Alfred Döblin

Born into an assimilated Jewish family in Szczecin (then Stettin, Germany), Alfred Döblin was undoubtedly Jewish by birth. His family history placed him firmly in the "O" category, though his personal journey with religion was, shall we say, complicated.

Döblin started his career as a neurologist and psychiatrist, which might explain the chaotic brilliance of his most famous work, "Berlin Alexanderplatz." The novel is a landmark of modernism, depicting post-WWI Berlin with a frenetic energy that still resonates. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel both incredibly smart and slightly deranged for having read it.

While he embraced atheism for much of his adult life, the rise of Nazism forced him into exile and prompted a profound return to Catholicism in 1941. This conversion, while sincere, certainly put a damper on his "I" score for Jewish identity, though it likely saved his skin. His later work, including a monumental epic about the 1918 German Revolution, never quite recaptured the fame of his magnum opus.

Despite his eventual conversion, Döblin’s Jewish origin and his foundational contribution to German literature, especially in the face of Nazi suppression, make him a kvell-worthy figure. He proved that even when you change your spiritual address, your intellectual legacy can still shout "Nachas!" from the rooftops.