Art in the Age of Imperialism and Socialism: Essays, Poems, Prose, and a Playlet

"Peter Hacks is that rare combination: irreverent and thoughtful, caustic and insightful. And now, with this book, no longer a secret, hidden from the world." - Vijay Prashad Who was Peter Hacks? A German playwright who wrote poetry, essays, and prose, including several works for children. Hacks is recognised as one of the most important writers of the German Democratic Republic. In fact, he was, at times, one of the most performed playwrights, not only in East, but also in West Germany. A writer who, as a young man shortly after the Second World War, chose to migrate from West to East Germany - i.e., from a capitalist to a socialist society - and held to this choice even after the German Democratic Republic was incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany and ceased to exist. The title of this anthology points to the major factors that define his work, aesthetically and politically. In both aesthetics and politics, he stood apart from the general tendencies of his time, achieving renown and a good many prizes with (and sometimes despite) his sharp-tongued, witty and utterly delightful writing.