Bertolt Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956) is still dead. Before he died, he became known as a German poet, playwright, and theatre director. He was also known variously as Berthold, Bertie, and that dirty, lying, filthy, two-timing, commie bastard. In the German language, "brecht" is the imperative form of "brechen" (to vomit), which explains the origin of his last name.