About Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse (born July 2, 1877,
Calw, Germany - died Aug. 9, 1962, Montagnola, Switzerland) is one of
Germany’s most celebrated novelist and poet.
With an interesting family background
which was a mix of Pietism and scholarly achievements, Hermann Hesse had
a troubled childhood. He left the seminary because of his inability to
adapt to the life there and even fought with his parents. In 1892 he
attempted suicide and was placed in separate mental institutions. The
novel Demian (1919), influenced by his experience with psychoanalysis,
made him famous.
Profoundly affected by the mysticism
of Eastern thought, most of his works pay special attention to the
individual's self-realization and bear a vital spiritual force aligning
with counter-culture values.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in
Literature in 1946.
