Recognized by his literary name John le Carré, British author David John Moore Cornwell is most recognized for his spy ... View More

Recognized by his literary name John le Carré, British author David John Moore Cornwell is most recognized for his spy novels, many of which have been successfully adapted for the big screen or television. An "elaborate, ethically dubious View Less

German-Jewish philosopher, cultural critic, media theorist, and essayist Walter Bendix Schönflies Benjamin was born. Be... View More

German-Jewish philosopher, cultural critic, media theorist, and essayist Walter Bendix Schönflies Benjamin was born. Benjamin was a multifaceted thinker who incorporated aspects of Western Marxism, Romanticism, German idealism, Jewish mysticism, and neo-Kantianism. He made significant contributions to literary criticism, historical materialism, and aesthetic theory. He was a member of the Frankfurt School and had influential contacts with intellectuals like Gershom Scholem, a Kabbalah researcher, and Bertolt Brecht, a playwright. View Less

A Russian revolutionary and Soviet politician was Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev. Zinoviev, a well-known Old Bolshevik, wa... View More

A Russian revolutionary and Soviet politician was Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev. Zinoviev, a well-known Old Bolshevik, was a key player in the early Soviet administration and a personal friend of Vladimir Lenin before 1917. From 1919 until 1926, he presided over the Communist International (Comintern). View Less

Author and dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt was from Switzerland. He supported epic theater, and the recent experiences o... View More

Author and dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt was from Switzerland. He supported epic theater, and the recent experiences of World War II were represented in his plays. The politically engaged novelist wrote macabre satire, philosophical crime novels, and avant-garde dramas. Dürrenmatt belonged to a group of left-leaning Swiss writers known as Gruppe Olten, who met frequently in a restaurant in the city of Olten. View Less