Before the fall of communism, he was enlisted in the National People's Army as a tank commander and imprisoned when he refused to break up a demonstration in October 1989.

In 2008 Tellkamp was awarded the German Book Prize for his novel Der Turm (The Tower), which describes life in 1980s East Germany.

[3][4][5] Preceding the Leipziger Buchmesse 2018 Tellkamp said:[6] "Most [refugees] are not trying to escape war and prosecution but come [to Germany] to migrate into the social support system, more than 95%.

"[5][7] In March 2018 he signed the "Joint Statement 2018" ("Gemeinsame Erklärung 2018"), declaring: "We observe the damage done to Germany by illegal mass immigration with growing disconcertment.

We declare our solidarity with those who are peacefully rallying for the restoration of the constitutional order at the borders of our country."".