Günter Grass

Birth Name: Günter Wilhelm Graß

Date of Birth: 16 October, 1927

Place of Birth: Danzig-Langfuhr, Free City of Danzig (now Poland)

Date of Death: 13 April, 2015

Place of Death: Lübeck, Germany

Ethnicity: German, some Kashubian

Günter Grass was a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, and sculptor. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1999.

Günter was the son of Helene Magdalena (Knoff) and Wilhelm Grass. He was of German and Kashubian ancestry. The Kashubians are a Slavic ethnic group. He was married to organist and teacher Ute Grunert, until his death. He had six children, including four with his former wife, Swiss dancer Anna Margareta Schwarz.

Günter’s paternal grandfather was named Friedrich Grass.

Gunter’s paternal grandmother was named Mathilde Obermüller.

Günter’s maternal grandfather was Wincenty/Wilhelm Knof/Knoff (the son of Fryderyk/Friedrich Knoff and Karolina/Caroline Stube). Wincenty was born in Wilanowo/Barwik, Przodkowo/Kartuzy, pomorskie, Poland. Fryderyk was the son of Michał Knoff and Marianna Nadolska. Karolina was the daughter of Jakub Sztuba and Konstancja Heft.

Günter’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Krause (the daughter of Michał Krause and Maria Bach). Elizabeth was born in Gdańsk-Rębiechowo/Ramkau, pomorskie, Poland. Michał was the son of Józef Krause and Elżbieta Bychowska. Maria was the daughter of Jan Bach and Elżbieta Krefta.

Source: Genealogy of Günter Grass – http://www.geni.com