German television drama series Bella Block's creator, Doris Gercke, has passed away.
Doris Gercke: A Pioneer in German Crime Fiction
Doris Gercke, a renowned figure in German crime literature, passed away recently at the age of 88. Born in Greifswald in 1937, Gercke left an indelible mark on the genre, particularly through her creation of the strong-willed detective Bella Block.
Gercke's literary career was not confined to crime fiction alone. She wrote under her own name and the pseudonym Marie-Jo Morell, crafting a diverse body of work that included children's and young adult books, as well as poetry. One of her most notable creations was the Milena-Prohaska series, featuring a self-discovering anti-heroine.
Gercke's crime novels, written under both her real name and her pen name, were marked by their political undertones and social critiques. Her debut book, "Weinschröter, du musst hängen," published in 1988, depicted an atmosphere of desolation, everyday violence, and sexism. This theme continued in her subsequent works, such as the Block cases "Moscow, My Love" (1989), "Children's Corn" (1991), "Silence or Die" (2007), and "Between Night and Day" (2012).
Gercke's works often portrayed vivid milieus, offering readers a unique insight into various aspects of society. Her influence extended beyond her novels, as she was a founding member of HERland, a network of female political crime fiction authors. This network, which began with a colloquium hosted at Gercke's home in 2015, aims to promote visibility for women writers and critique patriarchal literary canons, structural racism, classism, and bourgeois cultural concepts in crime fiction and beyond.
Gercke's political activism was evident in her youth, as she was a member of the DKP (German Communist Party). Her involvement extended to participating in Easter marches and demonstrations, as well as the fight against neofascism.
Perhaps one of Gercke's most enduring contributions to the genre is the television adaptation of her first novel, which featured Hannelore Hoger as Bella Block. Hoger portrayed the detective until the end of the ZDF series in 2018. Despite selling the rights to the film series' detective figure, Gercke remained friends with Hoger.
Gercke's legacy in German crime fiction is undeniable. Her works challenged societal norms, offered powerful female characters, and contributed to a feminist and socially conscious crime literature discourse. Her passing marks the end of an era, but her influence will undoubtedly continue to resonate in the genre for years to come.
[1] HERland: A Network of Female Political Crime Fiction Authors. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://herland.de/
[2] Doris Gercke. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Gercke
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding Doris Gercke's diverse body of work, which spans genres such as crime-and-justice, general-news, and children's and young adult books under her real name and the pseudonym Marie-Jo Morell. Her influential crime fiction books, including the Bella Block series, have been adapted into entertainment, notably a television series featuring Hannelore Hoger as Bella Block.
