Rudolf Hagelstange
Rudolf Hagelstange was a German poet, novelist, and editor, born on January 12, 1912, in Nordhausen, Germany. His literary journey began during high school and continued when he studied philology in Berlin from 1931 to 1933. Hagelstange's writing career was shaped by his experiences during World War II, where he served in the Signal Corps and worked as a war correspondent in France and Italy. After the war, he published his first poetry collection, "Venezianisches Credo," and went on to write six additional volumes of poetry, exploring themes of spiritual rejuvenation through a Christian humanist lens.
In addition to poetry, he authored novels, including "Spielball der Götter" in 1959 and "Das Haus" in 1981. His extensive travels, which included a notable study trip to the United States, inspired his 1957 travelogue, "How Do You Like America?" Throughout his career, Hagelstange also engaged in translating works by notable authors such as Leonardo da Vinci and Giovanni Boccaccio. A respected figure in the literary community, he was a member of the Bavarian Academy of Arts and received the Distinguished Service Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany. Hagelstange passed away on August 5, 1984, in Hanau, Germany.
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Rudolf Hagelstange
Writer
- Born: January 12, 1912
- Birthplace: Nordhausen, Germany
- Died: August 5, 1984
- Place of death: Hanau, Germany
Biography
Rudolph Hagelstange, the son of a tradesman, was born in Nordhausen, Germany, on January 12, 1912. He became interested in writing while he was in high school. Hagelstange went to Berlin to study philology between the years of 1931 and 1933, and served as an unsalaried editor of a Nordhausen newspaper from 1936 to 1938. During the World War II years of 1941 to 1945, Hagelstange served in the Signal Corps, and was a war correspondent in France and Italy in 1944.
After he returned from his military service, Hagelstange published his first collection of poems, a collection of thirty-five sonnets, Venezianisches Credo; six other volumes of poetry would be produced between 1948 and 1972. In his poetry, he attempted to construct something of a spiritual rejuvenation of a shattered world from a Christian humanist point of view. Hagelstange also wrote novels, notably Spielball der Götter (ball of the gods) in 1959 and Das Haus (the house) in 1981.
In 1954, he led a three-month study trip to the United States, and thereafter traveled extensively throughout the world, from Scandinavia to South America to India to Nepal and the Soviet Union. These experiences would provide material for the 1957 publication of an account of his travels in How Do You Like America? He also translated writings of Leonardo de Vinci, Angelo Polizianos, and Giovanni Boccaccio. Among other achievement and honors, Hagelstange was member of the Bavarian academy of arts in Munich and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, a service medal of the Federal Republic of Germany. He died in Hanau, Germany on August 5, 1984.