author
Gottfried Kölwel
1889–1958
A German poet, dramatist, and storyteller linked with late Expressionism, he wrote with a strong feel for nature, inner life, and the tensions of modern times. His work earned praise from major literary figures and still marks him as a distinctive voice in 20th-century Bavarian literature.
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Gesänge gegen den Tod
by Gottfried Kölwel
About the author
Born on October 16, 1889, in Beratzhausen in Bavaria, Gottfried Kölwel became a German writer whose work ranged across poetry, prose, drama, and radio plays. Sources on his life describe him as a representative of late Expressionism, and they note that he studied in Munich after training as a schoolteacher.
He lived as a freelance writer and was shaped by travel in Europe as well as by the cultural debates of his era. Accounts of his work highlight his criticism of modern life and his strong attention to landscape and human character; Thomas Mann and Franz Kafka are both described as having spoken well of his writing.
Kölwel died on March 21, 1958. He remains especially associated with Bavarian literary history, where he is remembered as a versatile author who moved comfortably between lyric poetry, narrative writing, and the stage.