Karl Krolow (1915–1999) was one of the giants of German literature in the twentieth century. He published several thousand poems, including volumes of Selected Poems by the decade, as well as distinctive prose, translations, and incisive criticism. President of the German Academy of Language & Literature (1972– 75), he fostered the career of many a younger writer and championed the cause of persecuted writers, such as Paul Celan and Nelly Sachs. His many prizes and awards include the Friedrich Hölderlin Prize (1988).