Frederick Forsyth, author of Day of the Jackal, died with 86

Der britische Bestsellerautor Frederick Forsyth, bekannt für „Der Schakal“, ist im Alter von 86 Jahren nach kurzer Krankheit verstorben. Sein literarisches Erbe bleibt unvergessen.
The British bestselling author Frederick Forsyth, known for "Der Schakal", died at the age of 86 after a short illness. His literary heir remains unforgettable. (Symbolbild/DNAT)

Frederick Forsyth, author of Day of the Jackal, died with 86

Frederick Forsyth, the British author of "The Day of the Jaguar" and other bestseller thrillers, died after a short illness. He was 86 years old, as his literary agent announced on Monday.

an unforgettable writer

Jonathan Lloyd, Forsyths Agent, announced that the author died in his family in his home on Monday morning. "We mourn the loss of one of the largest thriller authors in the world," said Lloyd.

the beginnings and the breakthrough

born in Kent in 1938, in the south of England, initially served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force before working as a foreign reporter. During his time as a reporter, he reported on the failed murder attack on French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962, who inspired him to create "The Day of the Jaguar" - a bestseller who deals with a professional contract killer.

The success of "The Day of the Jaguar"

The book published in 1971 catapulted him into international fame. In 1973 it was filmed with Edward Fox in the leading role as the Jaguar, and recently a television series with Eddie Redmayne and Lashane Lynch.

secret service and political insights

2015 said Forsyth of the BBC for many years for the British intelligence agent, starting while he worked a civil war in Nigeria in the 1960s reported. Although he stated that he had taken on other tasks for the secret service, he said that he was not paid for his services and "it was difficult to say no" to official bodies that were looking for information.

a work with influence

"The zeitgeist was different," said his words in an interview with the BBC. "The cold war was in full swing." Forsyth wrote more than 25 books, including "The Afghan", "The List of Dead", "The Dogs of War" and "The Faust of God", which were able to sell a total of over 75 million copies, Lloyd.

explained

the legacy of Frederick Forsyth

his publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, announced that "revenge from Odessa", a continuation of the book "Die Odessa File" from 1974, on which Forsyth worked together with the thriller author Tony Kent, is to be published in August. "His thrillers are still read about the world by millions of people, define the genre and are the yardstick on which contemporary authors compete," said Scott-Kerr.