author
Alfred Lichtenstein
1889–1914
A sharp, darkly playful voice of early German Expressionism, this young poet and prose writer left a striking body of work before his life was cut short in World War I. His writing blends grotesque humor, unease, and vivid imagery in a way that still feels fresh.
2 Audiobooks
The Prose of Alfred Lichtenstein
by Alfred Lichtenstein
The Verse of Alfred Lichtenstein
by Alfred Lichtenstein
About the author
Born in Berlin-Wilmersdorf on August 23, 1889, Alfred Lichtenstein grew up in a Jewish family and later studied law in Berlin and Erlangen. He became known for poems and short prose marked by a grotesque, offbeat style, and was often linked with the circle around fellow Expressionist writer Jakob van Hoddis.
Although he lived only to the age of 25, he made a memorable impression on German literature. His work is associated with early Expressionism and stands out for its strange wit, nervous energy, and unsettling view of modern life.
Lichtenstein died on September 25, 1914, near Vermandovillers in France after the outbreak of World War I. That early death gave his career a tragic brevity, but it also helped make him one of the haunting voices of his generation.