Peter Härtling | |
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 Härtling in 2013 | |
| Born | (1933-11-13)13 November 1933 Chemnitz, Germany |
| Died | 10 July 2017(2017-07-10) (aged 83) Rüsselsheim am Main, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, poet |
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Peter Härtling (German:[ˈpeːtɐˈhɛʁtlɪŋ]ⓘ; 13 November 1933 – 10 July 2017) was a German writer,poet, publisher and journalist. He received theOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his major contribution toGerman literature.[1]
Härtling was born inChemnitz[2] and spent the early part of his childhood living inHartmannsdorf,Mittweida, where his father maintained a law firm.[1] Following the outbreak ofWorld War II, the family moved to the German-occupied town ofOlomouc inMoravia.[1][2] Like many of the town's German residents, Härtling's family fled before theRed Army's advance on the city during the final months of the war; the family briefly settled inZwettl, Austria.[1] Härtling's father was captured by the Russians, and died in June 1945 at theprisoner-of-war camp inDollersheim.[1] Following the conclusion ofWorld War II, Härtling finally settled inNürtingen,Baden-Württemberg.[1][2] His mother committed suicide in October 1946.[1] He studied underHAP Grieshaber at the Bernsteinschule art school, before starting work as a journalist.[2]
Härtling had his first collection of poetry published in 1953.[1][2] From 1967 to 1973, Härtling was the managing director of the German publishing houseS. Fischer Verlag, located inFrankfurt.[2] Härtling became a full-time writer after leaving S. Fischer Verlag.[2] In the winter semester of 1983/84, he hosted the annual Frankfurter Poetik-Vorlesungen, a lecture series, in which a prominent writer discourses on topics pertaining to their work.[3] Härtling used his lectureship to demonstrate the process of using afound object as the inspiration for a literary work. During the series of lectures, he wroteDer spanische Soldat, ashort story based on a photograph byRobert Capa.[4]
Härtling worked as the editor of the magazineDer Monat, and as the president of the Hölderlin society.[1] In 1973, he moved toMörfelden-Walldorf where he lived until his death on 10 July 2017.[5]
Härtling devoted a large proportion of his literary output – both in poetry, and in prose – to the reclamation of history, and his own past.[6][7] His autobiographical novel,Zwettl (1973), deals with the period he spent living in Lower Austria, after his family fled from the Red Army.[8]Nachgetragene Liebe (1980) recounts Härtling's earliest memories of his deceased father.[9]
Another major influence on Härtling's works has been the literature and music ofRomanticism.[10] Amongst other works, Härtling has written fictionalised biographical works on the writersFriedrich Hölderlin,[7]Wilhelm Waiblinger[7] andE. T. A. Hoffmann,[11] and the composersFranz Schubert,[7] andRobert Schumann.[12]
In 1969, after writing a eulogy for the Czechchildren's writerJan Procházka, Härtling began writing books for children. His first children's book,Und das ist die ganze Familie, was published the following year.[2] His children's literature has often focused on social problems involving children.[2] InDas war der Hirbel (1973), he wrote about the home of a maladjusted child, andOma (1975) talks about aging and death, whilstTheo haut ab (1977) deals with being uprooted from home and family. There are English translations of several of his children's books, includingGranny (Oma),Crutches (Krücke),Ben Loves Anna (Ben liebt Anna),Old John (Alter John),[13] andHerbie's World (Das war der Hirbel).[14]
Härtling moderatedLiteratur im Kreuzverhör, a radio show on the cultural radio station ofHessischer Rundfunk.
Peter Härtling's awards include:[1]
Wilhelm Killmayer set nine of his poems inhis song cycleNine Songs to Poems from Peter Härtling in 1968.[18]
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