Andreas Schulze

Andreas Schulze was born in Finsterwalde in 1972 and grew up in the town of Weißwasser. He was an enthusiastic hockey player while at school, and then fencer. In 1986 he began attending the sports college for children and youth in Dresden, where he took up foil fencing as a competitive sport, before giving up at 20. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Schulze ended his sports career, making music in various bands, living together with a speed skater, without paying rent in old houses, and jobbing around. With his band Shortcuts he released the album »Thanks, I Feel Fine« (2012). He is working as a barman in Dresden’s oldest cinema.

In addition to music, Schulze’s literary role models include Stefan Zweig, Tom Robbins, Nena and Heinrich Böll. What is it about music and writing that interests Schulze? »If you don’t have a feeling for rhythm, then you should think twice about making music or about writing. These are all about creating a certain mood, interesting structures and tension. Sixteen beats for the verse, twelve beats for the bit in the middle and eight beats for the chorus.« His stories aim to be just as unpredictable as good music«. Schulze’s novel »Preben Kaas – Herr Ostertag macht Geräusche« (2012; tr. Preben Kaas – Mr Ostertag Makes Noises) is his first longer text after his children’s book »Cherrybelle – eine Geschichte für Kinder und Kindsköppe« (tr. Cherrybelle – A story for children and big babies), and the romantic anthology of short stories »Eigentlich denke ich nie an Blumen oder herzförmiges Gebäck« (tr. Normally I never think of flowers or heart-shaped cakes). He wrote the first draft in only two weeks, but it then took three years until he fully developed it and felt he could present it to the public. »Preben Kaas« is an unusual debut novel – written in a very precise style, cleverly structured and told at fast pace. The story is told by the characters themselves and by Preben Kaas, who is named as its author. At the centre of the story we find 15-year-old Julian, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge, has never fallen from a skateboard, and is successful at everything he turns his hand to. However, he is very self-confident, because he has a special talent. Taking this as the premise for his novel, Schulze develops a highly interesting story full of tension, which looks again and again at the question of what a person would decide if given the same talent.

Andreas Schulze was awarded the »Goldene Pick« prize for »Preben Kaas – Herr Ostertag macht Geräusche« in 2012.

Preben Kaas – Herr Ostertag macht Geräusche

Chicken House/Carlsen

Hamburg, 2013

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