Jena, 16.04.2026 – Weimar author Annette Seemann is visiting Jena to present her latest work to the public. The literary evening is dedicated to the extraordinary lives of Erika, Monika, and Elisabeth Mann, the daughters of the world-famous writer Thomas Mann.
- What: Book presentation and reading “Die Töchter des Zauberers”
- Who: Author Annette Seemann
- When: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Ernst-Abbe-Bücherei, Jena
A nuanced look at the Mann family
In her comprehensive biography “Die Töchter des Zauberers,” Seemann sheds light on the lives of the three sisters. While the eldest daughter Erika, a well-known actress and political cabaret artist, and the youngest daughter Elisabeth, a recognized marine biologist, have often been in the public eye, the author takes a new approach: she places the middle daughter Monika more firmly at the center of the literary observation.
Visitors will be provided with a detailed picture of the siblings during the evening. The book combines biographical precision with a vivid cultural-historical panorama. In this way, not only a portrait of three emancipated women emerges, but also a deep insight into the eventful history of the intellectual Mann family against the backdrop of the political and social upheavals of the 20th century.
Background: Literature and Architecture
The Ernst-Abbe-Bücherei (EAB) is the city’s center for literature and knowledge. Following its move to the modern new building at Engelplatz, the facility offers state-of-the-art event technology and an appealing atmosphere for readings. Such formats strengthen Jena’s tradition as a city of literature and university life, where Early Romanticism already flourished around 1800.
The family of Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann (1875–1955) continues to fascinate historians and literary scholars worldwide to this day. The author of works such as “Buddenbrooks” and “The Magic Mountain” was often reverently or ironically referred to as the “Magician” by his children within the family. The patriarch’s relationship with his children—some highly gifted, some marked by tragedy—is considered one of the most exciting chapters in German literary history.
Source:
Die Töchter von Thomas Mann
Transparency note: This article was automatically generated, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.