The German Lesson
The German Lesson is a novel by Siegfried Lenz, first published as Deutschstunde by Hoffmann und Campe in Hamburg in 1968. A young offender recalls his policeman father policing a Nazi ban on a painter. Macdonald published Ernst Kaiser and Eithne Wilkins's translation in London in 1971.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First edition
- Hoffmann und Campe, 1968
- First published
- Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1968
- First UK edition
- Macdonald, 1971
The first edition of The German Lesson by Siegfried Lenz was published in Hamburg by Hoffmann und Campe in 1968. We track 2 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Hoffmann und Campe1968 Other I own The German Lesson, Hoffmann und Campe 1968 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- The German Lesson film, 2019
In print
- Editions recorded
- 31 on Open Library, 11 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 13 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The German Lesson?
The first edition of The German Lesson by Siegfried Lenz was published in Hamburg by Hoffmann und Campe in 1968.
How many editions of The German Lesson are there?
We track 2 editions of The German Lesson, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The German Lesson been adapted?
Yes, including The German Lesson (film, 2019), according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- The German Lesson, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Deutschstunde editions, Open Library (openlibrary.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 28 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.