He was regarded as one of the pioneers of comic art in Luxembourg, spent decades as a graphic designer designing posters for the Loterie Nationale and the Schueberfouer, and received the 'Lëtzebuerger Buchpräis' (Luxembourg Book Prize) at the age of 92 for "De Pol muss an de Krich" (Pol needs to go to war).
Pe'l Schlechter has now died at the age of 105, just a few months after an exhibition was installed honouring his life's work at the senior residence facility Konviktsgaart, the Résidence Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte, where the author had spent the final years of his life.
With Pe'l Schlechter, Luxembourg loses one of its most creative minds, a man who over a long life carved out a name for himself as an author, cartoonist and graphic designer. In every personal recollection of the author, what stands out is his clear-eyed view of society and life, his humour, his sharp irony, and his enduring optimism.
Artistically, the Lausbouwe stories 'De Bim an de Jopi', published after the Second World War, were particularly memorable, as were the many comic series he produced for the magazine and Schlechter's contributions to d'Lëtzebuerger Land, Nos Cahiers, numerous scout publications and Die Warte.
It was only late in life that the man from Limpertsberg began to write other stories. 'De Pol muss an de Krich' is a set of autobiographical tales drawn from the time when he was forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht and then went into hiding in the Netherlands.
The book, published by Editions Binsfeld, won Schlechter the book prize in 2013 at the age of 92, and had already earned him the Dicks-Rodange-Lentz plaque awarded by Aktioun Lëtzebuergesch in 1995. Pe'l Schlechter was the father of writer Pit Schlechter and the uncle of author Lambert Schlechter.
RTL sends their sincere condolences to the family of Pe'l Schlechter.
