When Thomas Brussig's novel Helden wie wir [Heroes like Us] was published in 1995, it was an instant popular and critical success, as well as a timely contribution to the debate on East Germany's history under communism. The novel's humorous gusto, which was received as fresh and liberating, has remained the author's trademark, as has his penchant for the first-person monologic form and for relying on his East German roots. Like others of Brussig's texts, Helden wie wir consists of its protagonist's rant. Klaus Uhltzscht, the protagonist from East Berlin, claims that he caused the Berlin Wall to be opened (with his huge erection, as he explains later in the novel). …
1768 words
Citation: Stoehr, Ingo Roland. "Thomas Brussig". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 11 March 2009 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12207, accessed 21 November 2024.]
