Medical student Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956)

Abstract

Summary Bertolt Brecht was one of the most important dramatists of the 20th century. At the start of his career he studied literature but switched from the humanities to medicine. This paper discusses reasons for this switch, the influence of his medical experiences on his poetic work and why he eventually abandoned his medical career. His political development towards Marxism is described and a short sketch of his theory of theatre is given. He is considered the most important German-speaking dramatist of the 20th century.