Adrienne Thomas (novelist)

Adrienne Thomas 1934

Adrienne Thomas (born Hertha Adrienne Strauch; 24 June 1897 – 7 November 1980) was a German-French novelist best known for her novel Katrin Becomes a Soldier (Die Katrin wird Soldat).

Early Life

Adrienne Thomas was born in Saint-Avold, Alsace-Lorraine, which was then part of the German Empire. She grew up in a bilingual environment, speaking both German and French. Her early education was influenced by the cultural and political tensions of the region.

Career

Thomas began her career as a writer in the early 20th century. Her most famous work, Katrin Becomes a Soldier, was published in 1930. The novel is a semi-autobiographical account of a young woman's experiences during World War I. It was well-received and translated into several languages, bringing Thomas international recognition.

During the Nazi regime, Thomas, who was of Jewish descent, fled to Switzerland and later to France. She continued to write, focusing on themes of war, displacement, and identity.

Later Life and Death

After World War II, Thomas settled in Vienna, Austria, where she continued to write until her death in 1980. Her later works did not achieve the same level of success as her earlier novel, but she remained an important literary figure.

Legacy

Adrienne Thomas is remembered for her poignant portrayal of the female experience during wartime. Her work has been studied for its historical and literary significance, particularly in the context of women's literature and war literature.

Selected Works

• Katrin Becomes a Soldier (Die Katrin wird Soldat) - 1930
• The Unforgotten (Die Unvergessenen) - 1933
• The House in the Shadow (Das Haus im Schatten) - 1951

Related Pages

• Katrin Becomes a Soldier
• World War I
• Women in literature
• War literature