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Michael Ende Facts

Michael Ende Facts
Michael Ende was a German children's writer best known for his famous fantasy novel The Neverending Story. He was born Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende on November 12th, 1929, in Bavaria, Germany to Edgar Ende, a famous surrealist painter, and Luise Bartholoma Ende, a physiotherapist. Until he was six, Michael and his parents lived in Munich's artists' quarters. Michael's father's work was banned by the Nazis in 1936 and once World War II began Michael's world was ruled by air raids and at the age of fourteen he was drafted into the German Army. He destroyed his papers and instead joined a resistance movement. When the war ended Michael returned to school, and his interest in writing began to surface. Michael Ende's first novel was Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver, published in 1960.
Interesting Michael Ende Facts:
During World War II, when schools were closed due to bombing, Michael Ende stayed at a boarding house at his birthplace. He studied poetry and began writing his own.
Because of the Nazis banning a lot of modern poetry, Michael studied the Romantic poet Novalis.
Michael's father's studio burned in 1944. Along with the building approximately 250 pieces of Edgar's art burned, and in 1945 he was taken prisoner by the Americans. He was released when the war ended.
Several of Michael's friends were killed on their first day of action after being drafted into the German Army.
Michael Ende tore up his own draft papers and joined a resistance movement that sabotaged the Nazis, working as a courier for the movement.
After the war Michael completed his high school at Waldorf School in Stuttgart. His education was paid for by the parents of a girl he was in love with. Keeping him away from their daughter was the reason for paying for his schooling.
Michael began to act while living in Stuttgart, and began writing his own plays. His first play was As Time is Running Out.
Michael was given a scholarship to attend the Otto Falckenberg School of the Performing Arts.
Michael Ende's first Jim Button novel won him the German Prize for Children's Fiction and changed his financial situation for the better.
Michael Ende's Jim Button and the Wild Thirteen was published in 1962.
Michael Ende met Ingeborg Hoffman, an actress, in 1952, and the married in 1964. They remained married until her sudden death in 1985. They lived in Italy during their marriage.
Michael Ende's book Momo was published in 1973, and The Neverending Story was published in 1976. These books brought much more commercial success.
The Neverending Story and Momo were both made into films and many of his works have been adapted to stage plays, operas and even audio books.
Michael Ende's books have been translated into more than 40 different languages and have sold more than 20 million copies around the world.
Michael Ende is considered to be one of Germany's most famous and popular writers of the 20th century.
Michael Ende is best known for his children's books but he also wrote books for adults.
Michael Ende died of cancer on August 28th, 1995, two years after his initial diagnosis. He was 65 years old.


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