author
Paul Ernst
1866–1933
Drawn to big ideas as well as storytelling, this German writer moved from early socialist circles to a more classical, idea-driven style. He became known for dramas, stories, and essays that wrestle with philosophy, literature, and the shape of modern life.
2 Audiobooks
Der schmale Weg zum Glück
by Paul Ernst
Der Tod des Cosimo
by Paul Ernst
About the author
Born in Elbingerode on March 7, 1866, Paul Ernst studied theology and philosophy at Göttingen and Tübingen before turning to journalism and literature. Reliable reference sources describe him as a German writer, dramatist, critic, and journalist, and note that he first took part in Social Democratic politics before moving away from those views.
He built a wide-ranging body of work that included plays, short stories, novels, and essays. Britannica especially points to his short fiction and his writing on philosophical, economic, and literary questions, while other standard references emphasize his importance as a dramatist and critic.
Ernst died on May 13, 1933, in Sankt Georgen in Styria, Austria. His career is often remembered for its serious, reflective tone and for a literary outlook that valued form, ideas, and intellectual debate.