Sights

On the trail of famous poets, publicists and writers

Wilhelm Busch, Hannah Arendt, Hermann Löns, and many others were active in Hannover.

Hannover as a city of poets and writers? Absolutely—over the years, countless poets, writers, and authors have made their mark in Hannover. And even today, you can follow in their footsteps. Join us on a journey into the world of literature:

Kurt Schwitters

Sprengel Museum — Download for editorial use: Image in printable resolution (300dpi)Copyright: HMTG

Kurt Schwitters was born on June 20, 1887, in Hannover and is considered Hannover’s greatest modern poet. He later attended the Realgymnasium Hannover, now known as the Tellkampfschule at Altenbekener Damm 83. His first Merz poem was titled “To Anna Blume.” Schwitters was one of the leading figures of Dadaism. A replica of the Merzbau and a large portion of his works are now housed at the Sprengel Museum Hannover. In the old town of Hannover, on Knochenhauerstraße, there is a floor relief by Siegfried Neuenhausen featuring a 1920 poem by Kurt Schwitters about the city and its inhabitants. Kurt Schwitters died on January 8, 1948, in Kendal, Cumbria, England. His remains were transferred to Hannover in 1970; his grave is located at the Engesohde City Cemetery.

Theodor Lessing

Theodor Lessing was born on February 8, 1872, in Hannover. He later attended what is now the Kaiser-Wilhelm- und Ratsgymnasium (located at Seelhorststraße 52) in Hannover. Starting in 1919, he and his wife, Ada Lessing, established the Hannover Adult Education Center in Linden, which is now called the “Ada and Theodor Lessing Adult Education Center Hannover” and is located in the Old Town on the Hohen Ufer. In 1925, he attracted widespread attention with his book about the trial of serial killer Fritz Haarmann. One of Theodor Lessing’s former residences is still located today in the Hannover-Anderten neighborhood (Am Tiergarten 44).

Wilhelm Busch

Wilhelm Busch is one of Germany’s most important poets and illustrators. Everyone is likely familiar with the pranks of Max & Moritz. He was born on April 15, 1832, in Wiedensahl. Beginning in 1847, he studied mechanical engineering in Hannover, but dropped out in 1851. Later, however, he returned to Hannover time and again to observe the monkeys at the zoo. These observations inspired him to write his short story “Fipps the Monkey.” The majority of Wilhelm Busch’s works can be viewed at the Wilhelm Busch – German Museum of Caricature and Drawing in the Georgenpalais in Hannover.

Hannah Arendt

The political philosopher Hannah Arendt was born on October 14, 1906, in Linden (now a district of Hannover). Her birthplace is located at Lindener Marktplatz 2. One of her most famous works is titled *On Evil*. There are numerous places in Hanover that honor Hannah Arendt and/or are associated with her, such as the Hannah Arendt House or Hannah Arendt Square. You can find a list of these places with detailed information here

Adolph Baron Knigge

Adolph Freiherr Knigge was born on October 16, 1752, in Bredenbeck, now a district of Wennigsen (Deister) in the Hannover region. His birthplace was the manor house in Bredenbeck, which still stands today. He was a writer and an Enlightenment thinker. At the age of 14, the orphaned boy was sent by his guardian to Hannover to be educated through private tutoring. He later went to Göttingen to study, but returned to Hannover in the mid-1780s and published what is arguably his most famous work: On the Art of Dealing with People. This work is known worldwide simply as “Knigge.” The work was first published in 1788 by Schmidt’s Bookstore in Hannover. Later, the rights passed to Rittscher’s Bookstore in Hannover and then, through a takeover, to Hahn’s Bookstore. The historic publishing house building is still located today in Hannover’s Old Town at Leinstraße 31

Hermann Löns

The journalist and writer Hermann Löns was born on August 29, 1866, in Chelmno, Poland. He initially lived and worked in Hannover from 1892 to 1906. At that time, he worked as a journalist for the *Hannoverscher Anzeiger*, the predecessor of today’s *Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung*, published by the Madsack publishing house. At the same time, however, he was already pursuing a career as a writer. He became very popular through his satirical local columns written under the pseudonym Fritz von der Leine. In 1902 and 1904, he moved twice to other daily newspapers in Hannover. During this time, he became known as a successful journalist, author, poet, nature lover, and poet of the heath. Around 1900, he began writing poetry, much of which was set to music. In 1906, he moved to Bückeburg, but returned to Hannover in 1909, where he worked as a freelance writer and penned various short stories and narratives. Hermann-Löns-Park in Hannover is named in his honor.

Charlotte Kestner

Charlotte Kestner (née Buff) was born on January 11, 1753, in Wetzlar. In 1773, she moved to Hannover to marry Johann Christian Kestner. She lived in Hannover until her death in 1828. She was the inspiration for Lotte in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s *The Sorrows of Young Werther* and in Thomas Mann’s *Lotte in Weimar*. Even though Charlotte Kestner was not a poet or writer, she remains an integral part of the literary world. Charlotte Kestner’s grave is located at the Gartenfriedhof cemetery in Hannover.

Theodor Colshorn

Tellkampf School from the outside — Tell combat school

Ludolph Louis Theodor Colshorn was born on January 13, 1821, in Ribbesbüttel near Gifhorn. After attending a teacher training college in Hannover, he first went to Warmbüttel to work as a teacher. In 1848, he moved to Hannover and continued to work as a teacher, first at the Höhere Töchterschule starting in 1854 and then at the Realschule, later known as the I. Realgymnasium and today as the Tellkampfschule, beginning in 1857. In 1854, Theodor Colshorn, together with his older brother, the cantor Carl Colshorn, published the popular collection *Fairy Tales and Legends from Hannover*. The Brothers Grimm were among Theodor Colshorn’s friends

Rudolf Erich Raspe

Rudolf Erich Raspe was born on March 26, 1736, in Hanover. Beginning in 1761, Raspe worked as a clerk and later as a library secretary at the Royal Library of Hanover, whose collections are now housed in the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library. During his time at the library, Raspe also discovered previously unknown writings by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Later, Raspe moved to Kassel and then to Great Britain. There, he became world-famous in 1785 for his book about the Lying Baron Münchhausen.

Erich Maria Remarque

Erich Maria Remarque was born on June 22, 1898, in Osnabrück. In mid-1921, Remarque moved to Hannover, where he worked for Continental AG, writing advertising copy and comics. Starting in 1923, he served as editor-in-chief of the company newspaper *Echo Continental*. The former Continental administration building can still be visited today and is located at Vahrenwalder Straße 7. During this time, however, Remarque also published around 100 shorter prose pieces in various daily and weekly newspapers. In 1925, Remarque moved to Berlin.

Ludwig Hölty

The southern part of the St. Nikolai cemetery

The poet Ludwig Hölty was born on December 21, 1748, in Mariensee. One of his best-known poems is “Üb’ immer Treu’ und Redlichkeit bis an dein kühles Grab” (The Old Farmer to His Son), which was even set to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Hölty spent the last two years of his life in Hanover and died in 1776 following a serious illness. He was buried at St. Nikolai Cemetery in Hanover, though the exact location of his grave is unknown. Today, a monument created in 1901 by the sculptor Otto Lüer stands next to St. Nikolai Chapel in his memory. The monument also includes a larger-than-life bronze statue of a young man. In honor of Hölty, the city of Hannover has awarded the Hölty Prize every two years since 2008. Hölty was a co-founder of the poets’ club “Göttinger Hain.”.

Charles Philip Maurice

The new three-storey building is connected to the main building of the Kaiser Wilhelm and Ratsgymnasium. — New wing of the Kaiser Wilhelm and Ratsgymnasium high schools

Karl Philipp Moritz was born on September 15, 1756, in Hamelin and was a writer of the Sturm und Drang movement. His novel *Anton Reiser* is set in Hannover. Prior to that, starting in 1771, Moritz attended what is now the Kaiser-Wilhelm- und Ratsgymnasium Hannover at Seelhorststraße 52. Along with Hölty, he was a co-founder of the poetry club “Göttinger Hain.”.

Heinrich Christian Boie

The poet Heinrich Christian Boie was born on July 19, 1744, in Meldorf. In 1776, Boie moved to Hannover, where he worked as a staff secretary at the Leineschloss. Later, Boie moved to Göttingen. Boie was a co-founder of the poetry club "Göttinger Hain.".

John Peter Eckermann

The portico of Leineschloss with its west wing

The poet and writer Johann Peter Eckermann was born on September 21, 1792, in Winsen (Luhe). After serving in the military in 1813–14, he moved to Hannover to become a painter. He hoped to train under the painter Ramberg. However, Eckermann had to abandon this plan after a short time due to illness and financial difficulties, so he accepted a position at the War Office in Hannover. At that time, the War Office was located in the Leineschloss. At the same time, he attended high school in Hannover and devoted himself to literature. He was particularly interested in the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. After a brief stay in Göttingen, Eckermann moved to Empelde (now part of the Hannover region). There, he conceived the idea of living with Goethe in Weimar. This led to the work *Conversations with Goethe in the Last Years of His Life*, published in 1836.

Gerrit Engelke

Museum August Kestner — August Kestner Museum, interior view of the old façade,

“Shoulder to Shoulder” is just one of the works by the prominent working-class poet Gerrit Engelke. He was born on October 21, 1890, in Hannover, where he worked for many years. After finishing elementary school, he completed his apprenticeship as a painter with his journeyman’s examination and, starting in 1909, was employed by various companies while also attending evening classes at the Hanover School of Applied Arts (now part of Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts), where he received two awards. Watercolors and drawings by Engelke are now housed in the August Kestner Museum and the Hannover City Library. After leaving Hannover, he turned to poetry and became famous as a “worker poet.”.

Heinz Erhardt

The poet, comedian, and actor Heinz Erhardt was born in Riga in 1909. From 1919 to 1924, Erhardt attended school in the Hanover area, first at a boarding school in Barsinghausen and later at the Tellkampfschule in Hanover, which was then still called a Realgymnasium. The school is located today at Altenbekener Damm 83. Afterward, Heinz Erhardt returned to Riga and later moved to Hamburg. He became one of Germany’s greatest poets and comedians, as well as an actor and composer. His film “Das kann doch unsren Willi nicht erschüttern” premiered in 1970 at what was then the Ufa Theater in Hannover.

Schlegel Brothers

A church — The Marktkirche in Hanover's Old Town

The Schlegel brothers—August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767–1845) and Friedrich Schlegel (1772–1829)—were born in Hannover and are considered co-founders of Early Romanticism. It all began for the brothers at the Marktkirche in Hannover, where their father served as pastor. August Wilhelm graduated from high school in Hannover and then went on to Göttingen. Friedrich’s upbringing caused the family much grief. As a result, he was first sent to live with his uncle Johann August in Pattensen (now part of the Hannover region) and then to his brother Moritz in Bothfeld (now a district of Hannover). Later, Friedrich moved to Leipzig and then studied in Göttingen

Frank Wedekind

The writer, playwright, and actor Frank Wedekind was born Benjamin Franklin Wedekind on July 24, 1864, in Hannover. Wedekind spent his childhood in Hannover until 1872, after which the family emigrated to Switzerland. Among his most famous works is the 1902 play "Pandora's Box." Unfortunately, Wedekind's former home no longer stands. Today, the glass administrative building of NORD/LB stands on the site (Friedrichswall 10)

Ernst Jünger

Cafe with outdoor seating — Café Kröpcke

The controversial writer Ernst Jünger was born on March 29, 1895, in Heidelberg. He spent his childhood in Hannover, in Schwarzenberg in the Ore Mountains, and, starting in 1907, in Rehburg. Jünger began his schooling in 1901 at the Goethe Gymnasium in Hannover, which no longer exists today. From 1905 to 1907, Jünger attended boarding schools in Hannover and Braunschweig. He then returned to Rehburg. In 1913, he joined the Foreign Legion in Verdun, later fled to Morocco, but was recaptured. Thanks to an intervention by the Foreign Office, arranged by his father, Jünger was released, and his father sent him to a boarding school in Hannover as punishment. On August 1, 1914, Jünger enlisted as a volunteer soldier in Hannover. After World War I, he became involved in writing through the publisher Paul Steegemann at Café Kröpcke (today: Mövenpick Café Kröpcke) in Hannover. His later novel *Die Zwille* (1973) is set in Hannover

Vicki Baum

The writer and musician Vicky Baum was born on January 24, 1888, in Vienna. One of the places she lived was Hannover. From 1917 to 1923, Vicky Baum worked as a harpist in Hannover. During her time in Hannover, she also published her first novel in 1919: *Frühe Schatten*. Vicky Baum initially lived with her family at Dieterrichsstraße 11 in downtown Hannover and later, from 1921 to 1923, at what was then Podbielskistraße 335 (today: house number 53) in the List district of Hannover.

Heinrich Heine

The poet and writer Heinrich Heine was born on December 13, 1797, in Düsseldorf. After his exile in Paris, Heine returned to Germany in late autumn 1843, following a 12-year absence. He traveled from Paris via Brussels, Amsterdam, and Bremen to Hamburg, and on his return journey also passed through Hannover. He describes his observations and experiences in Hannover in his epic poem *Germany*. A Winter’s Tale. In it, he describes, among other things, the city’s cleanliness and its many magnificent buildings.

August Wilhelm Iffland

The actor and playwright August Wilhelm Iffland was born on April 19, 1759, at the Leibniz House in Hannover. He later attended the Lyceum, now known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm- und Ratsgymnasium in Hannover, where he was a classmate of Karl Philipp Moritz. In 1777, Iffland moved to Gotha. He went on to become one of Germany’s most famous actors and also wrote numerous plays. In 1782 in particular, he enjoyed great success as “Franz Moor” in Schiller’s “The Robbers.” Schiller himself paid tribute to Iffland with the words: “Germany will find another master in this young man.”

Joachim Ringelnatz

The writer Joachim Ringelnatz was born on August 7, 1883, in Wurzen. Among the many places he lived during his life was Hannover. In 1913, he worked for Chamberlain Börries Baron von Münchhausen-Moringen at Landschaftsstraße 2 in Hannover. He was responsible for sorting the baron’s literature, pictures, and coins. In the process, Ringelnatz came across numerous advertising leaflets and water bottle labels, which the baron peeled off and took home with him.

Arno Schmidt

The writer Arno Schmidt was born on January 18, 1914, in Hamburg. Schmidt often visited Hannover. One of his most famous quotes is: “What’s so special about New York? A big city is a big city; I’ve been to Hannover.“

Theo Lingen

The actor and author Theo Lingen was born on June 10, 1903, in a house on Drostestraße (between Wedekindplatz and Voßstraße) in Hannover-List. He later attended the Goethegymnasium. In the Goethegymnasium’s student theater troupe, he performed alongside Gretha von Jeinsen, who later became the first wife of the writer Ernst Jünger. Lingen’s acting talent was discovered during rehearsals for a student performance at the Schauburg Boulevard Theater in Hannover, which no longer exists today. In 1922, he performed at the Residenztheater in Hannover. He later became one of Germany’s greatest actors and was also active as an author.

Karl Jakob Hirsch

The artist and writer was born on November 13, 1892, in Hannover. He grew up on Herschelstraße, then later on Stiftstraße, and from 1905 onward on Königstraße. He spent most of his school years skipping class at Lyzeum II—a school that no longer exists—and eventually left without a diploma. In 1909, Hirsch briefly attended the Hanover School of Applied Arts, which also no longer exists today. His parents then sent him to live with his grandmother in Munich, where he studied painting and graphic arts. After returning briefly to Hanover in 1911, he moved to Worpswede to join the local artists’ colony. His subsequent stops included Paris, Berlin, and New York. In 1931, his famous novel *Kaiserwetter* was published, in which he described the life and atmosphere of the late German Empire in the Prussian province of Hanover, primarily in the city of Hanover

Rudolf Augstein

Hustle and bustle — The Anzeiger high-rise.

The journalist, publisher, and columnist was born on November 5, 1923, in Hannover. After finishing school and earning his high school diploma, he completed an internship at the Hannoverscher Anzeiger, which later became the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (HAZ). After the end of World War II, Augstein initially served as an editor at the Hannoversches Nachrichtenblatt. In 1946, he became an editor for the weekly magazine “Diese Woche.” When the magazine was shut down by the British Foreign Office after only six issues due to its criticism of the occupying powers, it was handed over to German ownership. In the process, Augstein acquired the publishing license and became editor-in-chief and publisher. On January 4, 1947, he published the first issue of the news magazine under the new title DER SPIEGEL in the Anzeiger high-rise. In 1952, DER SPIEGEL moved to Hamburg.

Anzeiger high-rise — Download: Image in printable resolution (300 dpi)

Henri Nannen

The publisher and journalist was born on December 25, 1913, in Emden. After World War II, Nannen founded the daily newspaper *Hannoversche Neueste Nachrichten* in Hannover in 1946 and remained its publisher until 1947. From 1947 to 1949, he was editor-in-chief of the Hannoversche Abendpost. In 1948, Nannen launched the magazine Stern from the youth magazine Zick-zack. The first publishing house was the Anzeiger Hochhaus. In 1951, he sold his shares in Stern to, among others, the printer Richard Gruner and Gerd Bucerius’s weekly newspaper Die Zeit. Henri Nannen was also active as a patron of the arts. He died on October 13, 1996, in Hannover.

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