Hans-Georg Noack

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hans-Georg Noack (born February 12, 1926 in Burg (near Magdeburg) , † November 15, 2005 in Würzburg ) was a German author , translator and publisher for children and young people .

Life

Hans-Georg Noack was born on February 12, 1926 in Burg near Magdeburg. During the Third Reich he was - like almost all male youths at that time - in the Hitler Youth . He was a soldier and worked as a prisoner of war in a Belgian coal mine from 1944 to 1947 . From 1948 to 1953 he was secretary of the YMCA in Brussels , after which he was involved in an international youth camp in Belgium for understanding between peoples. Finally he founded his own concert and guest performance organization. His first book was published in 1955. From 1960 he was a freelance writer and publisher. Noack also emerged as a translator and made so many Anglo-American and French authors known in Germany. In 1996 he founded the "Hans-Georg Noack Youth Foundation" for disadvantaged children and young people.

Noack's books address serious conflicts such as racism and unemployment . His aim was to educate young people in political and contemporary history and to help them cope with their problems.

Hans-Georg Noack has received numerous awards for his works: his book Benvenuto is on the list of honor for the Hans Christian Andersen Prize , and he received the Grand Prize of the German Academy for Children's and Young Adult Literature for the entire work, the Friedrich Bödecker Prize and the Federal Cross of Merit . His book Escalator Down has sold over 2.2 million copies. The novel, which he translated into German, The Wave by Morton Rhue is now a classic for young people and has already been made into a film.

He was also a great friend and sponsor of the Eisbären Juniors Berlin school team. Some players owe him not only through his foundation but also through private help that they were able to go their way.

Hans-Georg Noack died on November 15, 2005 at the age of 79 in Würzburg.

Services

The youth literature of the German post-war period largely avoided political and socially critical topics. Noack made a major contribution to changing this. His novels for young people deal with racism , unemployment , the situation of the “ guest workers ” in Germany and other social problems. Noack has also published political and sociological non-fiction books for young people ( 101 of Freedom , 1967; Extremisten-Schlafmützen-Democrats , 1969). Noack saw his writing as an "educational profession". In many of his books he calls on readers to take an active part in political life. His educational intent does not stand in the way of the legibility of his writings. He achieves this through entertaining elements, a lot of humor and linguistic simplicity and comprehensibility. His novels also have a positive ending when they address serious conflicts. His experiences in the “Third Reich” spurred him on to enlighten with his books . The past shouldn't repeat itself. At the same time he dealt with the Nazi past and questions of guilt and co-responsibility. In his books he mainly deals with topics such as juvenile delinquency, drug addiction and racial hatred . His novels have been translated into many languages ​​- he himself has translated over 150 books from English, French and Dutch into German.

Awards and honors

Works (selection)

Noack's complete works comprise 28 books with a total circulation of over 4 million copies.

  • Jurgen. The story of a choir boy. 1955.
  • The castle spirit. 1956.
  • The big camp. A diary of the friendship of European boys. 1960.
  • Skin color is irrelevant . 1960.
  • Star over the wall. 1962.
  • Boys, horses, obstacles. 1963.
  • Stories on colored paper. 1964.
  • Champion, heir, guardian. From the struggle for human rights. 1964.
  • The nonviolent insurrection. Martin Luther King and the struggle of the American negroes. 1965.
  • The milk bar for the colorful cow. 1966.
  • Down the escalator . 1970.
  • Trip . 1971.
  • The graduation ceremony. 1972.
  • Benvenuto welcomes you. 1973.
  • Looking for an apprenticeship, offering…. 1975.
  • The Webers, a German family 1932–1945. 1980.
Translations

literature

  • Bea Herrmann, Anneli Kinzel: Literature card index for Hans-Georg Noack's youth book “Escalator downwards”. Verlag an der Ruhr, Mülheim 1997, ISBN 3-86072-282-4 .
  • Hermann Scherl (Hg): Hans-Georg Noack in school. Materials for teachers. Maier, Ravensburg 1986 (= The pocket book in class, Vol. 4).
  • Dieter Seiffert, Georg Völker: Interpretation and lesson plans for Hans-Georg Noack's “Escalator downwards”. Hirschgraben, Frankfurt 1984 ISBN 3-454-50104-0 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Noack, Hans-Georg
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German author of books for children and young people
DATE OF BIRTH February 12, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Castle
DATE OF DEATH November 15, 2005
Place of death Wurzburg