Krechel, Ursula 1947-

PERSONAL:

Born 1947, in Trier, Germany. Education: University of Cologne, Ph.D., 1972.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Berlin, Germany.

CAREER:

Playwright, poet, writer.

MEMBER:

German PEN Centre.

AWARDS, HONORS:

International Eifel Literature Prize and the Martha Saalfeld Promotional Prize, both in 1994; Elisabeth Langässer Prize for her collected work, 1997.

WRITINGS:

Information Und Wertund; Untersuchungen Zum Theater Und Filmkritischen Werk Von Herbert Ihering, [Cologne, Germany], 1972.

Erika (play), [Frankfurt on Main, Germany], 1973.

Selbsterfahrung Und Fremdbestimmung: Bericht Aus D. Neuen Frauenbewegung, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1975.

Nach Mainz: Gedichte, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1977.

Selbsterfahrung Und Fremdbestimmung: Bericht Aus D. Neuen Frauenbewegung, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1978.

Verwundbar Wie in Den Besten Zeiten: Gedichte, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1979.

Zweite Natur: Szenen Eines Romans, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1981.

Rohschnitt: Gedicht in Sechzig Sequenzen, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1983.

Selbsterfahrung Und Fremdbestimmung: Bericht Aus Der Neuen Frauenbewegung, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1983.

Vom Feuer Lernen: Gedichte, Luchterhand (Darmstadt, Germany), 1985.

Kakaoblau: Gedichte Für Erwachsende, Residenz (Salzburg, Austria), 1989.

Die Freunde Des Wetterleuchtens, Luchterhand (Frankfurt on Main, Germany), 1990.

Industriegebiet Der Intelligenz: Literatur Im Neuen Berliner Westen Der 20er Und 30er Jahre: Ausstellungsbuch, Literaturhaus Berlin (Berlin, Germany), 1990.

Mit Dem Körper Des Vaters Spielen: Essays, Suhrkamp (Frankfurt on Main, Germany), 1992.

Technik Des Erwachens: Gedichte, Suhrkamp (Frankfurt on Main, Germany), 1992.

Sizilianer Des Gefühls: Erzählung, Suhrkamp (Frankfurt on Main, Germany), 1993.

Landläufiges Wunder: Gedichte, Suhrkamp (Frankfurt on Main, Germany), 1995.

Verbeugungen Vor Der Luft: Gedichte, Residenz (Salzburg, Austria), 1999.

Der Ulebergriff: Erzählung, Jung & Jung (Salzburg, Austria), 2001.

Stimmen Aus Dem Harten Kern: Gedicht, Jung & Jung (Salzburg, Austria), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS:

Ursula Krechel is a German-born writer whose works include plays, poetry, and prose. A student of German literature and theater, she worked as a writer for both West German radio and various newspapers while earning a doctorate from the University of Cologne. After graduating, she wrote her first play, Erika. This was the start of a prolific career. Krechel's early work was primarily feminist in tone, but later work has also incorporated other themes, including violence and eroticism. With Stimmen Aus Dem Harten Kern: Gedicht, she offers readers a cycle of poetry that addresses three thousand years of mankind's violent behavior around the world, including the Trojan War, both World Wars, and genocide at different points in history. Divided into twelve chapters, each holding twelve poems of twelve lines each, the book's symmetry and rhythm suggest a repetitiveness to human behavior as well. Andrew Williams, in a review for World Literature Today, observed of the poems: "Behind the multiplicity of voices, the reader detects an earnest and lyrical voice." Sizilianer Des Gefühls: Erzählung, in contrast, is the story of Carlo Saager and his theatrical relatives, as well as Carlo's experiences in therapy. The different tones and subject matter illustrate Krechel's versatility and adaptability as a writer. Ernestine Schlant, also writing for World Literature Today, observed that "in its cool and distancing narrative voice it can perhaps best be compared to minimalist fiction on this side of the Atlantic."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

World Literature Today, spring, 1994, Ernestine Schlant, review of Sizilianer Des Gefühls: Erzählung; spring, 1996, Rita Terras, review of Landläufiges Wunder: Gedichte; September 1, 2006, Andrew Williams, review of Stimmen Aus Dem Harten Kern: Gedicht, p. 73.

ONLINE

Antigonish Review Web site,http://www.antigonishreview.com/ (July 25, 2007), author biography.

International Literature Festival Berlin Web site,http://www.literaturfestival.com/ (July 25, 2007), author biography.