Gunter Grass is considered one of the most respected European intellectuals. A recent survey by the Allensbach Institute places Grass alongside Thomas Mann and Bertolt Brecht as the three most important German writers of the 20th century.

Grass is among thousands of renowned intellectuals and the seventh Nobel Prize winner to sign an open letter to the US Attorney General demanding the release of the Cuban Five. He joins Portuguese writer Jose Saramago, Nigerian poet Wole Soyinka, South African novelist Nadine Gordimer, Argentinean human rights activist Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Guatemalan social activist Rigoberta Menchu and South African archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The Cuban Five - Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Rene Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and Fernando Gonzalez- remain in custody despite the ruling by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals of Atlanta's that overturned their sentences.

The Cuban Five were sentenced to severe prison terms for their work in uncovering terrorist activities against Cuba, planned by rightwing Cuban-American organizations.