David Safier

David Safier is a German novelist and screenwriter known for blending humour, fantasy and sharp social commentary. His bestselling novels include Mieses Karma (2009), Jesus liebt mich (2008) and 28 Tage lang (2014), the latter of which won the Buxtehude Bull Youth Literature Prize. Safier first came to prominence as the creator of the television series Berlin, Berlin, which won the Adolf Grimme Prize in 2003 and the International Emmy for Best Comedy in 2004.

Born in Bremen in 1966, David Safier trained as a journalist before working in radio and television. In 1996, he turned his attention to screenwriting, contributing to series such as Nikola, Himmel und Erde and Die Camper.

His work on Berlin, Berlin established him as a skilled writer, able to combine humour with contemporary issues. Despite his success in television, Safier moved on to novels, creating stories often infused with fantastical elements.

Safier's debut novel, Mieses Karma, follows Kim Lange, a TV presenter reborn as an ant after her death, as she reflects on morality and second chances. It became a bestseller, was adapted into a radio play and inspired a board game.

The sequel, Mieses Karma hoch 2 (2015), continued the theme with humour and existential overtones and won the LovelyBooks prize for humour.

In Jesus Loves Me, Safier explores romantic and theological themes through Marie, who discovers that her new boyfriend is the Messiah preparing for Judgment Day. The novel was made into a film in 2012, starring Jessica Schwarz.

Safier's 28 Days marked a shift towards historical drama, recounting the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising through the experiences of Mira, a Jewish girl. Safier dedicated this work to his grandparents, some of whom perished in the Holocaust. Reflecting on the emotional depth of this story, he said, "I needed the maturity to convey its humanity and brutality with honesty".

Muh! (2012) follows a cow's whimsical journey to escape slaughter, combining comedy with satire. Safier's novel Happy Family inspired an animated film in 2017, while his recent series Miss Merkel, about a retired chancellor who solves crimes, was adapted into a television series in 2023. An English edition of the first book was published in 2024.

David Safier continues to live and write in Bremen.

Photo credit: FB @David.Safier