Wolfgang Jeschke was born in 1936 in Techen (in the present Czech Republic), now lives in Munich. His first story, "Die Anderen", appeared in 1959. In 1969, he became editor of the Literary Dictionary for Children; From 1970 to 1972, as a free employee, Wolfgang Jeschke was the compiler of the “Science Fiction for Connoisseurs” series at the Lichtenberg publishing house, and from 1973 at the Wilhelm Heine publishing house, and in this, as it later turned out, he found his main vocation: for many years he selected the most important works of science fiction for publication in Germany, in addition, he organized the compilation of more than a hundred anthologies of short stories - a form so important for science fiction, thereby creating a wide forum and building the most significant series of its time in Europe "Heine -NF." It is no exaggeration to say that without Wolfgang Jeschke, science fiction in Germany would have been different; he, like no one else, shaped its literary landscape. This was reflected in the vast list of his awards: as a publisher of international science fiction, he received the Harrison Award in 1987, and in 1992 - the Italian Premio Futuro Europa, and, based on his combined merits, in 1999 - the French Utopia Prize and 2000 - Prize named after. Kurda Lasswitz - a prize with which Wolfgang Jeschke (by the way, from the first hours a member of the German Science Fiction Club, and now an honorary member of it) was awarded no less than fifteen times, with a shorter interval than anyone else, and in almost all possible categories. Wolfgang Jeschke's dominant function as a compiler has constantly overshadowed the fact that he is himself an outstanding author of science fiction. His gripping first novel, Der letzte Tag der Schöpfung (The Last Day of Creation), was published in 1981 and was a resounding success not only in Germany, but also beyond its borders: it was translated into French - an honor that has since lasted nearly twenty years. Not a single German science fiction novel has been honored for years. His best-known novels, novellas and short story collections include Der Zeiter (1970), Osiris Land (1986), MIDAS und die Wiederauferstehung des Fleisches (1989) and Schlechte Nachrichten aus dem Vatican" (1993). Translations of his books were published in England, France, the USA, the then Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Italy, Poland, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. Along with stories, Wolfgang Jeschke also wrote radio plays, which developed the burning themes of the time in an unusual, impressive way. (A. Eschbach)