Paula Grogger

Life

Paula Grogger was the daughter of the merchant Franz Grogger and his wife Maria from Öblarn in Styria. From 1907 to 1912, she attended the teachers training college of the Ursuline nuns in Salzburg. She was one of the few women at the time to take the Austrian matriculation examination, the Matura. She then returned to Styria and taught the Enns handicrafts until 1929.

He first novel, The Grimmingtor (1926) was a triumphant success and drew a picture of the Styrian landscape with the symbol of the mountain Grimming. The style, the criticism was simply, dialect and yet strong. Similar to the work of Enrica von Handel-Mazzetti, the novel was still independent, with hearty humor and restrained tragedy and high above the common literature. The book was repeatedly translated and republished.

Paula Grogger belonged to the illegal Nazi Bund of German writers in Austria. After the Austrian Annexation, in 1938, she paid homage to Adolf Hitler in the Confession book of German poets. When the Gestapo, however, concerning Grogger's political stance, presented a request to the District Administrator of Gröbming, he replied on 6 November 1939: ″To this day she made no positive contribution to National Socialism.″

In 1952, she was awarded the Peter Rosegger Prize of the province of Styria. In 1966 she was appointed as a professor. She received honors including the Poet Steinschild of 1999, the Enrica-Handel-Mazzetti-special prize, the Silver Archduke Johann plaque, and the Ring of Honor of Styria.

She was deeply religious and interested in folklore, and was also involved in Community theatre.

In 1980, she retired from literary activity at the age of 88 years, and she died at 91 years old, in her house in Öblarn, which serves today as a museum.

Works

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Awards