Education
Having finished his school education there, he was apprenticed to a lawyer from 1950-1953.
Having finished his school education there, he was apprenticed to a lawyer from 1950-1953.
He lived in Canada from 1957 to 1960, but then came back to Germany, where he worked for an insurance company from 1962 until 1972. Since 1972, apart from writing, he has been working as a journalist, specialising in economy and insurance. His fame is mainly due to his novels, the principal themes of which are his recollections of a happy childhood and the fate of the deportees.
He has no interest however in revenge, but only wants to preserve his childhood memories.
Several of his books were used for television productions. Since 2001, he has been working as an ombudsman in the field of health insurance.
1978 Andreas-Gryphius-Preis 1982 Kulturpreis der Landsmannschaft Ostpreußen für Literatur 1993 Hamburger Bürgerpreis 2001 Lessing-Ring zusammen mit dem Kulturpreis der deutschen Freimaurer 2004 Friedrich-Schiedel-Literaturpreis der Stadt Bad Wurzach. Biermann-Ratjen-Medaille der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg 2008 Hannelore-Greve-Literaturpreis.