Theodor Plievier
Theodor Otto Richard Plievier (Plivier, until 1933) (12 February 1892, Berlin – 12 March 1955, Avegno, Switzerland) was a German writer best known for his 1948 anti-war novel Stalingrad. During World War I, he served on the SMS Wolf. After the war, he released his first novel, Des Kaisers Kulis (The Kaiser's Coolies), about his experiences on board the ship.
Also recorded as Theodor Otto Richard Plievier · Theodor Plivier
Theodor Plievier

Abraham Pisarek · Deutsche Fotothek · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Full name
- Theodor Otto Richard Plivier.
- Born
- 1892. · Berlin.
- Died
- 1955. · Avegno.
- Nationality
- Germany, France and Russian Empire.
- Occupation
- journalist, translator, writer, publisher, seaman and screenwriter.
- Known for
- Der Kaiser ging, die Generäle blieben, Stalingrad, The Kaiser’s Coolies, Haifische, Moscow and Berlin.
- Languages
- German and Spanish.
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Documentary summary
Theodor Otto Richard Plievier (Plivier, until 1933) (12 February 1892, Berlin – 12 March 1955, Avegno, Switzerland) was a German writer best known for his 1948 anti-war novel Stalingrad. During World War I, he served on the SMS Wolf. After the war, he released his first novel, Des Kaisers Kulis (The Kaiser's Coolies), about his experiences on board the ship.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q77328 · wikipedia · Theodor Plievier
In this article
Works in English
Works in English
It would later be adapted into a stageplay, and was banned after the Nazi Machtergreifung. His experiences in war form the basis of his documentary novel Stalingrad. A television version of Stalingrad was produced by NDR in West Germany, and first shown on 31 January 1963. Adapted by Klaus Hubalek and directed by Gustav Burmester, it starred Ullrich Haupt as Generalmajor Vilshofen, Wolfgang Büttner as General Gönnern, Hanns Lothar as Gnotke, and P. Walter Jacob as General Vennekohl. Hubalek's screenplay was subsequently translated into English and directed by Rudolph Cartier for the BBC's Festival series, first shown on 4 December 1963. This version starred Albert Lieven as Vilshofen, Peter Vaughan as Gonnern, André van Gyseghem as Vennekohl, and Harry Fowler as Gnotke.
The recorded working language is German and Spanish. Places of work recorded in the authority are Weimar and Hamburg. Works named in the authority record are Der Kaiser ging, die Generäle blieben, Stalingrad, The Kaiser’s Coolies, Haifische, Moscow and Berlin.
The Kaiser’s Coolies, translated by Margaret Green, New York, Alfred A. Knopf (1931). The Kaiser Goes: The Generals Remain, translated by A.W. Wheen, London, Faber and Faber (1933). Revolt on the Pampas, translated by Charles Ashleigh, London, Michael Joseph (1937). Stalingrad, translated by Richard and Clara Winston, New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts (1948). Stalingrad, translated by Richard and Clara Winston, London, Athenaeum (1948). The World's Last Corner, translated by Robert Pick, New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts (1951). Moscow, translated by Stuart Hood, London, Frederick Muller (1953). Moscow, translated by Stuart Hood, New York, Doubleday (1954). Berlin, translated by Louis Hagen and Vivian Milroy, London, Hammond, Hammond & Co. (1956). Berlin, translated by Louis Hagen and Vivian Milroy, New York, Doubleday (1957).

Original image description from the Deutsche Fotothek
Abraham Pisarek · Deutsche Fotothek

Original image description from the Deutsche Fotothek
Abraham Pisarek · Deutsche Fotothek
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1892–1955
The full dated record · 4 entries
1892
Theodor Plievier born at Berlin.
1936
Rebelión En La Pampa Salitrera ( Theodor Plievier, 1936) [ Libro 2] (1936) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
1953
Stalingrad – Theodor Plievier (1953) (1953) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
1955
Theodor Plievier died at Avegno.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Berlin.
Birth place
Avegno.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- Plievier, Theodor: Die Moskau-Stalingrad-Berlin-Trilogie, Kindlers Literatur Lexikon (KLL), 2020
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2020
- Theodor Plievier : Tage-Buch (1908-1909). Erstausgabe und Kommentar, Recherches germaniques, 1974
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 1974
- Theodor Plievier: Stalingrad (1945), Handbuch Nachkriegskultur, 2013
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2013
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q77328: Theodor Plievier
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Theodor Plievier”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Jennifer E. Michaels The War in the East – Theodor Plievier's Novels: Moscow, Stalingrad and Berlin in: M. Paul Holsinger and Mary Anne Schofield, Visions of War: World War II in Popular Literature and Culture. Bowling Green State University Popular Press (1992) .
- 2.Festival: Stalingrad. 2090. 39. December 4, 1963.
- 3.Stalingrad (1963). BFI.
References
Citations
References
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scholarly publication
Plievier, Theodor: Die Moskau-Stalingrad-Berlin-Trilogie, Kindlers Literatur Lexikon (KLL), 2020Crossref registry
Verifiedscholarly publication
Theodor Plievier : Tage-Buch (1908-1909). Erstausgabe und Kommentar, Recherches germaniques, 1974Crossref registry
Verifiedscholarly publication
Theodor Plievier: Stalingrad (1945), Handbuch Nachkriegskultur, 2013Crossref registry
Verifiedreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q77328: Theodor PlievierWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,661 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Theodor MeynertAuthor
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- Theodor RosettiAuthor
- Theodor ȘerbănescuAuthor
- Theodor StormAuthor
- Theodor von SickelAuthor
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