Ernst Jünger

The biography of Ernst Jünger, written by Helmuth Kiesel, offers a deep insight into the life and work of one of the most controversial writers of the 20th century. Jünger, born in 1895 in the German Empire and died in 1998 after reunification, embodies the central turns and contradictions of German history. Kiesel vividly and knowledgeably depicts Jünger’s development, his literary contributions, and the social contexts in which he lived. Jünger was a fascinating and polarizing individual who did not fit into any mold. He was both a typical educated bourgeois and a critic of the bourgeoisie, an indefatigable worker and an experimenter with drugs. This biography is not only a tribute to Jünger but also a reflection on the complex German identity in the 20th century.