. After his work in Russia, his way home was barred because the Nazis disparaged May's modern architecture.
Carl Meffert
“Profession: Émigré”Graphic designerCarl Meffert and his sister were born out of wedlock. When their mother died giving birth to a third child, the eleven-year-old Carl was sent to a state care institution where the young inmates had both to attend school and work.
Walter Mehring
Poet, WriterAfter starting out in Dadaism, Walter Mehring rose at the beginning of the 1920s to become one of the most popular cabaret, song and lyric writers in Berlin. His lyrics were set to music, his satirical songs and chansons recited and sung on the famous stages.
Ludwig Meidner
Painter*** Please also visit the special exhibition Ludwig Meidner ***Ludwig Meidner achieved his artistic breakthrough in November 1912 with the exhibition of the Die Pathetiker artist group in Herwarth Walden's Berlin gallery Der Sturm. Meidner was consequently closely associated with literary expressionism: he created illustrations for all the renowned expressionist magazines, published his own texts and painted portraits of countless poets.
Erich Mendelsohn
ArchitectAfter some detours, Erich Mendelsohn eventually pursued his own career path despite the wishes of his parents. In 1912 he finished his studies in architecture in Munich.
Konrad Merz
WriterKurt Lehmann alias Konrad Merz came from a working class family; his father already died in 1914, the first year of World War One. Forced to earn his own living, he left school early.
Helga Michie
Actress, Painter, WriterHelga Michie was born in Linz on 1 November 1921. Her twin sister is the author Ilse Aichinger. Following their parents’ divorce, the girls moved with their mother to Vienna.
