Creativity and biography of Otfried Proysler. German children's writer

Otfried Proysler, whose biography is very interesting and informative, was not born in Germany, as many think, but in the Czech Republic. The future great storyteller was born on October 20, 1923 in the city of Reichenberg, now called Liberec. The writer died on February 18, 2013 at the age of 89 years.

Childhood

The future writer has been interested in the history of his native land since childhood, and his father instilled in him this love. Pope Otfried Proysler collected local legends, legends and tales, then to retell them to his son. The parents of the future writer were ordinary school teachers. Despite this, they owned a fabulous wealth - a huge home library, in which very fond of spending time little Otfrid Proysler. The books became his passion, he read the most diverse publications, starting from kind children's fairy tales and finishing with serious impressive works. Otfried loved traveling with his father, who told him many interesting stories. Basically they were all on a mystical theme and with the participation of fairy-tale creatures: water, elves, woodpeckers ... Naturally, this was reflected later on the writer's work: in most of his works magical creatures are involved.

Military years

But all good things end sooner or later. So it happened with the matured Otfried Proysler. Hardly had he managed to enter the University of Prague, as the Second World War began. He was immediately called to the front, despite his youth and inexperience. He served as a future writer on the Eastern Front. He began his military career as an ordinary soldier, and at the end of the war he rose to lieutenant.

In 1944, Otfried Proysler was captured by Soviet soldiers. In captivity, he is until 1949, as long as 5 years. He was sent to the Soviet camps, which were located on the territory of the Tatar republic. There the future writer had to try on a variety of professions: the quarryman, the builder, the worker ... In captivity, he learned to understand Russian speech well and spoke Russian himself. This time has not passed for Otrfrid Proisler without a trace: he has long kept his sad memories of imprisonment, and then writes memoirs, where he describes in detail everything that happened to him during the time of captivity.

Life first

After getting released from prison, the writer returns to his native country. As soon as he arrived in Germany, he had a very difficult time: after all, he had no family, no home, no work. Something had to be done to solve the problems, and Otfried again goes to the university, where he gets an education and continues the teacher's dynasty, which his parents began, becoming a school teacher. Otfried Proysler was very fond of children, he dedicated his heart and the best years of his life to them. And the profession of a primary school teacher, he chose the best in the world, as later he admitted to people.

Love for your work

His little disciples were everything to him: light, air, the meaning of life. Otfried played with them, drove them on excursions around his native city and beyond. But most of all, Proysler liked to tell funny tales to funny people: funny and not very, scary and funny, carefree and serious at the same time. "Little Ghost" was not written yet, but Otfried already told the students about him and his adventures. The children listened to their teacher, absorbing his stories like a sponge. The writer himself, coming home, wrote down what he told the children in the day, in a special notebook. Later from these records were born the beloved "Little Baba Yaga", "Little Water", "Krabat, or Legends of the old mill". He created other works that were equally popular.

The Family Life of Otfried Proysler

At the same time, together with the problem of employment, the question arose about creating a family. Otfried had no relatives. The writer married, and then he tracked down his relatives, though with great difficulty, which later was generously rewarded.

The family had to be fed somehow, the school teacher's salaries were barely enough for a piece of bread and a glass of water. It was necessary to think about additional earnings. And then the writer remembers the treasured notebook, hidden in his house, in which children's stories were written. He decides to try his luck and take them to the publishing house. And also begins to compose more and more new works.

The beginning of literary activity

Great success was taken by the book "Little Water", which was published in 1956. Luck inspired the writer, especially since this year he receives a writer's award for best debut. Inspired by luck, Otfried continues his work, and soon from under his pen comes no less good and magical work, which was called "Little Baba Yaga."

The history of this book is very entertaining. Once the writer put his little daughters to bed. They did not want to go to bed, they were capricious and misbehaved. When the father was forced out of himself, he asked what, in fact, the little girls complained to him that they were very much afraid of the evil and terrible Baba Yaga, who would come after them while they were sleeping, and take them with them. Dad listened attentively to the daughters, and then said that there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of. And when the girls unanimously asked "Why ?!", told them an amazing story about the Little Bab Yaga, which at first was harmful, and then became kind and good. So good that she deprived all witches of the opportunity to conjure, and remained the only Baba Yaga in the world, who never commits evil deeds. Calmed baby fell asleep, and the tale of Otfried Proysler, narrated for the night, grew into a serious children's work that the whole world knows and loves.

The second successful work of the writer is "Krabat, or Legends of the old mill." It was written on the basis of the legends of the western Slavs - Serbs living in the east of Germany, on the banks of the river Spree. It was this book that brought real fame to the author, his works began to be published in huge editions and sold out everywhere in Germany and throughout the world.

"Krabat" was followed by "Little Ghost", as well as "Herbe Big Hat", "Robber Hotzenplotts" and others.

Features of the tales of Otfried

Otfried Proysler wrote non-standard works, unusual for the German reader. Usually German fairy tales abounded with negative characters, who fully justified their "villainous" title: they robbed houses, fired, executed people. On the example of the notorious Grimm brothers, one can judge what the German children's literature was . And if these writers have negative characters that are the most unsubstantiated villains, then Proysler, on the contrary - the negative images later turn out to be very positive.

It's very touching to watch how one of the characters, invented by Otfried Proysler, behaves - Little Baba Yaga. She knows that she is evil, and does not feel embarrassed about it, but on the contrary: she even likes to play pranks. Sometimes her even restrains the raven Abrahas, for example, persuades not to spit on the hunters. But the 127-year-old girl so wants to get to Walpurgis Night - a holiday of all witches and evil spirits, that she makes a firm decision to become a good witch, as she was bequeathed by the main sorceress. And when Little Baba Yaga learns that, it turns out, to be a "good witch" was meant to commit as many evil deeds as possible, the good and the light in her ultimately outweigh the bad. And Little Baba Yaga commits, perhaps, the last negative act in her life - deprives all witches of the opportunity to conjure, remaining the only Baba Yaga in the world.

Proceeding from this, it can be concluded that the tales of Otfried Proysler teach the little reader kindness and honesty, clearly show how bad it is to do bad deeds. This lays the foundation for the future comprehensively developed and successful personality, a good person who is able to distinguish good from evil.

Universal recognition

The writer has many awards - about a few dozen. In addition, according to his works, films were shot, theaters staged performances based on the works of Proysler. Otfried received good royalties for his works. In total, the writer has published 32 books that have been translated into 55 languages, including Russian, and the circulation of all his works totals about 55 million copies.

Conclusion

The books of Othfried Proysler must be read and re-read. To begin acquaintance with them follows in the childhood, and to continue all life, because in his works there is that most "reasonable, kind, eternal", which helps the child and the adult not to get off the right path.