Austrian writer, biographer and social activist from the first half of the XX century. He studied at the Vienna University in which he obtain his doctorate in Philosophy. He also took lessons on History of the Literature, which allow him to hobnob with the Viennese avant-garde of the time. He developed a peculiar literary style, which combined a careful psychological construction with a brilliant narrative technique.

During WWI, and after serving in the Austrian army for a while (as employee of the War Office, since he was rule unsuitable to combat) he exiled to Zurich. After the 1918 armistice, he was able to return to Austria: he came back to Salzburg, where in 1920 he got married to Friderike Maria Burger von Wintemitz, an admirer of his work he had met eight years before.

As a committed intellectual, Zweig confront vehemently with the nationalist doctrines and the revanchist spirit of this time.

After the upraise of the national socialist influence in Austria, Zweig moved out to London for a while; at that point he already had difficulties to publish in Germany, in spite of which he was able to write the libretto for Richard Strauss’ Die schweigsame Frau.

Defined as “no Aryan” he was defended by Strauss, who refused to eliminate Zweig’s name from the poster of the opera Die schweigsame Frau, premiere in Dresden. Hitler refuse to assist, as planned, and very little after, with only three performances done, the opera was forbidden.

In 1934 he began his trips over South America. In 1936, his books were forbidden in Germany by the Nazi Regime.

In 1938 he divorced his first wife. The next year he got married with Charlotte Elisabeth Altmann and, after the beginning of WWII, Zweig moved to Paris. Little after he moved to London, where he got the citizenship. He lived in Bath and London before traveling to the USA, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Paraguay, due to a conferences cycle.

In Petrópolis, Brasil, desperate for the future of Europe and its culture, believing the Nazism would extend all over the world, a 22nd of February he and his wife committed suicide.