Erich Kästner was born 125 years ago. His books are still loved. His attitude towards the National Socialists was ambivalent. A discussion with the Kästner biographer Tobias Lehmkuhl.
Mr. Lehmkuhl, when the Nazis came to power, was Kaestner 34 years old. What was his life like back then?
His life looked very comfortable. He was at the peak of his success. He had written a number of highly successful books, some of which had already been made into films, and was in demand as a poet in newspapers. He had previously been successful as a journalist. He had already achieved more than he had actually set out to do. He was one of the most respected authors of his time and certainly one of the most financially successful. Things couldn’t actually have gone better for him. Until February 1933.