Hermann Hesse at Top Ten Books

Hermann Hesse
(1877 - 1962)

Hermann Hess was born in Calw, Germany at the edge of the Black Forest on July 2, 1877. He grew up in a missionary household where it was assumed that he would enter the ministry. As a child, Hesse was extremely rebellious. Because of behavior problems, he was constantly moving from one school to another. His parents even considered sending him away. Despite Hesse's difficulties at home, he was always at the top of his class without putting much effort into his school work. From the age of twelve, Hesse aspired to be a poet. He was enrolled at the Maulbronn Seminary in Stromberg from September 15, 1891 until May 7, 1892. Other famous seminarians at the 850 year old Maulbronn Monastery include astronomer Johannes Kepler and poet Friedrich Hölderlin. Hesse left the school without permission. He was found on the following day after spending the night in an open field. The reason for this episode was presumed to be a difficult "state of mind" and he was not punished very severely. But the parents of other pupils suggested that Hermann be asked to leave the school. He left the school in 1892 without completing his studies. He tried a cure by a well known theologian, but later attempted suicide. Hesse studied the works of Freud and underwent psyhoanalysis by Carl Jung. For a time, he was a patient in a sanatorium. Hermann Hesse's search for orientation in his life continued for several years.

In 1895, Hesse began his apprenticeship as a bookseller at the Hechenhauer Bookshop in Tubingen. He educated himself by reading while working as a bookseller and antiquarian in Basel. Bookseller apprenticeship was typical of most aspiring German authors of the time. During his apprenticeship, Hermann Hesse published several poems (Romantische Lieder - Romatic Songs, Eine Stunde Hinter Mitternacht - An Hour Behind Midnight, 1899 ) and began his career as an author. His first novel Peter Carmenzind (1904) was inspired by this time in his life. He writes of his experience at the Maulbronn School in the novel Unterm Rad. Hesse's rebellion against formal education is also expressed in the work Beneath the Wheel (1906, trans. 1958).

During World War One, Hesse joined the pacifist Romain Rolland in antiwar activities. He wrote antiwar tracts and novels. Hesse also edited two newspapers for german prisoners of war being a member of the Prisoners of War Welfare Organization. Hesse's wartime activities alienated many of his friends and readers who were enthralled with the militarism sweeping over Europe. Hesse was advised in 1917 to stop his journalism on contemporary issues, but he continued under the nom de plume Emil Sinclair. At this time, Hesse's first marriage broke up. He left Germany moving to Montagnola, Switzerland and became a Swiss citizen in 1923. The war and a series of personal tragedies led him to focus his writing on the spiritual search for new goals and values.

Demian (1919, trans. 1923) was strongly influenced by the Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung and reflected Hesse's interest in the sub concious and psychoanalysis. The book was an enormous success and made Hesse famous throughout Europe.

Siddhartha (1922, trans. 1951) is based on the early life of Buddha and resulted from a trip to India. Journey to the East (1932, trans. 1956) examines the mythic qualities of the human experience. For the next eleven years after Journey to the East, Hesse published no major works.

In 1943, Hesse's last and greatest novel, Magister Ludi or The Glass Bead Game was published. He began working on the book in 1931in Switzerland. The work was described as "sublime" by Thomas Mann and admired by André Gide and T.S. Eliot. It is considered one of the most important novels of the twentieth century. It was originally published as Das Glasperlenspiel. In 1946, Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for Magister Ludi.

Hermann Hesse remained in Switzerland living in seclusion. He died in his sleep on the morning of August 9, 1962. His psychological and mystical concerns made him a cult figure after his death.