Klaus Heinrich Thomas Mann (18 November 1906 – 21 May 1949) was a German writer and dissident. He was the son of

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novella ...

, a nephew of

Heinrich Mann Luiz Heinrich Mann (; 27 March 1871 – 11 March 1950), best known as simply Heinrich Mann, was a German author known for his Social criticism, socio-political novels. From 1930 until 1933, he was president of the fine poetry division of the ...

and brother of

Erika Mann Erika Julia Hedwig Mann (9 November 1905 – 27 August 1969) was a German actress and writer, daughter of the novelist Thomas Mann. Erika lived a bohemian lifestyle in Berlin and became a critic of National Socialism. After Hitler came to power ...

, with whom he maintained a lifelong close relationship, and

Golo Mann Golo Mann (born Angelus Gottfried Thomas Mann; 27 March 1909 – 7 April 1994) was a popular German historian and essayist. Having completed a doctorate in philosophy under Karl Jaspers at Heidelberg, in 1933 he fled Hitler's Germany. He followe ...

. He is well known for his 1936 novel, ''Mephisto''.

Background

Born in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

, Klaus Mann was the son of German writer Thomas Mann and his wife, Katia Pringsheim. His father was baptized as a Lutheran, while his mother was from a family of secular Jews.

Career

Mann began writing

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...

in 1924 and the following year became drama critic for a Berlin newspaper. His first literary works were published in 1925. Mann's early life was troubled. His

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...

often made him the target of

bigotry Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...

, and he had a difficult relationship with his father. After only a short time in various schools, he traveled with his sister

, a year older than himself, around the world, visiting the U.S. in 1927; they reported on the trip in essays published as a collaborative

travelogue Travelogue may refer to: Genres * Travel literature, a record of the experiences of an author travelling * Travel documentary A travel documentary is a documentary film, television program, or online series that describes travel in general or ...

entitled ''Rundherum'' in 1929. In 1924 he had become engaged to his childhood friend Pamela Wedekind, the eldest daughter of the playwright

Frank Wedekind Benjamin Franklin Wedekind (July 24, 1864 – March 9, 1918) was a German playwright. His work, which often criticizes bourgeois attitudes (particularly towards sex), is considered to anticipate expressionism and was influential in the de ...

, who was also a close friend of his sister Erika. The engagement was broken off in January 1928. Erika Mann und Klaus Mann, 1927

He traveled with Erika to North Africa in 1929. Around this time they made the acquaintance of

Annemarie Schwarzenbach Annemarie Minna Renée Schwarzenbach (23 May 1908 – 15 November 1942) was a Swiss writer, journalist and photographer. Her bisexual mother brought her up in a masculine style, and her androgynous image suited the bohemian Berlin society of the ...

, a Swiss writer and photographer, who remained close to them for the next few years. Klaus made several trips abroad with Annemarie, the final one to a

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

writers' congress in Moscow in 1934. Since young adulthood, Klaus was using drugs, mostly

opiate An opiate, in classical pharmacology, is a substance derived from opium. In more modern usage, the term ''opioid'' is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain (including antagonis ...

s, to which he later became heavily addicted. His diaries document an attempted

morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a analgesic, pain medication, and is also commonly used recreational drug, recreationally, or to make ...

-injection in 1933 when Hitler took power. Initially, the aspiring writer used

opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

Eukodal Oxycodone, sold under various brand names such as Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended release form), is a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used medically for treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and a commonly ...

and later

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...

to possibly increase his creative energy, as this was often the case for artists and intellectuals in literary circles at the time. He underwent

drug detoxification Drug detoxification (informally, detox) is variously the intervention in a case of physical dependence to a drug; the process and experience of a withdrawal syndrome; and any of various treatments for acute drug overdose. A detoxification progr ...

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

during his frantic travels and at the Kilchberg Sanatorium in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. After 1936, during his stay in New York his drug use and sexual adventures became unconstrained. In 1932 Klaus wrote the first part of his autobiography, which was well received until Hitler came to power. In 1933 Klaus participated with Erika in a political cabaret, called ''Die Pfeffermühle'' (''The Pepper-Mill''), which came to the attention of the Nazi regime. To escape prosecution he left Germany in March 1933 for Paris, later visiting Amsterdam and Switzerland, where his family had a house. Also in 1933, Klaus Mann and Annemarie Schwarzenbach, together with Fritz Landshoff and Dutch publisher

Emanuel Querido Emanuel Querido (6 August 1871 – 23 July 1943) was a successful Dutch publisher as the founder and owner of N.V. Em. Querido Uitgeversmaatschappij, which published Dutch titles, and of , which published titles of German writers in exile from N ...

, founded ''

Die Sammlung ''Die Sammlung'' (German for "The Collection") was a monthly literary magazine, first published in September 1933 in Amsterdam, and primarily affiliated with a number of influential German writers who fled from the Hitler regime during the first y ...

'', a

literary magazine A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letter ...

, first published in September 1933 in Amsterdam. It was primarily affiliated with a number of influential German writers who fled from the

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and then ...

regime during the first years of the establishment and consolidation of Nazi rule. The magazine was funded by the wealthy Annemarie Schwarzenbach, and Klaus Mann served as its editor-in-chief from 1933 to 1935, when ''Die Sammlungs activity ceased. Klaus Mann not only played an important role in the consolidation of the German ''

Exilliteratur German ''Exilliteratur'' (, ''exile literature'') is the name for works of German literature written in the German diaspora by refugee authors who fled from Nazi Germany, Nazi Austria, and the occupied territories between 1933 and 1945. These dis ...

'' but also communicated with authors who remained in Germany after 1933. In a letter exchange with

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 ...

, whose ambivalence towards Nazi rule was well known, Klaus expressed concern about his continued membership in the national German academy of writers, pointing out the moral dilemma it posed, even urging him to leave the country to join the German intellectuals in exile. In November 1934 Klaus was stripped of German citizenship by the

Nazi regime Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. He became a

Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) **Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...

citizen. In 1936, he moved to the United States, living in

Princeton, New Jersey Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...

, and New York. In the summer of 1937, he met his partner for the rest of the year

Thomas Quinn Curtiss Thomas Quinn Curtiss (June 22, 1915 – July 17, 2000) was an American writer, and film and theater critic. He is also known for his relationship to author Klaus Mann. Early life Curtiss was born on June 22, 1915, in New York City, the son of R ...

, who was later a longtime film and theater reviewer for ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' and the ''

International Herald Tribune The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...

''. In 1940 Klaus Mann founded another literary magazine for German writers living in

exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...

in the United States, ''Decision''. It lasted for only a year. During that time, he also lived at his father's house in Pacific Palisades when he was unable to support himself financially. Mann became a U.S. citizen in 1943. The process of naturalization was delayed because of an investigation the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

conducted into Klaus Mann's political and sexual activities; he was openly gay but not an adherent of

marxist Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...

ideologies. Throughout his life in the U.S., he identified himself as a liberal

antifascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

and cosmopolitan. 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he served as a

Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

of the 5th U.S. Army in Italy. In summer 1945, he was sent by the '' Stars and Stripes'' to report from Postwar-Germany. Mann's most famous novel, ''

Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...

'', was written in 1936 and first published in Amsterdam. The novel is a thinly-disguised portrait of his former brother-in-law, the actor

Gustaf Gründgens Gustaf Gründgens (; 22 December 1899 – 7 October 1963), born Gustav Heinrich Arnold Gründgens, was one of Germany's most famous and influential actors of the 20th century, and artistic director of theatres in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg ...

. The literary scandal surrounding it made Mann posthumously famous in West Germany, as Gründgens' adopted son brought a legal case to have the novel banned after its first publication in West Germany in the early 1960s. After seven years of legal hearings, the West German Supreme Court upheld the ban, although it continued to be available in East Germany and abroad. The ban was lifted and the novel published in West Germany in 1981. Mann's novel ''Der Vulkan'' is one of the 20th century's most famous novels about German

s during World War II.

Death

Mann died in

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...

from an

overdose A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.

sleeping pill Hypnotic (from Greek ''Hypnos'', sleep), or soporific drugs, commonly known as sleeping pills, are a class of (and umbrella term for) psychoactive drugs whose primary function is to induce sleep (or surgical anesthesiaWhen used in anesthesia ...

s on 21 May 1949, following further drug treatment. He likely committed suicide because of financial problems and social isolation. He was buried in Cannes at the

Cimetière du Grand Jas The Cimetière du Grand Jas (Grand Jas Cemetery) is located at 205 avenue de Grasse in Cannes on the French Riviera. The nine hectare terraced cemetery began operations in 1866 and is known for its landscaped architecture with rich floral decora ...

Select bibliography

* ''Der fromme Tanz'', 1925 * ''Anja und Esther'', 1925 * ''Kindernovelle'', 1926 ublished in the U.S. as ''The 5th Child'', 1927* ''Revue zu Vieren'', 1927 * ''Alexander, Roman der Utopie'', 1929 * ''Auf der Suche nach einem Weg'', 1931 * ''Kind dieser Zeit'', 1932 * ''Treffpunkt im Unendlichen'', 1932 * ''Journey into Freedom'', 1934 * ''Symphonie Pathétique'', 1935 * ''

'', 1936 * ''Vergittertes Fenster'', 1937 * '' Escape to Life'', 1939 (with Erika Mann) * ''Der Vulkan'', 1939 * ''The Turning Point'', 1942 * ''André Gide and the Crisis of Modern Thought'', 1943 * ''The Chaplain'', 1945

Film adaptations

* ''

'', directed by

István Szabó István Szabó (; born 18 February 1938) is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director. Szabó is one of the most notable Hungarian filmmakers and one who has been best known outside the Hungarian-speaking world since the la ...

(1981, based on the novel ''

'') * ''Treffpunkt im Unendlichen'', directed by

Heinrich Breloer Heinrich Breloer (, born 17 February 1942 in Gelsenkirchen) is a German author and film director. He has mainly worked on docudramas related to modern German history and has received many awards. Breloer's 2005 docudrama ''Speer und Er'' was descr ...

and (1984, TV film, based on the novel ''Treffpunkt im Unendlichen'') * '' Flight North'', directed by (1986, based on the novel ''Journey into Freedom'') * '' The Volcano'', directed by

Ottokar Runze Ottokar Runze (19 August 1925 – 22 September 2018) was a German film producer, director and screenwriter. His 1974 film '' In the Name of the People'' was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Be ...

(1999, based on the novel ''Der Vulkan'')

References

External links

*
The Works, Diaries and Letters are in the Munich Literatur-Archiv "Monancensia"

Tagebuch 1931–1949 – Titel – Mann Digital – Monacensia – Digital
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mann, Klaus 1906 births 1949 deaths 1949 suicides 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American essayists 20th-century German dramatists and playwrights 20th-century diarists 20th-century German male writers 20th-century German short story writers 20th-century LGBT people 20th-century American male writers American male dramatists and playwrights American male non-fiction writers American diarists American male novelists Burials at the Cimetière du Grand Jas Drug-related suicides in France Exilliteratur writers German autobiographers German diarists German gay writers German literary critics German male dramatists and playwrights German male non-fiction writers German male novelists German male short story writers German people of Jewish descent German short story writers German war correspondents Jewish American dramatists and playwrights Jewish American novelists Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States LGBT dramatists and playwrights

Klaus Klaus is a German, Dutch and Scandinavian given name and surname. It originated as a short form of Nikolaus, a German form of the Greek given name Nicholas. Notable persons whose family name is Klaus * Billy Klaus (1928–2006), American baseba ...

People educated at the Wilhelmsgymnasium (Munich) People from the Kingdom of Bavaria Ritchie Boys War correspondents of World War II Writers from Munich United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers