Hans Ostwald

Born in Berlin in 1873, Hans Ostwald trained as a goldsmith before moving into journalism and writing. He became known as a German journalist, storyteller, and cultural historian with a strong interest in the lives of ordinary people and those pushed to the edges of society.

His early success came with Vagabonden, and he went on to build a remarkably productive career as a freelance writer in Berlin. He is especially remembered for documenting modern city life and for editing the influential series Großstadt-Dokumente, which explored the realities of the big city in the early 20th century.

Ostwald spent much of his career looking closely at social life "from below," writing about subjects that many authors of his time ignored. He died in Berlin in 1940, leaving behind a body of work that still stands out for its curiosity, range, and attention to everyday experience.