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Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. vn´gt [key] 1922–2007, American novelist, b. Indianapolis. After serving in World War II, he worked as a police reporter and wrote short stories for mainstream and science...

black humor

(Encyclopedia)black humor, in literature, drama, and film, grotesque or morbid humor used to express the absurdity, insensitivity, paradox, and cruelty of the modern world. Ordinary characters or situations are usu...

anti-hero

(Encyclopedia)anti-hero, principal character of a modern literary or dramatic work who lacks the attributes of the traditional protagonist or hero. The anti-hero's lack of courage, honesty, or grace, his weaknesses...

Weill, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Weill, Kurt koort´ vl [key], 1900–1950, German-American composer, b. Dessau, studied with Humperdinck and Busoni in Berlin. He first became known with the production of two short satirical surr...

Schwitters, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Schwitters, Kurt koort shvt´rs [key], 1887–1948, German artist, b. Hannover. Influenced by Kandinsky, by Picasso's reliefs, and by Dada constructions, he invented Merz [trash] constructions...

Wüthrich, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Wüthrich, Kurt, 1938–, Swiss chemist, Ph.D. Univ. of Basel, 1964. Wüthrich has been on the faculty at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology since 1969 and at the Scripps Research Institute, La...

Tucholsky, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Tucholsky, Kurt koort tookhôl´sk [key], 1890–1935, German political satirist and journalist. Ranging over a wide variety of subjects and styles, Tucholsky's pacifist, antifascist writing mar...

Eisner, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Eisner, Kurt koort´ s´nr [key], 1867–1919, German socialist. He studied at the Friedrich Wilhelm Univ. in Berlin and edited several leading socialist newspapers. In 1917 he joined the newly ...

Alder, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Alder, Kurt äl´dr [key], 1902–58, German chemist, educated at Berlin and at Kiel. He was on the research staff of the Bayer Dye Works (1936–40) before becoming (1940) professor of chemistry an...

Lewin, Kurt

(Encyclopedia)Lewin, Kurt loo´n [key], 1890–1947, American psychologist, b. Germany, Ph.D. Univ. of Berlin, 1914. He taught at the Univ. of Berlin before coming to the United States in 1932. He was professor...