Alfred Doblin Biography

One of the major figures of German literary modernism, Alfred Doblin, was a doctor, novelist and essayist who authored the novel ‘Berlin Alexanderplatz’ which is considered to be one of the most innovative works of the Weimar Republic. A prolific author whose literary career spanned over half a century, Doblin was truly someone who redefined 20th century German literature. He was very versatile and his works cover a variety of genres ranging from historical novels to drama, from science fiction to travel accounts and from true crimes to philosophical essays. A brilliant individual, he was a qualified doctor who specialized in neurology. He had always loved writing and started writing his first novel while he was pursuing his medical studies. His works were marked with a poignancy and disillusionment that stemmed from his own difficult childhood; he grew up in a broken family in a politically tense environment. He authored several novels but it was ‘Berlin Alexanderplatz’ that catapulted him to an iconic status and cemented his place amongst the literary geniuses of the 19th century Germany. However, some of his fans and critics felt that he did not get the recognition he truly deserved and he spent his final years struggling with financial difficulties in obscurity.