Harry Rowohlt - a reading by Alexander Solloch

"He will become what he is," was the prophecy in Harry Rowohlt's graduation certificate – and it came true. Rowohlt became a brilliant word artist, a master of digression, an outstanding translator of seemingly untranslatable texts, and a reader with countless voices. Additionally, he gained cult status as "Penner Harry" in the television series Lindenstraße. Shortly before his death, he reflected, "I had a happy life!" However, it unfolded differently than planned. Instead of following in his father's footsteps as a publisher, he spent years trying to escape the Rowohlt publishing house. His deep connection to Pooh, the bear – "We are both silly, but we get along very well" – is explored in this biography. Based on numerous conversations with his widow, companions, and a comprehensive analysis of his estate, surprising facets of his life are revealed. For although Rowohlt shared much about himself, not all of it was reliable. Alexander Solloch, born in 1978 in the Lower Rhine region, studied history and French in Leipzig and Aix-en-Provence. He now lives in Hanover, works as a freelance author and radio host, and has been a literature editor at NDR since 2014.