Born in 1954 in Berlin, Manz took studies in drama and her final thesis in theatre was on the dramatist Berthold Brecht. Engagements include German theatres, and roles in films, TV series and radio plays. She is co-founder and vice-chairman of the “literaturWERKstatt berlin”, and founder, art director and manager of the Literaturhaus Basel, the first to be established in Switzerland (until 2008). She has published poetry and in 2003 Das Fremde im Auge des Fremden, Swiss Chinese cultural exchange. Since October 2008, she has undertaken the concept and project management of Foodscape, a project that forms part of the exchange and cooperation programme, Swiss Chinese Cultural Explorations, of Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council.

 1954年生於柏林，就讀於柏林表演藝術學院，畢業論文關於布萊希特的戲劇理論。畢業後活躍於德國的戲劇圈，參與不少電影、電視連續劇及廣播劇。於九○年代參與創辦　literaturWERKstatt　berlin，並擔任副主席一職；其後創辦瑞士首間巴塞爾文學館（Literaturhaus Basel），擔任藝術總監及機構主管。著作包括詩歌集及於2003年出版的中瑞文化交流書籍 Das Fremde im Auge des Fremden。2008年10月至今負責「食事風景」（Foodscape）項目管理及理念實施工作，該專案由瑞士文化基金會 Pro　Helvetia 贊助，是該會「瑞士 ── 中國文化交流」計劃的一部分。