Little is known about Günther Weisenborn, whose works were translated into eighteen languages, whose plays were performed in many countries, and whose best-selling novels sold more than one and a half million copies. In spite of these successes during his lifetime, there is little scholarly literature available on him. He is remembered primarily for his play Die Illegalen (The Illegal Ones, 1946), which was performed in more than one hundred theaters.

Born in the small city of Velbert in the Rhineland on 10 July 1902, Weisenborn finished high school in Cologne in 1922 and enrolled as a medical student at the University of Bonn. In 1924 his first play, Ole betrog (Ole Deceived), was accepted for production, but Weisenborn declined the offer and instead agreed to a one-time dramatic reading. Around this time he switched from medicine to the study of literature and philosophy. In 1927 he received his doctorate. That year...