From past to present: 10 famous Austrian writers you need to know

Viennese author Christine Nöstlinger is considered a true pioneer of German-language children’s literature. She was one of the first authors to address social issues like family problems, friendship or growing up in difficult circumstances in her books – always in a humorous and heartfelt, yet unembellished way. Nöstlinger wrote over 140 books, her most famous being the novels Das Austauschkind, Fiery Frederica and Maikäfer, flieg. For her work, she has received numerous prizes and awards, including the Hans Christian Andersen Prize and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Prize.

Vea Kaiser was born in St. Pölten in 1988. Studying Ancient Greek and Comparative Literature at university, she was always deeply connected to language. Her breakthrough came in 2012 with her novels Blasmusikpop and Rückwärtswalzer, in which she takes on Austrian family stories in a heartfelt, humorous way. Kaiser not only writes novels, but also plays and columns, including a weekly column in the Saturday edition of daily newspaper Kurier.

The Munich-born author, who grew up and went to school in Vienna, published his first novels while he was still a student at the University of Vienna. His big breakthrough came in 2005 when he landed a bestseller with The Measurement of the World, which was met with plenty of recognition all around the world. The book was also made into a film in 2012. Today, Kehlmann is considered one of the most important authors in the German-speaking world; other well-known works include Ich und Kaminski, Tyll and Ruhm.

When it comes to socio-critical literature, Elfriede Jelinek is one of the biggest names on the Austrian author scene. Her style is characterised by the uniquely bitter and humorous way in which she deals with serious topics such as power structures and social issues. Her works have delighted both her audience and critics for many years – Jelinek was even awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for her life’s work in 2004. Her best-known books include her debut novel Wir sind Lockvögel, Baby, as well as the novels Die Klavierspielerin and Totenauberg. She also writes screenplays and plays.

Although Franz Kafka was born in Prague, he is considered one of the most important representatives of German-language literature. As a matter of fact, most of his books were published in German. Kafka’s best-known works include The Metamorphosis and The Trial, which are typical of his dark, often oppressive writing style. What is particularly interesting is that Franz Kafka did not experience his own breakthrough, as he was a rather unknown author during his lifetime. It was only after his books were published by his friend Max Brod after his death that they achieved great fame – and turned the previously unknown Kafka into one of the most important authors of the 20th century.

Stefan Zweig was born in Vienna in 1881, but had to flee Austria in 1934. His books, including numerous novellas and biographies, were banned by the Nazis. After living in England, the USA, Argentina and Paraguay, Zweig eventually settled in Brazil, where he lived until his death. His books became particularly famous during this time of exile, and were later adapted for the screen. Titles such as The Royal Game (Die Schachnovelle), Decisive Moments in History (“Sternstunden der Menschheit”) and his autobiography The World of Yesterday (“Die Welt von Gestern”) are to this day considered essential classics of Austrian literature.

Viennese author Ernst Jandl began his career as a teacher before devoting himself entirely to writing. He is known for his poems and poetry, which are particularly notable for their unconventional wordplay. Well-known examples of this include Laut und Luise and Sprechblasen. As the author of numerous radio plays, he also made a significant contribution to the emergence of a veritable boom in audio books and stories in the 1960s and 1970s. Jandl was honoured with numerous awards for his innovative and unconventional use of language, including the prestigious Georg Büchner Prize and the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria.