Christoph Meckel (12 June 1935 – 29 January 2020) was a German author and

graphic artist A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography, or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, p ...

. He received awards for his works which connect illustrations with the written text, sometimes texts by others.

Life

Born in Berlin, Meckel spent his youth there, in

Erfurt Erfurt () is the capital and largest city in the Central German state of Thuringia. It is located in the wide valley of the Gera river (progression: ), in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin, north of the Thuringian Forest. It sits in ...

and in

Freiburg im Breisgau Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population o ...

, where he attended Gymnasium. In 1954/55 he studied graphic art at the Academy of Art in Freiburg im Breisgau, and in 1956 at the Academy of Art in

München Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

. Since 1956 he worked as both an author and graphic artist. His first poem appeared that year. He traveled extensively through Europe, Africa, and America and lived in Oetingen in Markgräflerland, in Berlin, in southern France, and in Tuscany. His graphic work has appeared in numerous exhibitions. Until his withdrawal in 1997, Meckel was a member of the PEN Center of the Federal Republic of Germany. He was a member of the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur in Mainz and the Deutschen Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung in

Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...

. In her book "For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Childrearing and the Roots of Violence" Alice Miller provides quotes of Meckel on his childhood: Punishment followed on a grand scale. For ten days, an unconscionable length of time, my father blessed the palms of his child's outstretched four-year-old hands with a sharp twitch. Seven strokes a day on each hand: that makes one hundred and forty strokes and then some. This put an end to the child's innocence. Whatever it was that happened in Paradise involving Adam, Eve, Lilith, the serpent, and the apple, the well-deserved Biblical thunderbolt of prehistoric times, the roar of the Almighty and His pointed finger signifying expulsion – I know nothing about all that. It was my father who drove me out of paradise. Meckel died in Freiburg on 29 January 2020, aged 84.

Awards

Meckel received numerous literary prizes, including: * 1959 Immermann Prize * 1966 Preis ''Junge Generation'' of the Berliner Kunstpreis * 1974

Reinhold-Schneider-Preis The Reinhold-Schneider-Preis (Reinhold Schneider Prize) is the cultural prize awarded by the German town of Freiburg im Breisgau. It has been awarded biennially since 1960, alternating between literature, music and art. In addition to the main prize ...

* 1978 Rainer-Maria-Rilke-Preis für Lyrik * 1981 Literaturpreis der Stadt Bremen,

Ernst-Meister-Preis für Lyrik Ernst-Meister-Preis für Lyrik (Ernst Meister Prize for Poetry) is a literary prize of Germany. The prize is endowed with €5,000. The Ernst Meister Prize was founded in 1981 in memory of the Hagen poet and writer Ernst Meister and has been award ...

* 1982 * 1993

Kasseler Literaturpreis The Kassel Literary Prize for Grotesque Humor (''Kasseler Literaturpreis für grotesken Humor''), established 1985, is an annual prize awarded by the city of Kassel and the Brückner-Kühner foundation in recognition of "grotesque and comic work" ...

* 2003 Joseph-Breitbach-Preis * 2005 Schiller Ring of the

Deutsche Schillerstiftung The Deutsche Schillerstiftung (German Schiller Foundation), headquartered in Weimar, is the oldest private foundation for the assistance of writers in Germany, founded in 1855. It was refounded in 1995 as the Deutsche Schillerstiftung von 1859 (18 ...

, Weimar * 2006 International Literary Award Novi Sad (Serbia) * 2016

Hölty Prize The Hölty Prize (German: ''Hölty-Preis''), established in 2007, is a lifetime achievement award given every two years to honor a German-language poet. The full name of the prize is the Hölty-Preis für Lyrik der Landeshauptstadt und der Sparkass ...

, Hanover * 2018 Johann-Peter-Hebel-Preis * 2020 Antiquaria Prize

Works

* ''Tarnkappe'', München 1956 * ''Hotel für Schlafwandler'', Stierstadt im Taunus 1958 * ''Moël'', Hamburg .a.1959 * ''Nebelhörner'', Stuttgart 1959 * ''Der Krieg'', Hamburg .a.1960 * ''Manifest der Toten'', Stierstadt im Taunus 1960 * ''Die Stadt'', Hamburg .a.1960 * ''Welttheater'', Hamburg .a.1960 * ''Im Land der Umbramauten'', Stuttgart 1961 * ''Der Turm'', Hamburg .a.1961 * ''Wildnisse'', Frankfurt a. M. 1962 * ''Dunkler Sommer und Musikantenknochen'', Berlin 1964 * ''Gedichtbilderbuch'', Stierstadt im Taunus 1964 * ''Gwili und Punk'', Groningen 1965 * ''Lyrik, Prosa, Graphik aus zehn Jahren'', München 1965 * ''Das Meer'', München 1965 * ''Tullipan'', Berlin 1965 * ''Die Savannen'', Bonn 1966 * ''Die Noticen des Feuerwerkers Christopher Magalan'', Berlin 1966 * ''Bei Lebzeiten zu singen'', Berlin 1967 * ''Die Dummheit liefert uns ans Messer'', Berlin 1967 (zusammen mit Volker von Törne) * ''Der glückliche Magier'', Baden-Baden 1967 * ''Der Wind, der dich weckt, der Wind im Garten'', Neuwied .a.1967 * ''In der Tinte'', Berlin 1968 * ''Amüsierpapiere oder Bilder aus Phantasus' Bauchladen'', München 1969 * ''Die Balladen des Thomas Balkan'', Berlin 1969 * ''Bilderbotschaften'', München 1969 * ''Gedichte aus Biafra'', Berlin .a.1969 * ''Jasnados Nachtlied'', Freiburg 1969 * ''Eine Seite aus dem Paradiesbuch'', Berlin 1969 * ''You're welcome'', Berlin 1969 * ''Kraut und Gehilfe'', Berlin-Friedenau 1970 * ''Zettelphilipp'', Berlin 1970 * ''Die Geschichte der Geschichten'', München 1971 * ''Werkauswahl'', München 1971 * ''Lieder aus dem Dreckloch'', Stierstadt (im Taunus) 1972 * ''Verschiedene Tätigkeiten'', Stuttgart 1972 * ''Bockshorn'', München 1973 * ''Kranich'', Düsseldorf 1973 * ''Wen es angeht'', Düsseldorf 1974 * ''Wer viel fragt, kriegt viel gesagt'', München 1974 (zusammen mit Alfons Schweiggert) * ''Flaschenpost für eine Sintflut'', Berlin 1975 * ''Die Gestalt am Ende des Grundstücks'', Düsseldorf 1975 * ''Nachtessen'', Berlin 1975 * ''Der Strom'', Leverkusen 1976 * ''Liebesgedichte'', Berlin 1977 * ''Erinnerung an Johannes Bobrowski'', Düsseldorf 1978 * ''Licht'', München 1978 * ''Über das Fragmentarische'', Mainz 1978 * ''Ausgewählte Gedichte'', Königstein/Ts. 1979 * ''Hab aufgelesen meine Spuren'', Berlin 1979 * ''Säure'', Düsseldorf 1979 * ''Das Dings da'', Düsseldorf 1980 * ''Die Sachen der Liebe'', Berlin .a.1980 * ''Suchbild: über meinen Vater'', Düsseldorf 1980 * ''Tunifers Erinnerungen und andere Erzählungen'', Frankfurt am Main 1980 * ''Das bucklicht Männlein'', Frankfurt am Main 1981 * ''Jedes Wort hat die Chance einen Anfang zu machen'', München 1981 * ''Nachricht für Baratynski'', München .a.1981 * ''Anabasis'', München .a.1982 * ''Der wahre Muftoni'', München .a.1982 * ''Ein roter Faden'', München .a.1983 * ''Sein Herz ist sein Rücken'', Karlsruhe 1983 * ''Zeichnungen und Bilder'', Berlin 1983 * ''Jahreszeiten'', Berlin 1984 * ''Souterrain'', München .a.1984 * ''Bericht zur Entstehung einer Weltkomödie'', München .a.1985 * ''Plunder'', München .a.1986 * ''Sieben Blätter für Monsieur Bernstein'', Stuttgart 1986 * ''Anzahlung auf ein Glas Wasser'', München .a.1987 * ''Berliner Doodles'', Berlin 1987 * ''Das Buch Jubal'', Düsseldorf 1987 * ''Christoph Meckel'', Remagen-Rolandseck 1987 * ''Limbo'', Mainz 1987 * ''Hundert Gedichte'', München .a.1988 * ''Die Kirschbäume'', Warmbronn 1988 * ''Pferdefuß'', Ravensburg 1988 * ''Das Buch Shiralee'', Düsseldorf 1989 * ''Von den Luftgeschäften der Poesie'', Frankfurt am Main 1989 * ''Weltwundertüte voll Stückwerk'', Lichtenfels 1989 * ''Vakuum'', Warmbronn 1990 * ''Container'', Berlin 1991 * ''Hans im Glück'', Köln 1991 * ''Jemel'', Leipzig 1991 * ''Die Messingstadt'', München .a.1991 * ''Shalamuns Papiere'', München .a.1992 * ''Votiv'', Warmbronn 1992 * ''Schlammfang'', Düsseldorf 1993 * ''Stein'', Frauenfeld 1993 * ''Archipel'', Düsseldorf 1994 * ''Sidus scalae'', Warmbronn 1995 * ''Gesang vom unterbrochenen Satz'', München .a.1995 * ''Eine Hängematte voll Schnee'', Berlin 1995 * ''Immer wieder träume ich Bücher'', Warmbronn 1995 * ''Nachtmantel'', Düsseldorf 1996 * ''Merkmalminiaturen'', Stuttgart 1997 * ''Trümmer des Schmetterlings'', Ostfildern vor Stuttgart 1997 * ''Ein unbekannter Mensch'', München .a.1997 * ''Dichter und andere Gesellen'', München .a.1998 * ''Jul Miller'', Gifkendorf 1998 * ''Komm in das Haus'', München .a.1998 * ''Fontany im Sande'', Warmbronn 1999 * ''Die Ruine des Präsidentenpalastes'', Düsseldorf 2000 * ''Schöllkopf'', Warmbronn 2000 * ''Zähne'', München .a.2000 * ''Blut im Schuh'', Lüneburg 2001 * ''Nacht bleibt draußen und trinkt Regen'', Passau 2002 * ''Suchbild: meine Mutter'', München .a.2002 * ''Ungefähr ohne Tod im Schatten der Bäume'', München .a.2003

Exhibition catalogues

* ''Christoph Meckel, Radierungen, Holzschnitte, Zeichnungen, Graphik-Zyklen, Bücher'', München 1965 * ''Christoph Meckel, Handzeichnungen, Radierungen, Bücher'', München 1971 * ''The graphic work of Christoph Meckel'', Austin, Tex. 1973 * ''Christoph Meckel, Bilder, Graphik'', Hamburg 1976 * ''Christoph Meckel & Christopher Middleton, Bilderbücher 1968/1978'', Berlin 1979 * ''Christoph Meckel, Zeichnungen, Radierungen'', Reutlingen 1984 * ''Christoph Meckel, Bilder, Bücher, Bilderbücher'',

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...

1986 * ''Christoph Meckel, Zeichnungen, Bilder, Radierungen'', Freiburg 1987 * ''Christoph Meckel, Zeichnungen und Graphik'',

Bergisch Gladbach Bergisch Gladbach () is a city in the Cologne/Bonn Region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and capital of the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis (district). Geography Bergisch Gladbach is located east of the river Rhine, approx. 10 kilometers east of ...

1987 * ''Christoph Meckel'', Frankfurt am Main, 1988 * ''Christoph Meckel, Radierungen'', Freiburg i. Br. 1990 * ''Christoph Meckel, Manuskriptbilder 1962 - 1992'', Freiburg 1992 * ''Christoph Meckel, Neue Zeichnungen und Grafik'',

Saarbrücken Saarbrücken (; french: link=no, Sarrebruck ; Rhine Franconian: ''Saarbrigge'' ; lb, Saarbrécken ; lat, Saravipons, lit=The Bridge(s) across the Saar river) is the capital and largest city of the state of Saarland, Germany. Saarbrücken is S ...

1997 * ''Christoph Meckel, Beginn eines Sommers'', Troisdorf 2001

Publications

* ''Alles andere steht geschrieben'', Kiel 1993 *

Georg Heym Georg Theodor Franz Artur Heym (30 October 1887 – 16 January 1912) was a German writer. He is particularly known for his poetry, representative of early Expressionism. Biography Heym was born in Hirschberg, Lower Silesia, in 1887 to He ...

: ''Gedichte'', Frankfurt a.M. 1968 * ''Vier Tage im Mai'', Waldkirch 1989 * ''Der Vogel fährt empor als kleiner Rauch'', Göttingen 1995 * ''Das zahnlos geschlagene Wort'', Düsseldorf 1980

Translations

Avraham Ben-Yitzhak Avraham Ben-Yitzhak ( he, אברהם בן יצחק; 1883–1950) was a Hebrew poet. Biography He was born Avraham Sonne, on September 13, 1883, in Przemyśl Przemyśl (; yi, פשעמישל, Pshemishl; uk, Перемишль, Peremyshl; german ...

: ''Es entfernten sich die Dinge'', München .a.1994 * : ''Arbeiten auf Papier'', Reinbek bei Hamburg 1992 * : ''Wüstenginster'', München .a.1990

Illustrated works

* ''Allgemeine Erklärung der Menschenrechte'', Frankfurt am Main 1974 *

Erich Arendt Erich Otto Reinhold Arendt (15 April 1903 – 25 September 1984) was a German poet and translator. Biography He was born into a working family of a school janitor. In his youth, he changed many professions, he worked as an agricultural worker, a ...

: ''Reise in die Provence'', Darmstadt 1983 * : ''Worte'', Köln 1963 * : ''Die Zöglinge des Herrn Glasenapp'', Düsseldorf 1996 *

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 pl ...

: ''Bertolt Brechts Hauspostille'', Frankfurt/M. 1966 * Wolfgang Dick: ''Nachtstücke - versetzbar'', Stierstadt im Taunus 1965 * : ''Fahrradklingel'', Berlin 1979 * : ''Träume'', Warmbronn 1987 * Christopher Middleton: ''Wie wir Großmutter zum Markt bringen'', Stierstadt i. Ts. 1970 * : ''Du kommen um sieben'', Berlin 1980 * ''Poetische Grabschriften'', Frankfurt am Main 1987 * ''Die Rechte des Kindes'', Ravensburg 1994 * Ruth Reichstein: ''Lichterloh'', Frauenfeld 1988 *

Christa Reinig Christa Reinig (6 August 1926, Berlin – 30 September 2008, Munich) was a German poet, fiction and non-fiction writer, and dramatist. She began her career in the Soviet occupation zone which became East Berlin, was banned there, after publish ...

: ''Die Ballade vom blutigen Bomme'', Düsseldorf 1972 * Voltaire: ''Candide oder der Optimismus; Zadig oder das Schicksal; Der weiße Stier'', Köln 1964

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Meckel, Christoph 1935 births 2020 deaths German graphic designers German artists Writers from Berlin German-language poets German male poets