Rudolf Pannwitz (27 May 1881 inCrossen/Oder,Province of Brandenburg,Prussia – 23 March 1969 inAstano, Ticino,Switzerland) was a German writer, poet and philosopher. His thought combinednature philosophy,Nietzsche, an opposition tonihilism andpan-European internationalism:
Pannwitz's elusive, difficult goal may be seen as the complete re-evaluation of man, art, science and culture envisaged as the expression of an evolving cosmos obeying the laws of eternal recurrence, withNietzsche-Zarathustra as the supreme prophet.[1]
Pannwitz was educated at theUniversity of Marburg before moving toBerlin to continue studying. ThroughGertrud Kantorowicz, a cousin ofErnst Kantorowicz and friend ofGeorg Simmel, he was introduced toSabine Lepsius and the poetry ofStefan George. Pannwitz's poem 'Das Totengedicht' [The Poem of the Dead] was published in George's literary magazine,Blätter für die Kunst.[1] George andNietzsche were lasting influences upon Pannwitz.[2] In 1904 Pannwitz cofounded the periodicalCharon withOtto zur Linde, co-editing it until 1906. His 1917 bookThe Crisis of European Culture impressedHugo von Hofmannsthal, though Hofmannsthal later distanced himself from Pannwitz.[1]
From 1921 to 1948 Pannwitz lived on the small island ofKoločep. In 1968 he received theGryphius Prize.[3]
