Hans Erich Nossack was a characteristic voice of German literature after World War II; yet he saw himself as a loner, unaligned with any group or movement. Most critics agree with this self-assessment. While the idea of the lonely voice was typical for a whole generation of writers, it was reinforced in Nossack's case by the fact that he started publishing late in life and that recognition was slow in coming.

Nossack was born in Hamburg in 1901 to Eugen and Elita Kröhnke Nossack. His family owned an import-export company which Nossack was expected to take over. After his Abitur (school-leaving examination) in 1919 he went on to study philosophy and law at the University of Jena to prepare himself for his future duties. But after three years he broke with his family, refused any further financial support from them, and became a manual laborer. He joined the...