Germany: Latest €20 Silver And Colour Proof Coins Honour Author And Screenwriter Erich Kästner

On the occasion of the 125^th anniversary of birth of Author Erich Kästner who is one of the most translated authors of the 20th century. Kästner was not only a writer, but also among other things a poet, publicist, screenwriter and author of cabaret. Born in 1899, he grew up in lower middle-class family in Dresden-Neustadt but, it was his mother who fought vigorously to enable her son to gain access to adequate education. In 1919, Kästner graduated from high school with distinction and went on to study history, philosophy, journalism and theatre studies in Leipzig. After receiving his doctorate in 1925 and working as an editor at the Neue Leipziger Zeitung news publication, Kästner moved to Berlin in 1927 where he had his breakthrough and embarked on his "golden years" as a writer.

With the onset of the National Socialist government in 1933, he was banned from publishing in Germany, and was even an eyewitness to his own works being thrown into the bonfires during the book burning event in May 1933 on Berlin's Opernplatz.

Despite the oppressive and dangerous political climate, Kästner decided to remain in Germany and worked under a pseudonym for theatre and film. In 1941 for example, he wrote the screenplay for the film Münchhausen which was released in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the Ufa film studios.
After the end of the war, it was time to create a new intellectual and cultural beginning and this is when his creativity reached a second peak. Kästner was in demand as a representative of an enlightened Germany and unlike many German authors who chose to emigrate, he was still resident in Germany. In addition to his productive literary work, he supported the establishment of the International Youth Library in Munich for example, and increasingly expressed his political views as a public figure supporting campaigns against nuclear armament. At the beginning of the 1960’s, Kästner saw his creativity declining, he suffered from numerous physical and psychological problems as well as alcohol abuse and spent months in a sanatorium.

Erich Kästner died in 1974 and is buried in the St. Georgs Cemetery in Munich-Bogenhausen. The fact that his works are regarded by many as timeless, even though he wrote them with his own spans of time in mind, his works remain well-known and widely read today. As testament to his impact on modern German life, some of his witticisms and quotes have become part of everyday language without the origin and author being known.

The coin is designed by artist Jordi Truxa whose obverse motif refers to both the author and his work. It shows the critical and positive writer in his later years in a striking linear profile facing left and combines the line drawing with an architecturally structured stack of books to the right of the profile depicting the titles of his most famous children's novels in addition to his autobiography seen as 1899 - 1974. Each book spine is effectively highlighted in different vivid colours. A pair of children reading in the foreground are shown superimposed over the stack of books and the text ERICH KÄSTNER is placed above the primary design. The reverse side depicts a stylised eagle whose wings appear to be made of book pages and which is positioned off-centre to the right. The coins’ denomination of 20 EURO and text BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND is placed above and on the left side. Along the lower left rim are twelve five-pointed stars representing the European Union. Below the coins’ face value is the mintmark D denoting the Munich Mint. The coins’ year of issue 2024 andfineness SILBER 925 is seen just under the tail feathers of the Eagle. The coins include an incused inscription on the smooth edge which reads ES GIBT NICHTS GUTES/ AUßER: MAN TUT ES ● (There is nothing good/ unless: you do it)

Available from the 5^th September, the Brilliant Uncirculated pieces are available for their face value at leading commercial banks and post office counters. The proof-quality collector’s edition is encapsulated and presented in a folder which is available by visiting the e-webshop of Munze Deutschland.

*Towards the end of the year, the €20 coin collection consisting of three 2024-dated .925 silver and one .500 fine silver €11 Euro coins will be available in proof quality and as a set presented in an official blister-pak type folder.