Walter Ernsting
Encyclopedia
Walter Ernsting was a German
science fiction
and fantasy author who mainly published under the pseudonym Clark Darlton.
, Ernsting was drafted into the German Wehrmacht
shortly after the beginning of World War II
. He served in an intelligence unit in Norway
and on the Eastern Front
where he was captured and spent several years as a prisoner of war in Siberia
.
After returning to Germany, Ernsting started to work as a translator for the British authorities in 1952 and came into contact with Anglo-American science fiction magazines. Intrigued with this literary genre, he started working on some science fiction novels of his own, but Germany's cultural climate was apparently not ready for native science fiction authors. Ernsting finally managed to get some of his novels published by inventing a fictitious British author, Clark Darlton, and selling his own works as translations of Darlton's works. His first novel, Ufo am Nachthimmel, was published in 1955 as issue 19 of Utopia Großband.
Ernsting published several novels under the Darlton pseudonym and on August 4, 1955, together with other science fiction authors, founded the Science Fiction Club Deutschland (SFCD). Until the end of the 1960s, Ernsting worked as an editor for the club's magazine, Andromeda, and became an important figure in German science fiction fandom.
Over the course of his lifetime, Ernsting wrote more than 300 science fiction novels. Asteroid 15265
, discovered in 1990, was named after Ernsting in 2003.
of the publishing house
Erich Pabel Verlag, Rastatt
. In 1955 he got to be editor of this collection and started the readers' column Meteoriten; he also got to be editor of the new science fiction magazine Utopia Sonderband (later renamed to Utopia Magazin).
In 1958 he changed to the publishing house Moewig Verlag, Munich
and its series for science fiction novels Terra
and its magazine Galaxis
. He still wrote science fiction novels and stories using the pseudonyms Clark Darlton and occasionally Fred McPatterson.
and other authors invented what would become the most successful German science fiction series, Perry Rhodan
. There has been some debate as to which parts of the series' concept were created by whom, but it seems certain that the name of the main protagonist and many of his character traits were developed by Ernsting. Ernsting also invented a number of alien races and many of the series' supporting characters. He stayed with the series until issue 1622, which was published in 1992.
German literature
German literature comprises those literary texts written in the German language. This includes literature written in Germany, Austria, the German part of Switzerland, and to a lesser extent works of the German diaspora. German literature of the modern period is mostly in Standard German, but there...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy author who mainly published under the pseudonym Clark Darlton.
Biography
After growing up in KoblenzKoblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
, Ernsting was drafted into the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
shortly after the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He served in an intelligence unit in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
where he was captured and spent several years as a prisoner of war in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
After returning to Germany, Ernsting started to work as a translator for the British authorities in 1952 and came into contact with Anglo-American science fiction magazines. Intrigued with this literary genre, he started working on some science fiction novels of his own, but Germany's cultural climate was apparently not ready for native science fiction authors. Ernsting finally managed to get some of his novels published by inventing a fictitious British author, Clark Darlton, and selling his own works as translations of Darlton's works. His first novel, Ufo am Nachthimmel, was published in 1955 as issue 19 of Utopia Großband.
Ernsting published several novels under the Darlton pseudonym and on August 4, 1955, together with other science fiction authors, founded the Science Fiction Club Deutschland (SFCD). Until the end of the 1960s, Ernsting worked as an editor for the club's magazine, Andromeda, and became an important figure in German science fiction fandom.
Over the course of his lifetime, Ernsting wrote more than 300 science fiction novels. Asteroid 15265
15265 Ernsting
15265 Ernsting is a main-belt asteroid discovered on October 12, 1990 by L. D. Schmadel and F. Borngen at Tautenburg.- External links :*...
, discovered in 1990, was named after Ernsting in 2003.
Utopia and Terra
Ernsting started his science fiction career in 1954 as translator for the new science fiction novel collection Utopia GroßbandUtopia (German science fiction)
Utopia was the name of several science fiction series published by Erich Pabel Verlag, Rastatt.Together with the Terra series of the rival publisher Arthur Moewig Verlag, Munich,...
of the publishing house
Erich Pabel Verlag, Rastatt
Rastatt
Rastatt is a city and baroque residence in the District of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of around 50'000...
. In 1955 he got to be editor of this collection and started the readers' column Meteoriten; he also got to be editor of the new science fiction magazine Utopia Sonderband (later renamed to Utopia Magazin).
In 1958 he changed to the publishing house Moewig Verlag, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and its series for science fiction novels Terra
Terra (German science fiction)
Terra is the name of a science fiction series published by Arthur Moewig Verlag, Munich. The Terra series were the most important science fiction work in the early years of West Germany.- Dime novels :...
and its magazine Galaxis
Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L...
. He still wrote science fiction novels and stories using the pseudonyms Clark Darlton and occasionally Fred McPatterson.
Perry Rhodan
In 1961, Ernsting, his colleague K. H. ScheerK. H. Scheer
Karl-Herbert Scheer was a German science fiction writer who wrote under the pen name K. H. Scheer.He created the long-running science fiction series "ZBV"....
and other authors invented what would become the most successful German science fiction series, Perry Rhodan
Perry Rhodan
Perry Rhodan is the name of a science fiction series published since 1961 in Germany, as well as the name of the main character. It is a space opera, dealing with several themes of science fiction. Having sold over one billion copies worldwide, it is the most successful science fiction book series...
. There has been some debate as to which parts of the series' concept were created by whom, but it seems certain that the name of the main protagonist and many of his character traits were developed by Ernsting. Ernsting also invented a number of alien races and many of the series' supporting characters. He stayed with the series until issue 1622, which was published in 1992.
External links and references
- Walter Ernsting on Perrypedia
- Walter Ernsting on the official Perry Rhodan website
- http://jophan.org/1960s/chapter4.htm // about sf fandom in some countries including Germany
- http://www.sueddeutsche.de/,kulm1/kultur/artikel/226/46180/ // article
- http://www.fandomobserver.de/pdf/188.pdf // obituary with biography
- Heinz J. Galle: Volksbuecher und Heftromane, 1998, ISBN 3-932621-09-3, ISSN 0934-1463
- Clark Darlton - Der Mann, der die Zukunft brachte, 2000, ISBN 3-8118-2098-2