German author who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in
1912.
His most famous plays include "Vor Sonnenaufgang" ("Before Dawn",
1889), which is considered the beginning of naturalism, "Die Weber"
("The Weavers", 1892), "Der Biberpelz" ("The Beaver Coat", 1893) and
"Die Ratten" ("The Rats", 1911).
Remaining in Germany after the Nazi takeover, he was good friends with
important Nazis such as Baldur von Schirach, which also influenced his plays at
that time. Nevertheless, some of his work was censored by
Joseph Goebbels.
Had four sons: Ivo (born in 1886), Eckart (born in 1887) and Klaus
(born in 1889) with his first wife Marie; Benvenuto (born in 1900) with
his second wife Margarete.