Friedrich Hölderlin (20 March, 1770-7 June, 1843) was a German poet and philosopher, and an important figure in German Romanticism.
Books by or about Friedrich Hölderlin*
Fun Facts about Friedrich Hölderlin:
1. Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin was born in Lauff en am Neckar. He was the eldest child of Heinrich Friedrich Hölderlin, a manager of a church estate, and Johanna Christiana Heyn.
2. Mr. Hölderlin died when his son was two years old. Mrs. Hölderlin, her son and young daughter moved to Nürtingen and married Johann Christoph Gok.
3. His mother planned for Friedrich to be a Lutheran priest and educated him towards that goal. In 1784 he entered the Lower Monastery in Renkedert for his formal training. Two years later he moved up to the Higher Monastery.
4. Along with many of his friends, Friedrich Hölderlin supported the French Revolution, but rejected the Reign of Terror. These ideals manifested and influenced his works Hyperion and The Death of Empedocles.
5. In 1793, Mr. Hölderlin graduated with a magisterial degree, defying his mother’s wishes he did not enter the ministry due to his frustration with Protestant theology.
6. He started working as a tutor in Frankfurt in 1796 and fell in love with the wife of his employer. Susette Gontard returned his love and became the most important woman in his Life. She was the inspiration for his novel Hyperion.
7. The affair was discovered, and Mr. Hölderlin was promptly fired. However, he kept meeting his love on a monthly basis. Nevertheless, his separation as well as failure to make a living as a poet contributed to his descent to mental illness.
8. Around 1800 he moved to tutor in Switzerland after being diagnosed with schizophrenia 10 years before. Two years later, he returned to his home in Nürtin
9. This is where he started his construct of melding Christianity with Hellenism, attempting to find a way to bring ancient values make sense in modern life,
10. Friedrich Hölderlin was put in a clinic for the mentally ill in 1806, but was discharged as incurable a year later, given 3 years to live. He was taken in carpenter Emat Zimmer who was a fan of his works, and stayed with him for the next 36 years.
Books by or about Friedrich Hölderlin*
Zohar — Man of la Book
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Sources:
Friedrich Hölderlin | Wikipedia
Friedrich Hölderlin | The Poetry Foundation
Friedrich Hölderlin: German Poet & Philosopher | Britannica
