Kurt Tucholsky

German-Jewish journalist, satirical essayist, poet, and critic, best-known for his cabaret songs. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Kaspar Hauser (after the historical figure), Peter Panter, Theobald Tiger and Ignaz Wrobel.

Tucholsky was one of the most important journalists of the Weimar Republic. Tucholsky’s output includes aphorisms, book and drama reviews, light verse, short stories, and witty satirical essays in which he criticized German militarism and nationalism and the dehumanizing forces of the modern age. His poetry was set to music and performed widely in German cabarets.

After studying law and serving in World War I, Tucholsky left Germany in 1924 and lived first in Paris and after 1929 in Sweden. In 1933 Tucholsky’s works were denounced by the Nazi government and banned, and he was stripped of his German citizenship.

He committed suicide on 21 December 1935 in Hindas, Sweden. Tucholsky's biographer Michael Hepp has called into doubt the verdict of suicide, saying that he considers it possible that the death was accidental.