Peter Härtling

Peter Härtling (; 13 November 1933 – 10 July 2017) was a German writer, poet, publisher and journalist. He received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his major contribution to German literature.

Biography Härtling was born in Chemnitz and spent the early part of his childhood living in Hartmannsdorf, Mittweida, where his father maintained a law firm. Härtling used his lectureship to demonstrate the process of using a found object as the inspiration for a literary work. During the series of lectures, he wrote Der spanische Soldat, a short story based on a photograph by Robert Capa.

Härtling worked as the editor of the magazine Der Monat, and as the president of the Hölderlin society.

Literary themes Härtling devoted a large proportion of his literary output – both in poetry, and in prose – to the reclamation of history, and his own past. His autobiographical novel, Zwettl (1973), deals with the period he spent living in Lower Austria, after his family fled from the Red Army. Nachgetragene Liebe (1980) recounts Härtling's earliest memories of his deceased father.

Another major influence on Härtling's works has been the literature and music of Romanticism. Amongst other works, Härtling has written fictionalised biographical works on the writers Friedrich Hölderlin, and the composers Franz Schubert,

Children's literature In 1969, after writing a eulogy for the Czech children's writer Jan Procházka, Härtling began writing books for children. His first children's book, Und das ist die ganze Familie, was published the following year. and Herbie's World (Das war der Hirbel).

Radio Härtling moderated Literatur im Kreuzverhör, a radio show on the cultural radio station of Hessischer Rundfunk.

Awards Peter Härtling's awards include: 2007: Corine Literature Prize of the Bavarian Prime Minister for his contribution to literature 2010: Jacob Grimm Prize 2014: Hessischer Kulturpreis

Music Wilhelm Killmayer set nine of his poems in his song cycle in 1968.