Jakob van Hoddis, a German poet and author, is best known for his modernist works that often explored themes of alienation, uncertainty, and modern urban life. He wrote a number of books and is considered a significant figure in the expressionist literary movement.
Jakob van Hoddis Books in Order
- Black Letters Unleashed
- Weltende
- Das Fräulein von Scuderi
- Prokletí básníci německé poezie
- Držíce v drzých držkách cigarety
- Světazmar
- Gedichte
- WELTENDE. Expressionistische Gedichte
- Strong Wind Over the Pale City
- Dichtungen und Briefe (Arche-Editionen des Expressionismus)
Overview of Jakob van Hoddis Books in Order
Black Letters Unleashed
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Weltende
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Das Fräulein von Scuderi
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Prokletí básníci německé poezie
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Držíce v drzých držkách cigarety
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Světazmar
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Gedichte
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WELTENDE. Expressionistische Gedichte
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Strong Wind Over the Pale City
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Dichtungen und Briefe (Arche-Editionen des Expressionismus)
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Who is Jakob van Hoddis
Jakob van Hoddis (born Hans Davidsohn; May 16, 1887 in Berlin; died 1942 in Sobibór, General Government) was a German poet of literary expressionism. He is particularly known for his poem “Weltende.” Hans Davidsohn was the son of the Jewish medical advisor Hermann Davidsohn and his wife Doris nee Kempner. His twin brother died during childbirth. He was the oldest son and grew up with his siblings Marie, Anna, Ludwig, and Ernst. The poet Friederike Kempner was his great-aunt. He attended the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Gymnasium in Berlin from 1893 and left school in 1905 to avoid being expelled. Even as a high school student, he wrote his first poems. In 1906, he passed the Abitur as an “external” student and enrolled in the Technical University of Charlottenburg for architecture. He dropped out in 1907 and transferred to the University of Jena to study classical philology. Later, he went to the University of Berlin. When his father died in 1909, he adopted the pseudonym Jakob van Hoddis, with van Hoddis being an anagram of his last name, Davidsohn. His poem “Weltende” became the basis of early expressionism in 1911 and was first published in the journal “Der Demokrat.” More poetry was published during this time in the journal “Die Aktion” by Franz Pfemfert. It was also during this time that he developed a friendship with his colleague Georg Heym. His artistic work in this period shows some influence from Stefan George. At the end of that year, Van Hoddis was “expelled due to laziness” from the university. In 1912, he went to Munich and became more involved in Catholicism. This is when the first signs of a developing psychosis became noticeable. Due to increasing conflicts with his family, he entered a sanatorium in Wolbeck near Münster in early September, but left it “suddenly” in mid-October to return to Berlin. He became so conspicuous here that he was transferred to the psychiatric hospital “Waldhaus” in Nikolassee near Berlin at the end of October. However, at that time, Van Hoddis was already “escaped” from the hospital. He also studied Greek mythology and its fable structures. However, he completely stopped using mythological terminology before the onset of his illness in the autumn of 1914. After stays in Paris, Munich, and Heidelberg, he returned to Berlin completely destitute. In 1914, he gave his last lecture at the Neuer Club. From 1915, van Hoddis was under constant medical care and was privately looked after. That year, his brother Ludwig died as a soldier in World War I. In 1918, Franz Pfemfert published the book “Weltende” under the title “Der rote Hahn,” featuring the eponymous poem and fifteen other poems by van Hoddis. During this time, van Hoddis’ poems were recited at the Galerie DADA in Zurich. After the war, van Hoddis’ brother Ernst could not settle and emigrated to Palestine. From 1922, van Hoddis was under constant private care in Tübingen. His condition became so serious that in 1926, on the application of his mother, Doris Davidsohn nee Kempner, he was declared incapacitated by the Tübingen District Court and an uncle – Hermann Kempner – took over guardianship of him. On June 15, 1927, a dispute with his neighbor escalated, and he was admitted to the university hospital. From there, he was transferred to the Christophsbad in Göppingen, a private clinic for mental and nervous disorders, where he stayed for six years. In the year of the Nazi “seizure of power” in 1933, he emigrated… (text too long to be completed)
Jakob van Hoddis’ books highlight the author’s deep disillusionment with the societal and political upheaval of his time and his belief that the world’s increasingly industrialized and fragmented nature had eroded human connection and empathy. Through his works, he offers a poignant commentary on the individual’s struggle to find meaning and stability in a rapidly changing world, as well as the potential for collective action to bring about positive change. Van Hoddis’ writings continue to resonate with contemporary readers, serving as a powerful reminder of the enduring relevance of his ideological lessons.
FAQs about author Jakob van Hoddis
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