Maron, Monika (1941–)

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Maron, Monika (1941–)

East German novelist. Born Monika Iglarz, June 1941, in Berlin, Germany; stepdaughter of Karl Maron, hard-line Stalinist who served as head of the People's Police in GDR, then minister of the Interior, 1955–63.

With mother and aunt, moved from West to East Berlin (1951); became a journalist with East Berlin newspaper Wochenpost; had an uneasy relationship with the Stasi and work was banned (1978); published 1st novel, Flugasche (Flight of Ashes, 1981), in West Germany (1981), followed by Die Überläuferin (The Defector, 1986); immigrated to Hamburg (1988); other works include Animal triste (1996), Pawels Briefe (1999) and Endmoränen (2002). Won Kleist Prize for Stille Zeile Sechs (Silent Close No. 6, 1992).