Hermann Hesse

Gunther Gottschalk (University of California, Santa Barbara)
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Hermann Hesse was born on 2 July 1877 in Calw, Germany. He died on 9 August 1962 in Montagnola, Switzerland. His family was rooted in Swabian Pietism and the Christian mission, specifically pertaining to India. The deep dedication of Hesse’s family to evangelical tasks and their educational aspects gave important, but also conflicting impulses to the adolescent. Hesse’s father Johannes was the son of a country doctor in Estonia. Johannes’ delicate constitution and spiritual frame of mind led him to a career in missionary work in Calw. He eventually succeeded Hermann Hesse’s maternal grandfather Dr. Hermann Gundert as publisher of theological materials for the mission. Dr. Gundert had made a name not only as a successful missionary to India, but also as a scholar who had published…

2439 words

Citation: Gottschalk, Gunther. "Hermann Hesse". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 February 2004; last revised 04 January 2005. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2115, accessed 19 March 2024.]

2115 Hermann Hesse 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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