HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ernst Jünger (; 29 March 1895 – 17 February 1998) was a German author, highly decorated soldier, philosopher, and
entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as ara ...
who became publicly known for his
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
memoir '' Storm of Steel''. The son of a successful businessman and chemist, Jünger rebelled against an affluent upbringing and sought adventure in the ''
Wandervogel ''Wandervogel'' (plural: ''Wandervögel''; English: "Wandering Bird") is the name adopted by a popular movement of German youth groups from 1896 to 1933, who protested against industrialization by going to hike in the country and commune with n ...
'' German youth movement, before running away to briefly serve in the
French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army ...
, an illegal act. Because he escaped prosecution in Germany due to his father's efforts, Jünger was able to enlist in the
German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
on the outbreak of World War I in 1914. During an ill-fated offensive in 1918 Jünger suffered the last and most serious of his many woundings, and he was awarded the ''
Pour le Mérite The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...
'', a rare decoration for one of his rank. He wrote against liberal values, democracy, and the
Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a Constitutional republic, constitutional federal republic for the first time in ...
, but rejected the advances of the
Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in N ...
who were rising to power. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
Jünger served as an army captain in occupied Paris, but by 1943 he had turned decisively against Nazi totalitarianism and its goal of world conquest, a change manifested in his work "''Der Friede''" (''The Peace''). Jünger was dismissed from the army in 1944 after he was indirectly implicated with fellow officers who had plotted to kill Hitler. A few months later, his son died in combat in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
after having been sentenced to a penal battalion for political reasons. After the war, Jünger was treated with some suspicion as a possible fellow traveller of the Nazis. By the later stages of the Cold War, his unorthodox writings about the impact of
materialism Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materialis ...
in modern society were widely seen as conservative rather than radical nationalist, and his philosophical works came to be highly regarded in mainstream German circles. Jünger ended life as an honoured literary figure, although critics continued to charge him with the alleged glorification of war as a transcendental experience in some of his early works. He was an ardent militarist and one of the most complex and contradictory figures in 20th-century
German literature German literature () comprises those literary texts written in the German language. This includes literature written in Germany, Austria, the German parts of Switzerland and Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, South Tyrol in Italy and to a less ...
.


Biography


Early life

Ernst Jünger was born in
Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...
as the eldest of six children of the chemical engineer Ernst Georg Jünger (1868–1943) and of Karoline Lampl (1873–1950). Two of his siblings died as infants. His father acquired some wealth in
potash Potash () includes various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water- soluble form.
mining. He went to school in
Hannover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
from 1901 to 1905, and during 1905 to 1907 to boarding schools in Hanover and Brunswick. He rejoined his family in 1907, in
Rehburg Rehburg-Loccum () is a town 50 km north west of Hanover in the district of Nienburg in Lower Saxony, Germany. Geography Geographical location Rehburg-Loccum borders the Steinhude Lake. The closest cities are Wunstorf and Neustadt in th ...
, and went to school in
Wunstorf Wunstorf () is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the town of Wunstorf: Blumenau (with Liethe), Bokeloh, Großenheidorn, Idensen ...
with his siblings from 1907 to 1912. During this time, he developed his passion for
adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the Introduction to the ''Encycloped ...
s and for
entomology Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as ara ...
. He spent some time as an exchange student in
Buironfosse Buironfosse () is a commune in the department of Aisne in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Population Standoff of 1339 In 1339 the French and English armies, engaged in the Hundred Years War, formed battle lines near Buironfosse, and the ...
, Saint-Quentin, France, in September 1909. With his younger brother
Friedrich Georg Jünger Friedrich "Fritz" Georg Jünger (1 September 1898 — 20 July 1977) was a German writer and lawyer. He wrote poetry, cultural criticism and novels. He was the younger brother of Ernst Jünger. Life and work The younger brother of Ernst Jünge ...
(1898–1977) he joined the ''
Wandervogel ''Wandervogel'' (plural: ''Wandervögel''; English: "Wandering Bird") is the name adopted by a popular movement of German youth groups from 1896 to 1933, who protested against industrialization by going to hike in the country and commune with n ...
'' movement in 1911. His first poem was published with the ''Gaublatt für Hannoverland'' in November 1911. By this time, Jünger had a reputation as a budding
bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...
poet. In 1913, Jünger was a student at the
Hamelin Hamelin ( ; german: Hameln ) is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of roughly 57,000. Hamelin is best known for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. ...
gymnasium. In November, he travelled to
Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...
and enlisted in the
French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army ...
for a five-year term, but with the intention of getting to North Africa. Stationed in a training camp at Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria, he deserted and travelled to Morocco, but was captured and returned to camp. Six weeks later, he was dismissed from the Legion due to the intervention of the German
Foreign Office Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * Unit ...
, and escaped prosecution. On the return journey he was told by his father that the cost of representations to the authorities had amounted to a vast sum. Jünger was sent to a boarding school in Hanover, where fellow pupils included future communist leader
Werner Scholem Werner Scholem (29 December 1895 – 17 July 1940) was a member of the German Reichstag in 1924 to 1928 and a leading member of the Communist Party of Germany. Scholem and his wife, Emmy, were portrayed in the 2014 documentary "Between Utopia an ...
(1895–1940).


World War I

On 1 August 1914, shortly after the start of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, Jünger enlisted as an Einjährig-Freiwillige (one year volunteer) Füsilier-Regiment ''Generalfeldmarschall Prinz Albrecht von Preußens" (Hannoversches) Nr.73 named for the former regent of Hannover, Albrecht von Preussen'' of the Hannoverian 19th Division and after training was transported to the Champagne front in December. He was wounded for the first time in April 1915. While on convalescent leave he took up a position his father arranged for him to become an officer aspirant (''
Fahnenjunker ''Fahnenjunker'' (short Fhj or FJ, en, officer cadet; ) is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and of some former German armed forces. In earlier German armed forces it was also the collective name for many officer aspirant ranks. It was establi ...
''). Jünger was commissioned a Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) on 27 November 1915. As platoon leader, he gained a reputation for his combat exploits and initiative in offensive patrolling and reconnaissance. During the
Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...
near the obliterated remains of the village of Guillemont his platoon took up a front line position in a defile that had been shelled until it consisted of little more than a dip strewn with the rotting corpses of predecessors. He wrote: The platoon was relieved but Jünger was wounded by shrapnel in the rest area of
Combles Combles () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Combles is situated on the D20 road, some north-east of Amiens. History Combles was the operations centre for the battle of Bapaume during the ...
and hospitalized; his platoon reoccupied the position on the eve of the
Battle of Guillemont The Battle of Guillemont (3–6 September 1916) was an attack, during the Battle of the Somme in the First World War, by the British Fourth Army against the German 2nd Army near the village of Guillemont in northern France. The village is on ...
and was obliterated in a British offensive. He was wounded for the third time in November 1916, and awarded the
Iron Cross First Class The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
in January 1917. In the spring of 1917, he was promoted to Hauptmann, commanding 7th company and stationed at
Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the ...
. Transferred to Langemarck in July, Jünger's actions against the advancing British included forcing retreating soldiers to join his resistance line at gunpoint. He arranged the evacuation of his brother Friedrich Georg, who had been wounded. In the
Battle of Cambrai (1917) The Battle of Cambrai (Battle of Cambrai, 1917, First Battle of Cambrai and ''Schlacht von Cambrai'') was a British attack in the First World War, followed by the biggest German counter-attack against the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) sinc ...
Jünger sustained two wounds, by a bullet passing through his helmet at the back of the head, and another by a shell fragment on the forehead. He was awarded the
House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern (german: Hausorden von Hohenzollern or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various ...
. While advancing to take up positions just before Ludendorff's
Operation Michael Operation Michael was a major German military offensive during the First World War that began the German Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France. Its goal was t ...
on 19 March 1918, Jünger was forced to call a halt after the guides lost their way, and while bunched together half of his company were lost to a direct hit from artillery. Jünger himself survived, and led the survivors as part of a successful advance but was wounded twice towards the end of the action, being shot in the chest and less seriously across the head. After convalescing, he returned to his regiment in June, sharing a widespread feeling that the tide had now turned against Germany and victory was impossible. On 25 August, he was wounded for the seventh and final time near
Favreuil Favreuil () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A farming village situated south of Arras, at the junction of the D36E and D10E roads. Population Places of interest * The church o ...
, being shot through the lung while leading his company in an advance that was quickly overwhelmed by a British counter-attack. Becoming aware the position where he was lying wounded was about to fall to advancing British forces, Jünger rose and as he did his lung drained of fluids through the wound in his chest, allowing him to recover enough to escape. He made his way to a machine-gun post that was holding out, where a doctor told him to lie down immediately. Carried to the rear in a tarpaulin, he and the bearers came under fire and the doctor was killed. A soldier who tried to carry Jünger on his shoulders was killed after only making it a few yards, but another soldier was able to do so. Jünger received the Wound Badge 1st Class. While he was treated in a Hannover hospital, on 22 September he received notice of being awarded the ''
Pour le Mérite The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...
'' on the recommendation of division commander Johannes von Busse. ''Pour le Mérite'', the highest military decoration of the German Empire, was awarded some 700 times during the war, but almost exclusively to high-ranking officers (and seventy times to combat pilots). Jünger was one of only eleven infantry company leaders who received the order.Helmuth Kiesel, ''Ernst Jünger: Die Biographie'', Siedler Verlag, 2009. Throughout the war, Jünger kept a diary, which became the basis of his 1920 '' Storm of Steel''. He spent his free time reading the works of
Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, prose poet, cultural critic, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philosophy. He began his car ...
,
Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer ( , ; 22 February 1788 – 21 September 1860) was a German philosopher. He is best known for his 1818 work ''The World as Will and Representation'' (expanded in 1844), which characterizes the phenomenal world as the pr ...
,
Ariosto Ludovico Ariosto (; 8 September 1474 – 6 July 1533) was an Italian poet. He is best known as the author of the romance epic ''Orlando Furioso'' (1516). The poem, a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's ''Orlando Innamorato'', describes the ...
and Kubin, besides entomological journals he was sent from home. During 1917, he was collecting beetles in the trenches and while on patrol, 149 specimens between 2 January and 27 July, which he listed under the title of ''Fauna coleopterologica douchyensis'' (" Coleopterological fauna of the Douchy region").


Interwar period

Jünger served as a lieutenant in the
army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
of the
Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a Constitutional republic, constitutional federal republic for the first time in ...
until his
demobilisation Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and milit ...
in 1923. He studied
marine biology Marine biology is the scientific study of the biology of marine life, organisms in the sea. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifi ...
,
zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, an ...
,
botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...
, and
philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
, and became a well-known
entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as ara ...
. In Germany, an important entomological prize is named after him: the ''Ernst-Jünger-Preis für Entomologie''. His war experiences described in ''Storm of Steel'' (German title: ''In Stahlgewittern''), which Jünger self-published in 1920, gradually made him famous. He married Gretha von Jeinsen (1906–60) in 1925. They had two children, Ernst Jr. (1926–44) and Alexander (1934–93). He criticized the fragile and unstable democracy of the
Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a Constitutional republic, constitutional federal republic for the first time in ...
, stating that he "hated democracy like the plague." More explicitly than in ''Storm of Steel'', he portrayed war as a mystical experience that revealed the nature of existence. According to Jünger, the essence of the modern was found in total mobilisation for military effectiveness, which tested the capacity of the human senses. In 1932, he published ''The Worker'' (German title: ''Der Arbeiter''), which called for the creation of an activist society run by warrior-worker-scholars. In the essay '' On Pain'', written and published in 1934, Jünger rejects the liberal values of liberty, security, ease, and comfort, and seeks instead the measure of man in the capacity to withstand pain and sacrifice. Around this time his writing included the aphorism "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger; and what kills me makes me incredibly strong."


Third Reich

As a famous war hero and prominent nationalist critic of the Weimar Republic, the ascendant
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
(NSDAP) courted Jünger as a natural ally, but Jünger rejected such advances. When Jünger moved to Berlin in 1927, he rejected an offer of a seat in the Reichstag for the NSDAP. In 1930, he openly denounced Hitler's suppression of the
Rural People's Movement The Rural People's Movement (german: Landvolkbewegung) was a farmers' protest movement in northern Germany from 1928 to 1933. Due to an agricultural crisis, demonstrations took place in numerous towns and cities in early 1928, and deputations wer ...
. In the 22 October 1932 edition of '' Völkischer Beobachter'' (the official Nazi newspaper), the article "''Das endlose dialektische Gespräch''" ("the never-ending dialectical debate") attacked Jünger for his rejection of the " blood and soil" doctrine, accusing him of being an "intellectualist" and a liberal. Jünger again refused a seat offered to him in the Reichstag following the
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
's ascension to power in January 1933, and he refused the invitation to head the German Academy of Literature (''Die deutsche Akademie der Dichtung''). On 14 June 1934, Jünger wrote a "letter of rejection" to the ''Völkischer Beobachter'', in which he requested that none of his writings be published in it. Jünger also refused to speak on
Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazi politician who was the '' Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, and then Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to ...
's radio. He was one of the few "nationalist" authors whose names were never found on the frequent declarations of loyalty to Hitler. He and his brother Friedrich Georg quit the "''Traditionsverein der 73er''" (veteran's organization of the Hanoverian regiment they had served during World War I) when its Jewish members were expelled. When Jünger left
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
in 1933, his house was searched several times by the
Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...
. '' On the Marble Cliffs'' (1939, German title: ''Auf den Marmorklippen''), a short novel in the form of a parable, uses
metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wi ...
to describe Jünger's negative perceptions of the situation in Hitler's Germany. He served in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
as an
army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. On the Western Front in 1939, he rescued a wounded soldier and was again awarded the Iron Cross Second Class. Assigned to an administrative position as intelligence officer and mail censor in Paris, he socialized (often at the Georges V hotel or at Maxim's) with prominent artists of the day such as
Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
and
Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the s ...
. He also went to the salons of Marie-Louise Bousquet and
Florence Gould Florence La Caze Gould (1 July 1895 – 28 February 1983) was American writer and salon-holder who became involved in a money laundering plot before creating a legacy as a patron of the arts at institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Sh ...
. There he met
Jean Paulhan Jean Paulhan (2 December 1884 – 9 October 1968) was a French writer, literary critic and publisher, director of the literary magazine ''Nouvelle Revue Française'' (NRF) from 1925 to 1940 and from 1946 to 1968. He was a member (Seat 6, 1963–68 ...
,
Henry de Montherlant Henry Marie Joseph Frédéric Expedite Millon de Montherlant (; 20 April 1895 – 21 September 1972) was a French essayist, novelist, and dramatist. He was elected to the Académie française in 1960. Biography Born in Paris, a descendant ...
, Marcel Jouhandeau and
Louis-Ferdinand Céline Louis Ferdinand Auguste Destouches (27 May 1894 – 1 July 1961), better known by the pen name Louis-Ferdinand Céline ( , ) was a French novelist, polemicist and physician. His first novel ''Journey to the End of the Night'' (1932) won the '' Pr ...
. He passed on information about upcoming transports "at an acceptable level of risk" which saved Jewish lives. His office was in the Hotel Majestic and he was billeted at the Hotel Raphael. His early time in France is described in his diary '' Gärten und Strassen'' (1942, ''Gardens and Streets''). He was also given the task of executing a German deserter who had beaten the women sheltering him and been turned in. Jünger considered avoiding the assignment but eventually attended to oversee the execution in, as he claimed in his journal, "the spirit of higher curiosity". Jünger appears on the fringes of the Stauffenberg bomb plot. He was clearly an inspiration to anti-Nazi conservatives in the German Army, and while in Paris he was close to the old, mostly
Prussian Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...
, officers who carried out the assassination attempt against Hitler. On 6 June 1944 Jünger went to
Rommel Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel () (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was a German field marshal during World War II. Popularly known as the Desert Fox (, ), he served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of Nazi Germany, as well as servi ...
's headquarters at La Roche-Guyon, arriving late at about 9 PM as the bridge at Mantes was down. Present were Rommel's chief-of-staff Hans Speidel, General Wagener, Colonel List, Consul Pfieffer, reporter Major Wilhelm von Schramm and Speidel's brother-in-law Max Horst (Rommel was in Germany). At 9.30 PM they went to Speidel's quarters to discuss ''"Der Friede"'' (The Peace), Jünger's 30-page peace proposal (written in 1943), to be given to the Allies after Hitler's demise or removal from power; also proposed is a united Europe. He returned about midnight. The next day at the Paris HQ Jünger was stunned by the news of the
Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
. Jünger was only peripherally involved in the events, however, and in the aftermath suffered only dismissal from the army in August 1944 rather than execution. He was saved by the chaos of the last months of the war, and by always being "inordinately careful", burning writing on sensitive matters from 1933. One source (
Friedrich Hielscher Friedrich Hielscher (31 May 19026 March 1990) was a German intellectual involved in the Conservative Revolutionary movement during the Weimar Republic and in the German resistance during the Nazi era. He was the founder of an esoteric or Neopagan m ...
) claimed that Hitler said "Nothing happens to Jünger". His elder son Ernst Jr., then an eighteen-year-old naval (
Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...
) cadet, was imprisoned that year for engaging in "subversive discussions" in his
Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsh ...
Naval Academy (a capital offence). Transferred to Penal Unit 999 as ''Frontbewährung'' after his parents had spoken to the presiding judge Admiral Scheurlen, he was killed near
Carrara Carrara ( , ; , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence. Its mot ...
in occupied Italy on 29 November 1944 (though Jünger was never sure whether he had been shot by the enemy or by the SS).


Post-war period

After the war, Jünger was initially under some suspicion for his nationalist past, and he was banned from publishing in Germany for four years by the British occupying forces because he refused to submit to the
denazification Denazification (german: link=yes, Entnazifizierung) was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of the Nazi ideology following the Second World War. It was carried out by remov ...
procedures. His work ''The Peace'' (German title: ''Der Friede''), written in 1943 and published abroad in 1948, marked the end of his involvement in politics. When
German Communists German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
threatened his safety in 1945,
Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...
instructed them to "Leave Jünger alone." His public image rehabilitated by the 1950s, he went on to be regarded as a towering figure of West German literature. West German publisher Klett put out a ten-volume collected works (''Werke'') in 1965, extended to 18 volumes 1978–1983. This made Jünger one of just four German authors to see two subsequent editions of their collected works published during their lifetime, alongside
Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as tr ...
,
Klopstock Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (; 2 July 1724 – 14 March 1803) was a German poet. His best known work is the epic poem ''Der Messias'' ("The Messiah"). One of his major contributions to German literature was to open it up to exploration outside ...
and Wieland. His diaries from 1939 to 1949 were published under the title '' Strahlungen'' (1948, ''Reflections''). In the 1950s and 1960s, Jünger travelled extensively. His first wife, Gretha, died in 1960, and in 1962 he married Liselotte Lohrer. He continued writing prodigiously for his entire life, publishing more than 50 books.
Martin Heidegger Martin Heidegger (; ; 26 September 188926 May 1976) was a German philosopher who is best known for contributions to phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. He is among the most important and influential philosophers of the 20th centu ...
was heavily influenced by Jünger's ''The Worker'' although he did not regard Jünger as a philosopher. Heidegger's interpretation of Jünger's work is compiled in volume 90 of his complete edition, titled "Zu Ernst Jünger". Jünger was among the forerunners of
magical realism Magical is the adjective for magic. It may also refer to: * Magical (horse) (foaled 2015), Irish Thoroughbred racehorse * "Magical" (song), released in 1985 by John Parr * '' Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations'', ...
. His vision in ''
The Glass Bees ''The Glass Bees'' (German: ''Gläserne Bienen'') is a 1957 science fiction novel written by German author Ernst Jünger. The novel follows two days in the life of Captain Richard, an unemployed ex-cavalryman who feels lost in a world that has ...
'' (1957, German title: ''Gläserne Bienen''), of a future in which an automated machine-driven world threatens
individualism Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and to value independence and self-reli ...
, could be seen as a story within the science fiction genre. A sensitive poet with training in
botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...
and
zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, an ...
, as well as a soldier, his works in general are infused with tremendous details of the natural world. Throughout his life he had experimented with
drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalati ...
such as
ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group—an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups. They have the general formula , where R and R′ represent the alkyl or aryl groups. Ethers can again ...
,
cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
, and
hashish Hashish ( ar, حشيش, ()), also known as hash, "dry herb, hay" is a drug made by compressing and processing parts of the cannabis plant, typically focusing on flowering buds (female flowers) containing the most trichomes. European Monitoring ...
; and later in life he used
mescaline Mescaline or mescalin (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine) is a naturally occurring psychedelic protoalkaloid of the substituted phenethylamine class, known for its hallucinogenic effects comparable to those of LSD and psilocybin. Biological ...
and
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
. These experiments were recorded comprehensively in '' Annäherungen'' (1970, ''Approaches''). The novel '' Besuch auf Godenholm'' (1952, ''Visit to Godenholm'') is clearly influenced by his early experiments with mescaline and LSD. He met with LSD inventor
Albert Hofmann Albert Hofmann (11 January 1906 – 29 April 2008) was a Swiss chemist known for being the first to synthesize, ingest, and learn of the psychedelic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Hofmann's team also isolated, named and synthesi ...
and they took LSD together several times. Hofmann's memoir ''LSD, My Problem Child'' describes some of these meetings.


Later life

One of the most important contributions of Jünger's later literary production is the metahistoric figure of the '' Anarch'', an ideal figure of a sovereign individual, conceived in his novel ''
Eumeswil ''Eumeswil'' is a 1977 novel by the German author Ernst Jünger. The narrative is set in an undatable post-apocalyptic world, somewhere in present-day Morocco. It follows the inner and outer life of Manuel Venator, a historian in the city-state of ...
'' (1977), which evolved from his earlier conception of the ''Waldgänger'', or "Forest Fleer" by influence of Max Stirner's conception of the Unique (''der Einzige''). In 1981, Jünger was awarded the
Prix mondial Cino Del Duca The Prix mondial Cino Del Duca (Cino Del Duca World Prize) is an international literary award. With an award amount of , it is among the richest literary prizes. Origins and operations It was established in 1969 in France by Simone Del Duca (191 ...
. Jünger was immensely popular in France, where at one time 48 of his translated books were in print. In 1984, he spoke at the Verdun memorial, alongside his admirers, French president
François Mitterrand François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was President of France, serving under that position from 1981 to 1995, the longest time in office in the history of France. As First Secretary of the Socialist Party, he ...
and the German chancellor, where he called the "ideology of war" in Germany before and after World War I "a calamitous mistake". Although he had been cleared of the accusation of Nazi collaboration since the 1950s, Jünger's
national conservatism National conservatism is a nationalist variant of conservatism that concentrates on upholding national and cultural identity. National conservatives usually combine nationalism with conservative stances promoting traditional cultural values, ...
and his ongoing role as conservative philosopher and icon made him a controversial figure, and Huyssen (1993) argued that nevertheless "his conservative literature made Nazism highly attractive", and that "the ontology of war depicted in '' Storm of Steel'' could be interpreted as a model for a new, hierarchically ordered society beyond democracy, beyond the security of bourgeois society and ennui".
Walter Benjamin Walter Bendix Schönflies Benjamin (; ; 15 July 1892 – 26 September 1940) was a German Jewish philosopher, cultural critic and essayist. An eclectic thinker, combining elements of German idealism, Romanticism, Western Marxism, and Jewish ...
wrote "Theories of German Fascism" (1930) as a review of ''War and Warrior'', a collection of essays edited by Jünger. Despite the ongoing political criticism of his work, Jünger said he never regretted anything he wrote, nor would he ever take it back. His younger son Alexander, a physician, committed suicide in 1993. Jünger's 100th birthday on 29 March 1995 was met with praise from many quarters, including the socialist French president
François Mitterrand François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was President of France, serving under that position from 1981 to 1995, the longest time in office in the history of France. As First Secretary of the Socialist Party, he ...
.


Death

Jünger came from an agnostic family and did not hold to any particular belief in God, yet shortly before he died he converted to Roman Catholicism. A year before his death, Jünger was received into the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
and began to receive the
Sacrament A sacrament is a Christian rite that is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments to be a visible symbol of the rea ...
s. He died on 17 February 1998 in
Riedlingen Riedlingen () is a town in the district (''Kreis'') of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, in the south-west of Germany. It is one of the destinations of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. Riedlingen has approximately 10,000 inhabitants. Geography ...
,
Upper Swabia Upper Swabia (german: Oberschwaben or ) is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.''Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.'' 19. Auflage. Band 16, 1991, p. 72. The name refers to the area between the Swa ...
, aged 102. He was the last living bearer of the military version of the order of the
Pour le Mérite The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...
. His body was buried at Wilflingen Cemetery. Jünger's last home in Wilflingen, Jünger-Haus Wilflingen, is now a museum.


Photography

Ernst Jünger's photobooks are visual accompaniments to his writings on technology and
modernity Modernity, a topic in the humanities and social sciences, is both a historical period (the modern era) and the ensemble of particular socio-cultural norms, attitudes and practices that arose in the wake of the Renaissancein the "Age of Reas ...
. The seven books of photography Jünger published between 1928 and 1934 are representative of the most militaristic and radically right wing period in his writing. Jünger's first photobooks, ''Die Unvergessenen'' (The Unforgotten, 1929) and ''Der Kampf um das Reich'' (The Battle for the Reich, 1929) are collections of photographs of fallen
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
soldiers and the World War front, many that he took himself. He also contributed six essays on the relationship between war and photography in a photobook of war images called ''Das Antlitz des Weltkrieges: Fronterlebnisse deutscher Soldaten'' (The Face of the World War: Front Experiences of German Soldiers, 1930) and edited a volume of photographs dealing with the first world war, ''Hier spricht der Feind: Kriegserlebnisse unserer Gegner'' (The Voice of the Enemy: War Experiences of our Adversaries, 1931). Jünger also edited a collection of essays, ''Krieg und Krieger'' (War and Warriors, 1930, 1933) and wrote the foreword for a photo anthology of airplanes and flying called ''Luftfahrt ist Not!'' (Flying is imperative! .e., a necessity 1928).


Decorations and awards

*1916
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
(1914) II. and I. Class *1917 Prussian
House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern (german: Hausorden von Hohenzollern or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various ...
Knight's Cross with Swords *1918
Wound Badge The Wound Badge (german: Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was first awarded to soldiers of the German Army who were wounded during World War I. Between ...
(1918) in Gold *1918
Pour le Mérite The ' (; , ) is an order of merit (german: Verdienstorden) established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The was awarded as both a military and civil honour and ranked, along with the Order of the Black Eagle, the Order of the Red Eag ...
(military class) *1934
The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (german: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914/1918), commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross or the German WWI Service Cross was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, Presiden ...
*1939 Clasp to the Iron Cross Second Class *1956 Bremen Literature Prize (for ''Am Sarazenentum''); Culture Prize of the city of Goslar *1959 Grand Merit Cross *1960 Honorary Citizen of the Municipality Wilflingen; honorary gift of the Cultural Committee of the Federation of German Industry *1965 Honorary Citizen of Rehburg; Immermann Prize of the city of Düsseldorf *1970 Freiherr- vom-Stein- Gold Medal of the Alfred Toepfer Foundation *1973 Literature Prize of the Academy Amriswil (Organizer: Dino Larese; Laudations: Alfred Andersch, François Bondy, Friedrich Georg Jünger) *1974
Schiller Memorial Prize The Schiller Memorial Prize (german: Schiller-Gedächtnispreis) is a literature prize of the State of Baden-Württemberg. It is endowed with 25,000 euros and has been awarded since 1955 on Friedrich Schiller's birthday, 10 November. The award was ...
of Baden-Württemberg *1977 Aigle d'Or the city of Nice, Great Federal Cross of Merit with Star *1979 Médaille de la Paix (Peace Medal) of the city of Verdun *1980 Medal of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg *1981 Prix Europa Littérature the Fondation Internationale pour le Rayonnement des Arts et des Lettres; Prix Mondial Cino the Fondation Simone et del Duca (Paris), Gold Medal of the Humboldt Society *1982 Goethe Prize of Frankfurt *1983 Honorary Citizen of the city of Montpellier; Premio Circeo the Associazione Italo – Germanica Amicizia (Association of Italian–German friendship) *1985 Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
*1986
Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art The Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art (german: Bayerischer Maximiliansorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst, links=no) was first established on 28 November 1853 by King Maximilian II von Bayern. It is awarded to acknowledge and reward exc ...
*1987 Premio di Tevere (awarded by Francesco Cossiga in Rome) *1989 honorary doctorate from the
University of the Basque Country The University of the Basque Country ( eu, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, ''EHU''; es, Universidad del País Vasco, ''UPV''; UPV/EHU) is a Spanish public university of the Basque Autonomous Community. Heir of the University of Bilbao, initiall ...
in Bilbao *1990 Oberschwäbischer Art Prize *1993 Grand Prize of the Jury of the Venice Biennale *1993 Robert Schuman Prize, Alfred Toepfer Foundation *1995 honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Arts of the
Complutense University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ''Universidad de Madrid'', ''Universidad Central de Madrid''; la, Universitas Complutensis Matritensis, links=no) is a public research university loc ...
In 1985, to mark Jünger's 90th birthday, the German state of Baden-Württemberg established Ernst Jünger Prize in Entomology. It is given every three years for outstanding work in the field of entomology. Ernst Jünger was the last living recipient of the military class 'Pour le Mérite'.


Bibliography


Collected works

Jünger's works were edited in ten volumes in 1960–1965 by Ernst Klett Verlag, Stuttgart, and again in 18 volumes by Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart in 1978–1983, with four supplement volumes added posthumously, 1999–2003. The ''Sämtliche Werke'' edition is now partially out of print (out of print : vols. 6, 7, 10, 15–18), and was re-issued in 2015 in paperback () and
epub EPUB is an e-book file format that uses the ".epub" file extension. The term is short for ''electronic publication'' and is sometimes styled ''ePub''. EPUB is supported by many e-readers, and compatible software is available for most smartpho ...
(ISBN epub: 978-3-608-10923-8) formats. A selection from the full collected works in five volumes was published in 1995 (4th ed. 2012, ). The following is a list of Jünger's original publications in book form (not including journal articles or correspondence).


Non-fiction

*1920, In Stahlgewittern ('' In Storms of Steel'') *1922, Der Kampf als inneres Erlebnis ('' War as an Inner Experience'') *1924, Das Wäldchen 125 ('' Copse 125'') *1925, Feuer und Blut (') *1929, Das abenteuerliche Herz. Aufzeichnungen bei Tag und Nacht ('' The Adventurous Heart: Recordings by Day and Night'') *1932, Der Arbeiter. Herrschaft und Gestalt ('' The Worker: Dominion and Form'') *1934, Blätter und Steine ('' Leaves and Stones'') *1938, Das abenteuerliche Herz. Figuren und Capricios ('' The Adventurous Heart: Figures and Capriccios'') *1942, Gärten und Straßen ('' Gardens and Roads'') *1943, Myrdun. Briefe aus Norwegen *1943, Der Friede. Ein Wort an die Jugend Europas und an die Jugend der Welt *1947, Atlantische Fahrt *1947, Sprache und Körperbau *1948, Ein Inselfrühling *1949, Strahlungen *1951, Am Kieselstrand *1951, Über die Linie *1951, Der Waldgang ('' The Forest Passage'') *1953, Der gordische Knoten *1954, Das Sanduhrbuch *1955, Am Sarazenturm *1956, Rivarol *1958, Jahre der Okkupation *1959, An der Zeitmauer *1960, Der Weltstaat *1963, Typus, Name, Gestalt *1966, Grenzgänge. Essays. Reden. Träume *1967, Subtile Jagden *1969, Sgraffiti *1970, Ad hoc *1970, Annäherungen. Drogen und Rausch *1974, Zahlen und Götter. Philemon und Baucis. Zwei Essays *1980, Siebzig verweht I *1981, Siebzig verweht II *1983, Maxima – Minima, Adnoten zum 'Arbeiter' *1984, *1987, Zwei Mal Halley *1990, Die Schere *1993, Prognosen *1993, Siebzig verweht III *1995, Siebzig verweht IV *1997, Siebzig verweht V


Novels

*1939, Auf den Marmorklippen ('' On the Marble Cliffs'') *1949, Heliopolis. Rückblick auf eine Stadt ('' Heliopolis'') *1957, Gläserne Bienen (''
The Glass Bees ''The Glass Bees'' (German: ''Gläserne Bienen'') is a 1957 science fiction novel written by German author Ernst Jünger. The novel follows two days in the life of Captain Richard, an unemployed ex-cavalryman who feels lost in a world that has ...
'') *1973, Die Zwille *1977, ''
Eumeswil ''Eumeswil'' is a 1977 novel by the German author Ernst Jünger. The narrative is set in an undatable post-apocalyptic world, somewhere in present-day Morocco. It follows the inner and outer life of Manuel Venator, a historian in the city-state of ...
'' *1985, Eine gefährliche Begegnung ('' A Dangerous Encounter'')


Short stories

*1923, ''
Sturm Sturm (German for storm) may refer to: People * Sturm (surname), surname (includes a list) * Saint Sturm (died 779), 8th-century monk Food * Federweisser, known as ''Sturm'' in Austria, wine in the fermentation stage * Sturm Foods, an American ...
'' *1936, Akfrikanische Spiele ('' African Diversions'') *1952, ''Die Eberjagd'' *1952, Besuch auf Godenholm ('' Visit to Godenholm'') *1983, Aladins Problem ('' Aladdin's Problem'')


Correspondence

Klett-Cotta edited Jünger's correspondence with
Rudolf Schlichter Rudolf Schlichter (or Rudolph Schlichter) (December 6, 1890 – May 3, 1955) was a German painter and one of the most important representatives of the ''Neue Sachlichkeit'' (New Objectivity) movement. Schlichter was born in Calw, Württemberg. A ...
,
Carl Schmitt Carl Schmitt (; 11 July 1888 – 7 April 1985) was a German jurist, political theorist, and prominent member of the Nazi Party. Schmitt wrote extensively about the effective wielding of political power. A conservative theorist, he is noted as ...
, Gerhard Nebel,
Friedrich Hielscher Friedrich Hielscher (31 May 19026 March 1990) was a German intellectual involved in the Conservative Revolutionary movement during the Weimar Republic and in the German resistance during the Nazi era. He was the founder of an esoteric or Neopagan m ...
,
Gottfried Benn Gottfried Benn (2 May 1886 – 7 July 1956) was a German poet, essayist, and physician. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature five times. He was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1951. Biography and work Family and beginnings Go ...
,
Stefan Andres Stefan Paul Andres (26 June 1906 – 29 June 1970) was a German novelist. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. As the Nazi regime flexed its power, Andres moved away to Italy in 1937, returning to Germany 13 years later. He ...
and
Martin Heidegger Martin Heidegger (; ; 26 September 188926 May 1976) was a German philosopher who is best known for contributions to phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. He is among the most important and influential philosophers of the 20th centu ...
in seven separate volumes during 1997–2008. * Ernst Jünger, Rudolf Schlichter: ''Briefe 1935–1955'', ed. Dirk Heißerer. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1997, . * Ernst Jünger, Carl Schmitt: ''Briefe 1930–1983'', ed. Helmuth Kiesel. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1999, . * Ernst Jünger, Gerhard Nebel: ''Briefe 1938–1974'', eds. Ulrich Fröschle and Michael Neumann. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2003, . * Ernst Jünger, Friedrich Hielscher: ''Briefe 1927–1985'', eds. Ina Schmidt and Stefan Breuer. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2005, . * Gottfried Benn, Ernst Jünger: ''Briefwechsel 1949–1956'', ed. Holger Hof. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2006, . * Ernst Jünger, Stefan Andres: ''Briefe 1937–1970'', ed. Günther Nicolin. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart, 2007, . * Ernst Jünger, Martin Heidegger: ''Briefwechsel 1949–1975.'' eds. Simone Maier, Günter Figal. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart, 2008, . * ''Alfred Baeumler und Ernst Jünger: Mit einem Anhang der überlieferten Korrespondenz und weiterem Material.'' eds. Ulrich Fröschle und Thomas Kuzias. Thelem Universitätsverlag, Dresden 2008, . * Ernst Jünger – Albert Renger-Patzsch. ''Briefwechsel 1943–1966 und weitere Dokumente.'' eds. Matthias Schöning, Bernd Stiegler, Ann and Jürgen Wilde. Wilhelm Fink, Paderborn/München 2010, . * Ernst Jünger, Dolf Sternberger: ''Briefwechsel 1941–1942 und 1973–1980.'' eds. Detlev Schöttker and Anja S. Hübner. In: ''Sinn und Form'', 4/2011, S. 448–473 * Luise Rinser und Ernst Jünger Briefwechsel 1939 – 1944, mit einem einleitenden Essay von Benedikt Maria Trappen Aufgang Verlag, Augsburg 2016,


English translations

Four of his World War II diaries have been translated and published in English as: *''A German Officer in Occupied Paris: The War Journals 1941–1945: First Paris Journal, Notes from the Caucasus, Second Paris Journal, Kirchhorst Diaries.'' ** The bulk of Jünger's publications remains untranslated, but some of his major novels have appeared in English translation. *In Stahlgewittern: Basil Creighton, '' The Storm of Steel. From the Diary of a German Storm-Troop Officer on the Western Front.'' London: Chatto & Windus (1929). *Das Wäldchen 125: Basil Creighton, '' Copse 125: A Chronicle from the Trench Warfare of 1918''. London: Chatto & Windus (1930). *Auf den Marmorklippen: Stuart Hood, '' On the Marble Cliffs''. London: John Lehmann (1947). *Der Friede: Stuart Hood, ''The Peace''. Hinsdale, IL: Henry Regnery Company (1948). *Afrikanische Spiele, Stuart Hood, '' African Diversions''. London: John Lehmann (1954). *Gläserne Bienen: Louise Bogan and Elizabeth Mayer, ''
The Glass Bees ''The Glass Bees'' (German: ''Gläserne Bienen'') is a 1957 science fiction novel written by German author Ernst Jünger. The novel follows two days in the life of Captain Richard, an unemployed ex-cavalryman who feels lost in a world that has ...
''. New York: Noonday Press (1960). *Annäherungen. Drogen Und Rausch: 'Drugs and Ecstasy' in: ''Myths and Symbols. Studies in Honor of Mircea Eliade'', eds. Joseph M. Kitagawa and Charles H. Long. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press (1969), pp. 327–42. *Aladdins Problem: Joachim Neugroschel, '' Aladdin's Problem''. New York: Marsilio (1992). *Eumeswil: Joachim Neugroschel, ''
Eumeswil ''Eumeswil'' is a 1977 novel by the German author Ernst Jünger. The narrative is set in an undatable post-apocalyptic world, somewhere in present-day Morocco. It follows the inner and outer life of Manuel Venator, a historian in the city-state of ...
''. New York: Marsilio (1993). *Eine gefährliche Begegnung: Hilary Barr, '' A Dangerous Encounter''. New York: Marsilio (1993). *Über den Schmerz: David C. Durst, '' On Pain''. New York: Telos Press Publishing (2008). *Das abenteuerliche Herz. Figuren und Capricios: Thomas Friese, '' The Adventurous Heart: Figures and Capriccios''. Candor, NY: Telos Press Publishing (2012). *Der Waldgang: Thomas Friese, '' The Forest Passage''. Candor, NY: Telos Press Publishing (2013). *Besuch auf Godenholm: Annabel Moynihan, '' Visit to Godenholm''. Stockholm: Edda Publishing (2015). *Sturm: Alexis P. Walker, ''
Sturm Sturm (German for storm) may refer to: People * Sturm (surname), surname (includes a list) * Saint Sturm (died 779), 8th-century monk Food * Federweisser, known as ''Sturm'' in Austria, wine in the fermentation stage * Sturm Foods, an American ...
''. Candor, NY: Telos Press Publishing (2015). *Der Arbeiter. Herrschaft und Gestalt; Bogdan Costea and Laurence Paul Hemming, ''The Worker. Dominion and Form.'' Northwestern University Press (2017) *In Stahlgewittern: K.J. Elliott, '' In Storms of Steel.'' (2022). *Der Kampf als inneres Erlebnis: K.J. Elliott, '' War as an Inner Experience.'' (2022). *Das Wäldchen 125: K.J. Elliott, '' Copse 125.'' (2022). *Feuer und Blut: K.J. Elliott, '. (2022).


Filmography

* ''La Guerre d'un seul homme'' (''One Man's War'') (1981). Film directed by
Edgardo Cozarinsky Edgardo Cozarinsky (; born 1939 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a writer and filmmaker. He is best known for his Spanish-language novel ''Vudú urbano''. Life Cozarinsky was born to an Argentine family of Ukrainian-Jewish descent. His name reflects ...
juxtaposing excerpts from Jünger's World War II diaries during his years in Paris with French propaganda films of the same period. * '' 102 Years in the Heart of Europe: A Portrait of Ernst Jünger'' (''102 år i hjärtat av Europa'') (1998), Swedish documentary film by Jesper Wachtmeister and Björn Cederberg


References

* . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * Hervier, Julien, ''Ernst Jünger: dans les tempêtes du siècle'', Fayard, Paris, 2014


External links

* – study of Ernst Jünger's works. * . * . * . * * *
The Man of the Twentieth Century: Remembering Ernst Jünger (March 29, 1895–February 17, 1998)
''Counter-Currents'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Junger, Ernst 1895 births 1998 deaths German centenarians Military personnel from Heidelberg People from the Grand Duchy of Baden German Roman Catholics Converts to Roman Catholicism from atheism or agnosticism German entomologists Conservative Revolutionary movement Psychedelic drug advocates Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Recipients of the Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 2nd class Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class) Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion Magic realism writers Leipzig University alumni Schiller Memorial Prize winners German nationalists German male poets 20th-century German philosophers 20th-century German poets 20th-century German zoologists German Army personnel of World War I German Army officers of World War II Men centenarians Writers from Heidelberg