author
Paul Kraft
1896–1922
A gifted German Expressionist poet, he wrote with striking intensity and urgency during and just after World War I. His life was brief, but his poems left a vivid impression of a turbulent era.
1 Audiobook
Gedichte
by Paul Kraft
About the author
Born in Magdeburg on April 28, 1896, he grew up there and went on to study modern languages in Berlin. He became connected with literary circles early on, and sources note that Franz Blei helped introduce him to publisher Kurt Wolff.
During World War I, he was drafted into military service and later spent time in French captivity. After returning in 1919, he continued his studies in Berlin, but his health was badly affected; accounts say he developed tuberculosis.
He is remembered as a German poet of Expressionism. His best-known book is Gedichte, and his work reflects the emotional pressure and uncertainty of the years around the war. He died in Berlin on March 17, 1922, still only in his twenties.