Christoph Meckel (12 June 1935 – 29 January 2020) was a German author and
graphic artist. He received awards for his works which connect illustrations with the written text, sometimes texts by others.
Life
Born in Berlin, Meckel spent his youth there, in
Erfurt and in
Freiburg im Breisgau, where he attended
Gymnasium.[1] In 1954/55 he studied graphic art at the Academy of Art in Freiburg im Breisgau, and in 1956 at the Academy of Art in
München. Since 1956 he worked as both an author and graphic artist. His first poem appeared that year.[1] He traveled extensively through Europe, Africa, and America and lived in
Oetingen in
Markgräflerland, in Berlin, in southern France, and in
Tuscany.[1]
In her book "For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Childrearing and the Roots of Violence" Alice Miller provides quotes of Meckel on his childhood: Punishment followed on a grand scale. For ten days, an unconscionable length of time, my father blessed the palms of his child's outstretched four-year-old hands with a sharp twitch. Seven strokes a day on each hand: that makes one hundred and forty strokes and then some. This put an end to the child's innocence. Whatever it was that happened in Paradise involving Adam, Eve, Lilith, the serpent, and the apple, the well-deserved Biblical thunderbolt of prehistoric times, the roar of the Almighty and His pointed finger signifying expulsion – I know nothing about all that. It was my father who drove me out of paradise.
Meckel died in Freiburg on 29 January 2020, aged 84.[1][2]
Awards
Meckel received numerous literary prizes, including:
Christoph Meckel (12 June 1935 – 29 January 2020) was a German author and
graphic artist. He received awards for his works which connect illustrations with the written text, sometimes texts by others.
Life
Born in Berlin, Meckel spent his youth there, in
Erfurt and in
Freiburg im Breisgau, where he attended
Gymnasium.[1] In 1954/55 he studied graphic art at the Academy of Art in Freiburg im Breisgau, and in 1956 at the Academy of Art in
München. Since 1956 he worked as both an author and graphic artist. His first poem appeared that year.[1] He traveled extensively through Europe, Africa, and America and lived in
Oetingen in
Markgräflerland, in Berlin, in southern France, and in
Tuscany.[1]
In her book "For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Childrearing and the Roots of Violence" Alice Miller provides quotes of Meckel on his childhood: Punishment followed on a grand scale. For ten days, an unconscionable length of time, my father blessed the palms of his child's outstretched four-year-old hands with a sharp twitch. Seven strokes a day on each hand: that makes one hundred and forty strokes and then some. This put an end to the child's innocence. Whatever it was that happened in Paradise involving Adam, Eve, Lilith, the serpent, and the apple, the well-deserved Biblical thunderbolt of prehistoric times, the roar of the Almighty and His pointed finger signifying expulsion – I know nothing about all that. It was my father who drove me out of paradise.
Meckel died in Freiburg on 29 January 2020, aged 84.[1][2]
Awards
Meckel received numerous literary prizes, including: