He invents and describes his own worlds

Created: 01/24/2022, 12:00 p.m

By: Ulrike Osman

Ulrich Seibert is a house husband and writes.

"The idea that the man has to earn the money is an absolutely patriarchal approach." Ulrich Seibert © private

Ulrich Seibert's name used to not be on the books he wrote.

As a ghostwriter, he made sure that the textbooks of a music publisher were easy to read.

A lot has changed since then.

Germering – The Germeringer gave up his job to devote himself entirely to writing his own works.

His name is now on several books. The most recent is the shortest but deals with the subject that drives him the most - saving the planet from the consequences of human giga-consumption, biodiversity loss, resource depletion and environmental pollution. "Growth or climate protection?" It says and in the subtitle: "The story of the (avoidable) end of mankind in 9500 words".

It's an angry, rousing 44 pages, deliberately kept short so as not to alienate any potential reader. Bringing things to the point, explaining complex relationships in an understandable way – that has always been his strength, says the 57-year-old. He accepts the fact that he is occasionally accused of oversimplification, even populism. "It's a balancing act. But in order for everyone to understand you, you have to simplify.” Although the criticism gnaws at him, he admits. Because Seibert writes with passion, driven by the content he wants to bring to the reader.

With the same passion he dissects neoliberalism in the economy in 400 pages in The Dictatorship of Monetariat.

A local radio station in Munich became aware of the book.

Germeringer was invited to an interview and then he was given a whole series of broadcasts.

Now he speaks regularly in front of the microphone with experts on economic topics.

children's book

But Seibert doesn't just write non-fiction books.

His first literary attempt was a children's book for his now 21-year-old son.

Then he discovered the genre of fan fiction for himself, i.e. inventing his own stories based on characters from well-known books or films.

An ideal playground for a budding writer - you don't have to invent your own world and can instead concentrate entirely on the plot, dramaturgy and arc of suspense.

In the meantime, the Germeringer, who grew up in Munich and Traunstein, has created his own fantasy worlds.

In it, for example, he is concerned with the question of what would happen if extraterrestrials came to earth and could slip into human bodies.

In the first volume of a trilogy about Ancient Egypt, an archaeologist has the psychic ability to see scenes from the past in her head.

In his old life, the Germeringer would hardly have been able to implement these projects.

After completing his business administration studies, he worked in a music publishing house that was small enough to offer an all-rounder like him varied employment.

Later he was a freelance ghostwriter, then a consultant for the Bavarian Retail Association.

A normal, stressful professional life alongside a woman who was just as busy with her job.

At some point they both decided that things shouldn't go on like this.

"We wanted more peace and more time for each other," says Seibert.

They decided to change the division of responsibilities, which both are happy with – she continues to work, he does the housework and has time to write.

The "nagging malaise" that Seibert felt in the early days of his house husband existence has long since been overcome.

"The idea that the man has to earn the money is an absolutely patriarchal approach." Next he would like to publish an English translation of the climate book.

He would like to write a play – and many more books.

"My collection of ideas is jam-packed."