author
Else Lasker-Schüler
1869–1945
A vivid, unconventional voice in German literature, this poet and playwright helped shape Expressionism with dreamlike imagery, daring emotion, and a fiercely individual style. Forced to flee Nazi Germany, she spent her final years in Jerusalem, where she continued to write under the shadow of exile.
2 Audiobooks
Die Wupper: Schauspiel in 5 Aufzügen
by Else Lasker-Schüler
Gesichte: Essays und andere Geschichten
by Else Lasker-Schüler
About the author
Born Elisabeth Schüler in Elberfeld, Germany, in 1869, she became one of the most distinctive figures in early 20th-century German literature. She wrote poetry, plays, short fiction, and prose, and is widely associated with German Expressionism, though her work often feels uniquely her own: intimate, theatrical, mystical, and full of invented personae.
After moving to Berlin, she became known not only for her writing but also for her striking public presence in the city’s artistic circles. Her Jewish background and outspoken individuality shaped both her life and work. Among her best-known books are Styx, Die Wupper, and the late collection Mein blaues Klavier.
When the Nazis rose to power, she left Germany and eventually settled in Jerusalem. Exile marked her later writing with grief, longing, and spiritual intensity, but it did not dim her originality. She died in Jerusalem in 1945 and is remembered today as one of the essential poetic voices of modern German literature.