Graf, Oskar Maria |
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BORN 22 Jul 1894, Berg (am Starnberger See), Bayern - DIED 28 Jun 1967, New York City, New York GRAVE LOCATION München, Bayern: Friedhof Bogenhausen (left wall 42) |
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Oskar Maria Graf was the son of a baker. In 1911 he went to Munich, where he hang out with anarchists and bohémiens and in 1912 he travelled in Northern Italy. In 1914 he was enlisted in the army, but he was discharged because of subinordination. In 1917 he married Karoline Bretting and in 1918 they had a daughter, Annemarie. After the war he joined the revolution in Bavaria and in 1919 he was arrested. In 1920 he worked as a dramaturg at "Die neue Bühne". His book "Wir Sind Gefangene" ("We are Prisoners") was published in 1927 was praised by Gorki and the brothers Mann. It enabled him to become a freelance author. In 1933 he left for Vienna for some lectures. In Germany the book burnings by the nazis started, but to his surprise his books weren't burned and even recommended for reading. In the Viennese newspaper "Arbeiterzeitung" he wrote: "Verbrennt mich!" ("Burn me!"). In 1934 his books were prohibited after all. In 1938 he moved to the USA where he became president of the German American Writers Association during the same year. In 1958 he became an American citizen. 1958 was also the first year in which he visited Europe after the war. He died in New York City, but he was buried at the small cemetery in Bogenhausen, Munich. |
| Images |
 The grave of Oskar Maria Graf at the Bogenhausener Friedhof, München. Picture by Androom (31 Aug 2005) |
Sources • Killy, Walther [Ed.], Deutsche Biographische Enzyklopädie, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt, 1995 • De Complete Encyclopedie, Lekturama • Scheibmayr, Erich, Wer? Wann? Wo?, Persönlichkeiten in Münchner Friedhöfen, Verlag Erich Scheibmayr, München, 1989 • Oskar Maria Graf - Wikipedia |
