Peter Schneider was a central figure in the 1968 Student Protest Movements in Berlin and Turin, Italy.
Schneider began his career as a writer with his novel Lenz. Over 20 other novels, screenplays, and volumes of journalistic essays followed, including his works translated into English: Der Mauerspringer (The Wall Jumper), Paarungen (Couplings), and Eduards Heimkehr (Edward’s Homecoming).
His screenplays have been filmed by Reinhard Hauff—Messer im Kopf (Knife in the Head)—and Margarethe von Trotta—Das Versprechen (The Promise). His essays can be found in Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Le Monde.
Schneider was the Roth Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at Georgetown University for six years.