Is Bertolt Brecht Living or Dead?

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By Euler Leaks

Updated 18 March 2023

Image info

Artist	Kolbe, Jörg
Credit	This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project. The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive), resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive.
License	cc-by-sa-3.0-de
Desc	For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Bertolt Brecht ADN-ZB/Kolbe 9.4.1980 [Datum Archiveingang] Bertolt Brecht geb. 10.2.1898 Augsburg gest. 14.8.1956 Berlin, Dichter, Theatertheoretiker und Regisseur. [Porträt Bertolt Brecht] Abgebildete Personen: Brecht, Bertolt: Schriftsteller, Regisseur, DDR (GND 118514768)
Usage	Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 de

Image info/credit

German poet, playwright, theatre director

Bertolt Brecht is ...

Dead

Born	10 February 1898 in Augsburg
Died	14 August 1956 in Brecht House
Age	58 years, 6 months
Cause	myocardial infarction

Sex or gender	male
Country of citizenship	German Empire, German Democratic Republic, Weimar Republic and Austria
Birth name	Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht
Manner of death	natural causes
Sibling	Walter Brecht
Spouse	Marianne Zoff and Helene Weigel
Child	Stefan Brecht, Hanne Hiob and Barbara Brecht-Schall
Occupation	playwright, lyricist, screenwriter, theatre director, poet, librettist, literary critic and writer
Nominated for	Nobel Prize in Literature
Notable work	The Threepenny Opera, Life of Galileo, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Fear and Misery of the Third Reich and Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder
Awards	National Prize of East Germany
Member of	Academy of Arts, Berlin and Academy of Arts of the GDR
Significant event	Nazi book burnings

About Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht was a revolutionary figure in the world of theatre and literature. Born in Augsburg, Germany in 1898, Brecht was a prolific writer, poet, and playwright who challenged the traditional forms of theatre and storytelling.

Brecht's early work was heavily influenced by the political and social upheaval of the early 20th century. He was a committed Marxist and his writing reflected his belief in the power of art to effect social change. His plays, such as "The Threepenny Opera" and "Mother Courage and Her Children," were characterized by their use of epic theatre techniques, which emphasized the political and social messages of the work.

Brecht was also a talented director, and his productions were known for their innovative staging and use of technology. He was a pioneer in the use of projections and other multimedia elements in theatre, and his productions often featured elaborate sets and costumes.

Despite his success, Brecht was a controversial figure in his time. He was often criticized for his political views and his unorthodox approach to theatre. However, his influence on modern theatre and literature cannot be overstated. His work has been translated into countless languages and continues to be performed and studied around the world.

Brecht died in 1956, but his legacy lives on. His ideas about the role of art in society and the power of theatre to effect change continue to inspire artists and activists today.

References:

- "Bertolt Brecht." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2021.

- "Bertolt Brecht." The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, 26 Feb. 2021. Web. 22 Mar. 2021.

- "Bertolt Brecht." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2021.

About Death

Brecht died on 14 August 1956 of a heart attack at the age of 58. He is buried in the Dorotheenstädtischer cemetery on Chausseestraße in the Mitte neighbourhood of Berlin, overlooked by the residence he shared with Helene Weigel.