Heiner Müller lived through Germany's tumultuous history from Hitler's rise through Soviet occupation to the building and eventual demolition of the Berlin Wall. One of his earliest memories was of his father being beaten by Brownshirts and taken away to a concentration camp; later, Müller chose to stay in the Soviet Zone even when his father defected to the West. His work presents a phantasmagoric vision of culture and history. Though a committed Marxist, Müller loathed the East German government, and his works were often censured for their caustic portrait of a Germany whose history was an unending act of division and violence.

This new anthology traces the multifaceted evolution of Müller the playwright, poet, and eloquent observer of his century's violent trajectory. The writings collected here range from Müller's earliest work, including short stories and early poems from the 1950s, to some of his last works, including Germania 3 Ghosts at Dead Man. Translator and editor Carl Weber provides helpful introductions to each of the selections.