The German Institute for Literature (German: ''Deutsches Literaturinstitut Leipzig'', DLL) is a part of

Leipzig University Leipzig University (), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 December 1409 by Frederick I, Electo ...

and offers university education for writers. It was founded in 1955 under the name Johannes R. Becher-Institut, at that time in the

GDR East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...

. Among the noted writers who graduated from the school are

Heinz Czechowski Heinz Czechowski (7 February 1935 – 21 October 2009) was a German poet and dramatist. At the age of ten, Czechowski survived the highly destructive bombing of his birthplace of Dresden. After training in surveying and graphic design, he studied ...

, Kurt Drawert,

Adolf Endler Adolf Endler (20 September 1930 – 2 August 2009) was a lyric poet, essayist and prose author who played a central role in subcultural activities that attacked and challenged an outdated model of socialist realism in the German Democratic Re ...

Ralph Giordano Ralph Giordano (23 March 1923 – 10 December 2014) was a German writer and publicist. Life and career Giordano was born to a Sicilian father and a German Jewish mother in Hamburg. He attended the Gelehrtenschule des Johanneums from 1933 to ...

, Kerstin Hensel,

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...

and

Rainer Kirsch Rainer Kirsch (17 July 1934 – 4 September 2015) was a German writer and poet. Life and career Kirsch was born in Döbeln in 1934. After graduating from high school, he studied history at the Klosterschule Roßleben and philosophy at the Marti ...

, Angela Krauß,

Erich Loest Erich Loest (; 24 February 1926 – 12 September 2013) was a German writer born in Mittweida, Saxony. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Hans Walldorf, Bernd Diksen and Waldemar Naß. Life and career He was a conscripted soldier in World War I ...

Fred Wander Fred Wander (5 January 1917 – 10 July 2006) was an Austrian writer and Holocaust survivor. Wander was born Fritz Rosenblatt in Vienna, he left school at 14 and worked as an apprentice in a textile mill, before travelling around Europe takin ...

Clemens Meyer Clemens Meyer (born 1977) is a German writer. He is the author of ''Als wir träumten'' (''As We Were Dreaming'', 2006), ''Die Nacht, die Lichter'' (''All the Lights'', 2008), ''Gewalten'' (''Acts of Violence'', 2010), ''Im Stein'' (''Bricks an ...

Juli Zeh Juli Zeh (, Julia Barbara Finck, née Zeh; born 30 June 1974) is a German writer and judge. She is known for novels such as '' The Method'' (2009), '' Unterleuten'' (2016) and '' About People'' (2021). Early life and education Juli Zeh is the da ...

, Kristof Magnusson, Anna Kaleri, Volker Altwasser and

Werner Bernreuther Werner Bernreuther (6 December 1941 – 17 September 2024) was a German actor, singer-songwriter, writer, poet, translator and painter. Biography Bernreuther trained as an electrician, studied 1965–1969 at the Academy of Dramatic Art in L ...

. Closed in 1990, the institute was refounded in 1995. Currently,

Ulrike Draesner Ulrike Draesner (born 1962 in Munich) is a German author. She was awarded the 2016 Nicolas Born Prize. Life and work The daughter of an architect, Draesner grew up in Munich, Germany. She received a Bavarian State scholarship for the best perfor ...

Kerstin Preiwuß Kerstin Preiwuß (born 21 November 1980 in Lübz, Germany) is a German writer and arts journalist. Life and work Preiwuß was raised in Plau am See and in Rostock. She studied German studies, philosophy and psychology in Leipzig and Aix-en-Pro ...

and

Michael Lentz Michael Lentz (born 1964) is a German author, musician, and performer of experimental texts and sound poetry. Life Lentz was born in Düren. His father (1927–2014) was city manager () of Düren. Lentz completed his ''Abitur'' at the in 1983 ...

are professors.

External links

* (German) Leipzig University {{Saxony-struct-stub