Stefan Heym’s literary career is primarily associated with the German Democratic Republic, the state he lived in between 1952 and its collapse in 1989-90, but he is almost unique among the East German writers of his generation in having established an international reputation in the USA during his exile from the Third Reich. After moving to the GDR he was also unusual in the way he succeeded in preserving his creative independence, often finding himself in direct conflict with the regime as a result. From the late 1970s onwards, as an increasingly high-profile dissident, Heym was adept at using the West German media to promote his literary works and political views. Following the collapse of the GDR he remained politically active and creatively productive, managing to secure himself a…
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Citation: Tate, Dennis. "Stefan Heym". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 March 2005; last revised 08 February 2019. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5450, accessed 23 November 2024.]
