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Hermann Grab (May 6, 1903 – August 2, 1949)[1][2][3] was a Bohemian German-language writer, critic and musician. He is known for writing Der Stadtpark in 1935 and Hochzeit in Brooklyn, which was published in 1957 after his death.[4]
Hermann was born into a wealthy aristocratic family of Jewish origin in Prague, Bohemian Kingdom (an old name of today's Czech Republic). Although his parents were formally Jewish, Hermann and his brother were educated as Catholics. Hermann studied at the German GymnasiumNa Prikopech (Prague) and then entered German Charles-Ferdinand University. Later he studied at universities in Berlin, Heidelberg and Vienna. In 1927, he received a PhD in philosophy in Heidelberg and in 1928 a PhD in law in his home-town Prague.[5][6]
After short juridical praxis, Grab became a music teacher and music-critic of Prager Montagsblatt. In 1934, he published the first of his short stories in Prague magazines and in 1935 his first book, Der Stadtpark, a Prague novel, for he was said to be 'Prague Proust' (Joseph Strelka).
After the occupation of his country by Hitler between 1938 and 1939, Grab escaped to Paris.[7] When Hitler's armies defeated France, he escaped (and lost all his manuscripts) through France, Spain, Portugal, and finally to the USA. Hermann settled in New York City and established a small music school, married a Belgian exile and wrote his second book, Hochzeit in Brooklyn. Serious illness prevented him from returning to Prague after World War II.[6] Hermann was diagnosed with cancer in 1946. He died of cancer fully invalid in 1949[8][9] in New York and was buried at Flushing Cemetery in Flushing, Queens, New York City.
Der Stadtpark (Town Park), novel published in Prague 1935. Prague's pre-World War I life seen by a teenager.[10][11]
Hochzeit in Brooklyn (Marriage in Brooklyn), a book of excellent short stories, written in 1940s, published posthumously in Vienna 1957. Some of them with a Prague theme, others with New York and Lisbon theme.[12]
"Das neue Weihnachtsbuch. Thomas Mann über ein neues Prager Buch". In: Prager Montagsblatt 57 (1934), No.50 (10. 12. 1934), p. 8.
Haas, Willy: "Pražský Němec 1935". [A German of Prague 1935.] In: Literární noviny [Literary Review] 7 (1935), No. 4, p. 3.
Mann, Klaus: "Hermann Grab, Der Stadtpark". In: Die Sammlung 2 (1935), No. 7, p. 387 – 389.
C. S. [d.i. Carl Seelig]: "Der Stadtpark von Hermann Grab". In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung 156 (1935), No. 770, Beilage
Politzer, Heinz: "Hermann Grab: Der Stadtpark". In: das silberboot 1 (1935/1936), fasc. 1, p. 46 – 47.
Strelka, Joseph P.: "Ein österreichischer Proust". In: Strelka: Brücke zu vielen Ufern. Wien, Frankfurt, Zürich 1966, p. 119.
Härtling, Peter: "Hermann Grab: Der Stadtpark". In: Härtling: Vergessene Bücher. Stuttgart 1966, p. 143 – 150. (2nd ed. Munich 1986, p. 197 – 205.)
Becher, Peter: "Schreiben am Abgrund. Hermann Grab – ein Erzähler aus dem Prager Kreis". In: Süddeutsche Zeitung 41 (1985), Nr. 117 (22. 5. 1985), S. 13.
Bonsen, Peter: "Zweifelhaftes Glück. Der Exilautor Hermann Grab – eine Wiederentdeckung". In: Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung. Heidelberger Nachrichten 41 (1985), No. 183.
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