"You cannot experience love more intensely," wrote Thomas Mann in 1943 about his relationship with Paul Ehrenberg. The two first met in 1899 in a Munich salon. Ehrenberg was studying animal painting, while Thomas Mann, a Simplicissimus editor, was working on his debut novel Buddenbrooks. The encounter shook the shy Thomas out of his carefully maintained distance. Paul introduced him to café culture and Schwabing’s carnival balls—new experiences of lightness and joy for the patrician son from Lübeck. A fresh look at the sources even suggests that Thomas may have found physical fulfillment with Paul.
Their close friendship lasted several years, though their paths diverged in 1933: Paul remained in Germany and adapted to the Nazi regime, while Thomas went into exile. Author Oliver Fischer explores these entwined lives in detail, bringing to light new perspectives on this complex relationship.
During a moderated conversation, Fischer will share insights from his research and read selected passages.
About the Speaker:
Oliver Fischer studied German literature, art history, and Catholic theology. He is a freelance journalist in Hamburg, contributing to Geo Epoche and Merian. Fischer is also the founder and chairman of the Thomas Mann Society Hamburg, established in 2016.
