Guest of the ilb 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007
Peter Schneider
was born in Lübeck in 1940 and grew up in Freiburg, where he began his
studies in German language, history and philosophy. He completed his
education in Berlin. He wrote speeches for SPD politicians during the
Bundestag election campaign in 1965. Schneider quickly found a role as
one of the key activists in the 1968 students’ movement. He has written
short stories, novels, scripts, and commentaries. In addition, he has
written essays and speeches that have tackled, with incisive arguments,
the political and ideological questions of his time. Since 1985 he has
taught as a guest lecturer at American universities, including Stanford
and Princeton. He has been teaching as a Writer in Residence at
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. since 1996.
Peter Schneider’s texts are a mixture of politics
and literature. In his story »Lenz«, written in 1973, he presents a
very critical no-holds-barred analysis of the 1968 movement.
Schneider’s »Lenz« is similar to Büchner’s »Lenz« insofar, as both
works portray destruction directly resulting from the individual’s
desire for freedom. The Lenz of the late sixties agitates extensively
using posters and texts. He takes part in demonstrations and sit-ins
only to feel the pointlessness of it all when his girlfriend leaves
him. After an inspiring journey through Italy he abandons his theories
in favour of a liberating form of self analysis, with particular
emphasis on the physical self and his relationship to it. In »Der
Mauerspringer« (1982; Eng. »The Wall Jumper«, 1983) Schneider deals
with the »wall in the head« – a term which was coined by him. Last
autumn, the book was published in the »Penguin Modern Classic« series
with a foreword by Ian McEwan.
»Paarungen« (Eng. »Couplings«, 1998) – his first
novel, published in 1992 – is an in depth critical discussion between
the main character Eduard, who is a molecular biologist, and his
friends. The central theme of their heated discussion focuses on the
faded illusions of the ’68 movement. The protagonist, having become
part of that society which he formerly rebelled against, tries to test
his utopian ideals of twenty years before in his new social status.
Schneider’s publication, »Das Fest der Missverständnisse« (2003; t: The
party of misunderstandings) is a compilation of old and new short
stories. In these, Schneider is concerned with the moment in which the
mind goes blank, as in the case of Burk, who has committed himself to
the history of medicine in the Third Reich. In a language which is
succinct and deceptively light the author describes how Burk’s
preoccupation evolves into an obesession which will finally cost him
his sanity. His latest novel »Skylla« (2005) tells of the adventures of
building a house in southern Italy. Schneider is currently at work on
an autobiographical chronicle of the '68 movement, entitled »Rebellion
und Wahn« (t: Rebellion and delusion). He lives in Berlin.
© international literature festival berlin
Peter Schneider online: www.peterschneider-autor.de | 
