Hermann

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About Hermann Hesse

This page is set up by me, one of his readers, to remember Hermann Hesse, a poet, novelist, and painter, as I felt, that his work has been very special to me.

Hesse was born on July 2nd, 1877 in Calw, a town in South Germany. His works are inspired by his years at school, and later on also by his visits to india. The latter influence becomes most visible in his novel "Siddharta" [1922]. He is probably most known for his literary works, for which he also received the nobel price in 1946. Hesse died on 9 August 1962.

Novels (incomplete)

Peter Camenzind Beneath the Wheel Demian Klingsor's Last Summer Siddhartha Steppenwolf Narcissus and Goldmund Journey to the East The Glass Bead Game

Stufen

Wie jede Bluete welkt
und jede Jugend dem Alter weicht,
blht jede Lebensstufe,
blht jede Weisheit auch und jede Tugend
zu ihrer Zeit und darf nicht ewig dauern.
Es muss das Herz bei jedem Lebensrufe
bereit zum Abschied sein und Neubeginne,
um sich in Tapferkeit und ohne Trauern
in and're, neue Bindungen zu geben.
Und jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne,
der uns beschtzt und der uns hilft zu leben.

Wir sollen heiter Raum um Raum durchschreiten,
an keinem wie an einer Heimat hngen,
der Weltgeist will nicht fesseln uns und engen,
er will uns Stuf' um Stufe heben, weiten!
Kaum sind wir heimisch einem Lebenskreise
und traulich eingewohnt,
so droht Erschlaffen!
Nur wer bereit zu Aufbruch ist und Reise,
mag lhmender Gewohnheit sich entraffen.

Es wird vielleicht auch noch die Todesstunde
uns neuen Raeumen jung entgegen senden:
des Lebens Ruf an uns wird niemals enden.
Wohlan denn, Herz, nimm Abschied und gesunde!

Stages

As every flower fades and as all youth
Departs, so life at every stage,
So every virtue, so our grasp of truth,
Blooms in its day and may not last forever.

Since life may summon us at every age
Be ready, heart, for parting, new endeavor,
Be ready bravely and without remorse
To find new light that old ties cannot give.
In all beginnings dwells a magic force
For guarding us and helping us to live.

Serenely let us move to distant places
And let no sentiments of home detain us.
The Cosmic Spirit seeks not to restrain us
But lifts us stage by stage to wider spaces.
If we accept a home of our own making,
Familiar habit makes for indolence.
We must prepare for parting and leave-taking
Or else remain the slaves of permanence.

Even the hour of our death may send
Us speeding on to fresh and newer spaces,
And life may summon us to newer races.
So be it, heart: bid farewell without end.

Hermann Hesse, Stufen, 1941