Origins & Early Life

Winfried Georg Sebald (18 May 1944 – 14 December 2001), known as W. G. Sebald or (as he preferred) Max Sebald, was a German writer and academic. At the time of his death at the age of 57, he was according to The New Yorker "widely recognized for his extraordinary contribution to world literature." Sebald was born in Wertach, Bavaria on 18 May 1944.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was the second of the three children of Rosa and Georg Sebald, and their only son. Though he was born in Wertach, he lived and spent much of his youth, roughly between the ages of four and nineteen, in the nearby town of Sonthofen. His father had joined the Reichswehr in 1929 during the Weimar era and served in the Wehrmacht under the Nazis, participating in the Invasion of Poland in 1939. His father remained a detached figure, as he was held as a prisoner of war until 1947. Sebald's maternal grandfather, the small-town police officer Josef Egelhofer (1872–1956), was the most important male presence during the boy's early years.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

While at school in Oberstdorf, Sebald was shown images of the Holocaust and recalled that no one knew how to explain what they had just seen. He later explored the Holocaust and European modernity,...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aimee Semple McPherson — Contemporary (Died in 1944) (1944): Pioneering Pentecostal evangelist, famous for founding the Foursquare Church.
• Alan Parker — Contemporary (Born in 1944) (1944): Acclaimed English filmmaker known for genre versatility and numerous BAFTA and Golden Globe wins.
• Ali Sayad Shirazi — Contemporary (Born in 1944) (1944): Key Iranian military commander during the Iran-Iraq War, assassinated in 1999.
• Aaliyah — Contemporary (Died in 2001) (2001): Pioneering R&B artist known for redefining urban pop and hip hop sounds.
• Ahmad Shah Massoud — Contemporary (Died in 2001) (2001): Afghan military leader, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", fought against foreign occupations.
• Anthony Gordon (footballer) — Contemporary (Born in 2001) (2001): English professional footballer known for his time at Everton, Newcastle, and Barcelona.
• Bertrand Russell — Shared historical date (05-18 · Born) (1872): Pioneering philosopher and logician, known for analytic thought and social commentary.
• Chow Yun-fat — Shared historical date (05-18 · Born) (1955): Versatile Hong Kong actor celebrated for action roles and dramatic depth.
• Andrei Sakharov — Shared historical date (12-14 · Died) (1989): Soviet physicist turned Nobel laureate and fierce advocate for human rights.
• Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham — Shared historical date (12-14 · Died) (1624): English statesman and Lord High Admiral, famed for securing victory against the Spanish Armada.
• 1944 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1944
• May 18 (05-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 18
• 2001 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2001
• December 14 (12-14) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 14