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Born in Augsburg, Germany (then Bavaria) in February 1898, Bertolt Brecht grew up in a pious, middle-class family. His father, Berthold Friedrich, was a manager at a paper mill and a Catholic, while his mother, Sophie, was a devout Protestant.

When the First World War broke out, Brecht-- then 16 years old--determined to study medicine at Munich University in order to avoid conscription. Nonetheless, he did serve as an army medic briefly at the end of the war. His experiences during the war instilled in him a distinct distaste for capitalism and the bourgeoisie, which would infuse his poetry and dramatic works for the rest of his life.

Brecht began writing plays in 1918, and quickly became both a sensation and a controversial figure. Due to his Marxist views, he was expatriated from Germany in 1933, and again from the USA in 1947, eventually finding a safe haven in Switzerland. He was finally allowed to return to Germany in 1949, and died of heart attack just seven years later.

Brecht was married twice, both times to much-lauded performers. He and his first wife, Austrian opera singer Marianne Zoff, had one daughter, Hanne Hiob, who went to become a successful actress herself. Brecht later married Helene Weigel, one of his muses and member of the Berliner Ensemble. They had two children, Stefan and Barbara. Brecht’s first child, Frank, was born to Paula Banholzer, and named after Brecht’s long-time friend and idol, Frank Wedekind. Although Paula was Brecht’s first love, they were never married.

Key Dates & Events

• 1918 - Brecht begins to write for the stage, beginning with Baal.
• 1919 - Brecht writes Drums in the Night, which becomes a huge success.
• 1928 - Brecht and Kurt Weill collaborate on The Threepenny Opera.
• 1933 - Brecht leaves Germany just after the Nazi Party takes power.
• 1941 - Brecht writes Mother Courage and Her Children.
• 1943 - Brecht writes The Good Person of Szechuan.
• 1947 - Brecht writes Life of Galileo.
• 1947 - Brecht returns to Europe from America.
• 1948 - Brecht writes The Caucasian Chalk Circle.
• 1949 - Brecht returns to live in Germany.
• 1949 - Brecht forms his theatre company, The Berliner Ensemble.
• 1958 - Brecht writes The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.