The literary scholarship called “Tower Writer” is planned to be a permanent institution. It covers a one-year period and is awarded every two years. The title implies a scholarship grant of 5,000 Euros. The tower writer is expected to hold readings in the Grand Duke’s room which are organized by the Wedding Tower Promotion Society and to deal with the cultural complex Wedding Tower in his literary work.
4th Darmstadt tower writer: Hans Zippert
Am 4. März 2020 hat Walter Renneisen sein Amt als Turmschreiber angetreten. Renneisen steht seit über 50 Jahren auf der Bühne: Als Rockmusiker, als Schauspieler und Sänger. Er ist Film- und Fernsehschauspieler, Hörspielsprecher und Publikumsliebling. „Sprachmusikant“ hat ihn einmal ein Kollege zutreffend genannt. Zudem hat er ein Tourneetheater gegründet mit dem er durch die Lande zieht und seine eigenen Stücke und Lesungen aufführt, einen Verlag in dem er seine CDs und Bücher veröffentlicht. Zuletzt wurde Renneisen mit dem Darmstädter Preis für Maulkunst & Lebensart „DER SPIRWES“ ausgezeichnet. 2016 wurde ihm der Rheingauer Musik Preis für sein Lebenswerk sowie die Ehrenspange der Stadt Bensheim verliehen. Zuvor erhielt er 2014 sogar das Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande. Er war bereits Botschafter der Bergstraße 2008, erhielt 2005 den Sonderpreis Inthega und 2004 den Hessischen Verdienstorden. 1995 wurde er mit dem Adolf Grimme Preis und 1985 mit dem Hörspielpreis der Kriegsblinden ausgezeichnet. Für seine Lesungen „Aus dem Kerl wird nie was“ hat er eine Rückschau auf sein Leben literarisch zusammengestellt.
3rd Darmstadt tower writer: Hans Zippert
On 24th November 2017, Hans Zippert became the third person to be awarded the title Darmstadt tower writer. Hans Zippert was born in Bielefeld in the year 1957. From 1990 to 1995 he was editor in chief of the satirical magazine “Titanic”. He used to be a free-lance author for FAZ, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Zeit, HörZu, GEO Wissen, ADAC-Reisewelt and Bergwelten. He became Journalist of the Year 2007 and winner of the Henri Nannen Award 2007 and 2011. In 2015 he was honoured with the Textur-Prize of the Literary Forum Nörten-Hardenberg and in 2016 with the Peter Hille Literary Award “Nieheimer Schuhu”. Since 1999, Hans Zippert has been writing the daily column “Zippert Zappt” for the Welt and “Zipperts Wort zum Sonntag” for the Welt am Sonntag . Publications (selection): “Warum Regenwürmer nicht zuhören und Eichhörnchen schlecht einparken”, “Die 55 beliebtesten Krankheiten der Deutschen”, “Aus dem Leben eines plötzlichen Herztoten”, “So funktioniert Deutschland”, “Würden Sie an einer Tortengrafik teilnehmen?” and “Fernsehen ist wie Radio nur ohne Würfel”.
2nd Darmstadt tower writer: Katja Behrens
On 1st November 2015, Katja Behrens became the first woman to be awarded the title tower writer. She was born in Berlin in the year 1942 and today lives in Darmstadt. From 1943 to 1945 the Jewish author was hiding in Austria against persecution by the National Socialists. In 1960 she started her career as a writer, lived in Israel from 1968 to 1970, has worked as a publishing editor since 1973 and as a free writer since 1978. Ms. Behrens is member of the German PEN centre, whose vice president and Writers-in-Prison representative she was from 2007 to 2009. In her book „Roman von einem Feld“ of 2007 she paid a special literary tribute to the Oberfeld situated at Darmstadt’s eastern town border. Which means: The new town writer loves to deal with subjects related to the region. Among the awards she received are: Promotional award related to the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize in 1978, Thaddäus Troll Prize in 1982, guest professorships at Washington University, St. Louis in 1986 and at Dartmouth College, Hanover in 1991, writer-in-residence in Mainz in 1992, Premio internazionale »Lo Stellato« in 2000, George Konell Prize of the state capital of Wiesbaden in 2002, the children’s and youth book prize LUCHS in September 2002.
1st Darmstadt tower writer: Paul-Hermann Gruner
On 28 April 2013 the Wedding Tower Promotion Society for the first time conferred the symbolic position of a tower writer to Paul-Hermann Gruner. The board was convinced that Paul-Hermann Gruner was in many respects very well suited for the temporary “office” of the tower writer: As a creative head of the Darmstadt cultural scene he stood out in the fields of fine arts, literature and journalism. As a political scientist, freelance political journalist for print media and radio, editor at the Darmstädter Echo and as the author and/or editor of various non-fiction and fiction books he had become famous far beyond the borders of Darmstadt. He had already been awarded numerous prizes (science, journalism) and scholarships (literature) for his achievements. His time as the 1st Darmstadt tower writer culminated in a book titled “LA TOUR DU MARIAGE – DER HOCHZEITSTURM”. It contains seven short stories by Paul-Hermann Gruner with a photographic homage to the Darmstadt landmark by Christoph Rau, Edition Darmstadt, edited by Gerd Olhauser, Surface Verlag. Of course, the tower writer book can be purchased in our souvenir shop in the Wedding Tower.
