Poets and Writers 19th Century Germany

Rainer Maria Rilke(1875-1926): Writer and poet, Rilke was considered one of the greatest lyrical poets of modern Germany. He created the “object poem” as an attempt to describe with great detail physical objects, the “silence of their concentrated reality.” Rilke had published 2 books by 1923, these were his major works and he then felt that he had done his best as a writer. He passed 3 years later.

“All emotions are pure which gather you and lift you up; that emotion is impure which seizes only one side of your being and so distorts you.”

Herman Hesse(1877-1962): was born into a family pietist missionaries and religious publishers. His father was born a Russian citizen and his mother Indian. His parents expected him to follow the family tradition in theology. He entered the protestant seminary at Maulbronn in 1891 but was expelled shortly after. He was unhappy with his studies. He then went to work as a clerk at a book store and read vigorously. This inspired him to write. He had published 2 books by 1899 and continued writing well in to the 20^th century.

“All men are prepared to accomplish the incredible if their ideals are threatened.”

19th century german poets and poems. (2006, january --). Retrieved from http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/country-6/Germany/19th_century_German_poets.html