 Theodor
Storm (1817-1888). |
| 1816 |
| 29 May Johann Casimir
Storm (1790-1874), lawyer, marries Lucie Woldsen (1797-1879)
member of an established patrician family in Husum. |
|
| 1817 |
14 September. Birth of Hans Theodor Woldsen Storm at
9 Markt in Husum in the
Duchy of Schleswig. |
Birthplace of
Theodor Storm |
| 1818 |
Family moves to Neustadt 56 in Husum. |
| 1820 |
Birth of sister Helene. |
| 1821 |
Enters 'Mother Amberg's' Klippschule
(private nursery school). |
| 1822 |
Birth of sister Lucie. |
| 1824 |
Birth of brother Johannes. |
|
| 1825 |
(3 February 1825). The
great storm. Loss of life and extensive damage in North Friesland.
Features indirectly in future key works. |
| 1826 |
Birth of brother Otto. |
|
| |
Autumn: Enters the Gelehrtenschule
(Latin school) in Husum.
First readings of Goethe's poetry and Schiller's drama. Key
interests: music and foreign languages.
|
Gelehrtenschule in Husum. |
| |
Frequently visits Lena Wies,
the story-teller of his youth and later model for Trin' Jans
in Der Schimmelreiter (1888).
|
Lena Wies (1797-1869) |
| 1829 |
Death of sister Lucie. Occasion of his first poem.
|
| 1833 |
First preserved poem 'An Emma' ('To Emma'). Emma
Kühl from the island of Föhr. |
| |
|
|
| |
Birth of brother Aemil.
On leaving the school submits an own literary work in verse: 'Mattathias,
der Befreier der Juden' ('Mattathias, the liberator of the Jews').
|
| 1835 |
| Enters the prestigious and selective
grammar school, the Katharineum Gymnasium, in
the city of Lübeck. Studies the works of Goethe
(1749-1832), Eichendorff (1788-1857)
and Uhland (1787-1862). Through
the writer and schoolfriend Ferdinand Röse (1815-59) becomes
acquainted with the poetry of Heinrich
Heine (1797-1856). Heine's collection of verse Buch der
Lieder (Book of Songs,1827)) profoundly influences
his future work. Through Röse meets the poet and dramatist Emanuel
von Geibel (1815-84) in the Salon of the Lübeck Consul Nölting. |
The Katharineum Gymnasium in Lübeck |
Goethe (1749-1832) at the age of 30. |
Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) |
|
| 1836 |
Meets 10 year old Bertha von Buchan in Hamburg.
Writes ballad: 'The Construction of St Mary's Church in Lübeck'
('Der Bau der Marienkirche in Lübeck').
Sends his parents his book of poems as Christmas present.
|
| 1837 |
Enters University of Kiel to study jurisprudence.
Writes fairy tale Hans Bär and poetry for Bertha
von Buchan.
Becomes engaged to Emma Kühl.
|
| 1838 |
Enters University of Berlin. Interests himself in the theatre
and visits Dresden.
Breaks off engagement to Emma Kühl.
|
| 1839 |
Continues studies at University
of Kiel. Establishes friendship with the historian and Nobel prize
winner Theodor Mommsen (1817-1903)
and his brother Tycho. Discovers the poetry of Eduard
Mörike (1804-1875). |
| 1840 |
Together with the Mommsen brothers begins collection of legends,
fairy tales and songs of Schleswig-Holstein and Lauenburg (later
published by Müllenhoff).
First publication of poems in 'Album der Boudoirs' and 'Lyrischen
Album der Europa'.
|
| 1842 |
Bertha von Buchan refuses Storm's proposal of marriage.
Passes state examination in law at Kiel University and returns
to Husum. Works in his father's law practice.
|
| 1843 |
February: Begins to practise law in Husum. Establishes own solicitor's
practice (Rechtsanwaltkanzelei) in 11Großstraße.
Founds choral society (Gesangverein) in Husum.
Appearance of Liederbuch dreier Freunde (Songbook
of Three Friends), a joint work with the Mommsen brothers that includes
forty of Storm's poems.
|
| 1844 |
|
Engagement to his cousin Constanze
Esmarch (1825-65), oldest daughter of the mayor of Segeberg,
Ernst Esmarch (1794-1875), and his wife Elsabe, née Woldsen
(1795-1873).
Attends the first North Frisian
National Festival (Nordfriesenfest) in Bredstedt.
|
Constanze Esmarch
(1825-1865) |
|
| 1845 |
Acquires house at 56 Neustadt, Husum.
|
| 1846 |
September 15: Marriage to
Constanze. |
| 1847 |
Death of Storm's sister Helene (Lorenzen).
Love affair with Dorothea (Do) Jensen (1828-1903), daughter of
a Husum patrician and Storm's second wife to be. Poems: 'Rote Rosen'
('Red Roses'). 'Mysterium'.
|
| 1848 |
Storm's first prose sketch, Marthe
und ihre Uhr.
Christmas Day: Birth of Hans Storm whose future difficult relationship
with his father formed the basis of the 'father-son conflict' in
Novellen such as Carsten Curator
(1878) and Hans und Heinz Kirch
(1882)
Involvement in the Schleswig-Holstein
Freedom Movement (Freiheits-bewegung) against Denmark.
Beginning of Schleswig War.
Appearance of political poems 'Ostern' ('Easter') and 'Oktoberlied'
('October Song') and poem 'Abseits' ('Apart').
Secretary of Patriotic Volunteers Society
(Patriotischen Hülfsverein).
|
| 1849 |
May: Signatory to a petition for breaking the personal union with
Denmark.
Prussian and Swedish troops occupy Schleswig.
October: Joint signatory to a letter of protest against Denmark's
changes to the State Basic Law.
Sketch Im Saal (Trans. In the Great Hall, 1964 ).
Fairy tale: Der kleine Häwelmann for
son Hans.
Completes Novelle Immensee.
(Trans. Immensee, 1999)
|
| 1850 |
Organises new elections to the State Assembly. Act declared illegal.
2 July. Denmark concludes peace with Prussia.
24 July: Danish army defeats Schleswig-Holstein troops at battle
of Idstedt.
| Autumn: Bombardment of Danish-occupied Friedrichtstadt by Schleswig-Holstein forces. |
Friedrichstadt |
Political poems 'Im Herbst' 1850 ('Autumn 1850'), 'Gräber an der
Küste' ('Graves on the Coast') and 'Ein Epilog'.
End of Schleswig War.
Begins correspondence with Eduard Mörike (1804-75).
|
| 1851 |
Birth of son Ernst.
Tale Posthuma.
Fairy tale: Hinzelmeier.
|
| 1852 |
8 May. London Protocol -- Denmark agrees not to tie Schleswig
more closely to Denmark than to its sister duchy of Holstein.
Storm's post as lawyer abolished by the Danish king. Seeks new
position in the Prussian Courts.
| Moves to Berlin. Acquaintance with members of
the literary club 'Tunnel über der Spree' founded in 1827. Members
include Emanuel Geibel (1815-84),
Paul Heyse (1830-1914) and Theodor
Fontane (1819-98). First separate edition of poems including
'Die Stadt' ('The Town'), a poem describing his home town of
Husum, the 'grey town by the sea'. |
Theodor Fontane
(1819-1898) |
|
| 1853 |
Begins correspondence with Theodor Fontane.
Birth of son Karl.
Begins correspondence with the writer Paul Heyse (1830-1914).
Family moves from Husum to Potsdam. Begins work at the Potsdam
Court; trial unpaid appointment as court official.
|
| 1854 |
Novellen: Ein
grünes Blatt (Trans. A Green Leaf, 1964) and Im
Sonnenschein (Trans. In the Sunlight, 1964). Poem: 'Für meine
Söhne' ('For my Sons') . |
| 1855 |
Birth of first daughter Lisbeth.
Visits Eduard Mörike while journeying to Stuttgart. .
Novelle Angelika.
|
| 1856 |
| Appointed Kreisrichter (Stipendiary
Magistrate) in Heiligenstadt,
near Göttingen. Moves from Potsdam. |
Heiligenstadt (c.1845) |
Publication of second edition of 'Gedichte' ('Poems') including:
'Gräber an der Küste' ('Graves on the Coast') and 'Meeresstrand'
('The Shore').
|
| 1857 |
House in centre of Heiligenstadt in Wilhelmstraße opposite the
prison, later to form the setting for Pole
Poppenspäler, (1874). Forms early friendship with Alexander
von Wussow (1820-89), Landrat von Heiligenstadt.
Humorous tale Wenn die Äpfel reif
sind.
|
| 1859 |
Novelle: Auf dem Staatshof
(Trans. The Last Farmstead, 2009).
Forms choral society in Heiligenstadt.
Receives Tafelklavier (piano) for Xmas from his father.
Third edition of 'Gedichte' ('Poems'). |
| 1860 |
Birth of daughter Lucie.
Novelle: Späte Rosen.
|
| 1861 |
Novellen: Drüben am Markt; Veronika.
Wilhelm I becomes King of Prussia.
|
| 1862 |
Ghost stories: Am Kamin (Trans. By the Fireside, 2009).
Novellen: Im Schloß, Unter dem Tannenbaum – includes the poem ‘Knecht Ruprecht’
Bismarck appointed Minister-President of Prussia. |
| 1863 |
Birth of daughter Elsabe.
Novellen: Auf der Universität, Abseits.
Death of Danish King, Frederik VII. End of agnate succession.
Death of Storm's sister Cäcilie.
Prince Friedrich of Augustenburg proclaims himself duke of an independent
Schleswig-Holstein. Demands for the separation of the duchies from
Denmark and for their entry into the German
Confederation (1814-15).
German troops occupy Holstein.
Fairy tale Die Regentrude.
|
| 1864 |
Austro-Prussian ultimatum to Denmark. Beginning of German-Danish
War. Austrian and Prussian troops occupy the duchy of Schleswig.
Storm elected Landvogt (Judge and Chief Constable)
for the district of Husum in absentia. Returns (12 March) to take up post in
Süderstraße.
Re-forms the Husum Choral Society.
July 20. End of German-Danish War. Schleswig-Holstein comes under
the joint administration of Prussia and Austria.
Fairy tale: Bulemanns Haus.
Novelle Von Jenseit des Meeres.
|
| 1865 |
Birth of daughter Gertrud.
May 20. Death of his wife, Constanze, from childbed or puerperal
fever. Begins poem-cycle 'Tiefe Schatten' ('Deep Shadows') describing
her grave.
May 24. Quiet burial of Constanze Storm.
20 August. Convention of Gastein.
Prussia takes over the administration of Schleswig, Austria that
of Holstein.
Sept.5-13. Guest of Ivan Turgenev
in Baden-Baden.
Fairy tale: Der Spiegel des Cyprianus.
Re-establishes relationship with Dorothea (Do) Jensen.
Beginning of correspondence with Paul Heyse (1830-1914).
|
| 1866 |
| June 13. Marriage to
Dorothea Jensen (1828-1903) in
the parsonage in Hattstedt.
Seven Week's Austro-Prussian War. Austrian defeat at battle
of Königgrätz (3 July). Prussian troops invade 'Austria-controlled' Holstein.
October. Move to 31 Wasserreihe,
Husum. Now the Theodor Storm Museum and centre for the Theodor Storm Society (see main
menu). |
Dorothea Jensen
(1828-1903) |
|
| 1867 |
Formation of North German Confederation.
Bismarck Chancellor.
Both duchies annexed to Prussia.
Eine Malerarbeit.
|
| 1868 |
Storm's office as Landvogt abolished by Prussian authorities.
Officially becomes Amtsrichter (District Court Judge) at much reduced
salary. Lets ground floor of house in Wasserreihe to supplement
income.
Novellen: In St. Jürgen (Trans. The Swallows of St George's, 2009).
Birth of daughter Friederike (Dodo).
First edition of Sämtliche Schriften (Collected Works)
in six volumes by G. Westermann. |
| 1869 |
Death of Lena
Wies (Magdalena Jürgens), Storm's childhood story-teller and
model for Trin' Jans in Der Schimmelreiter
(1888). |
| 1870 |
Speaks out against Franco-Prussian War
(1870-71).
Novelle: Der Amtschirurgus-Heimkehr.
|
| 1871 |
France defeated by Prussia. Founding of the German Empire.Wilhelm
I, King of Prussia, proclaimed German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors
in Versailles.
Novelle: Eine
Halligfahrt (Trans. Journey to a Hallig, 1999).
Begins correspondence with Emil Kuh, Austrian writer and critic
(1828-76).
|
| 1872 |
Novelle: Draußen
im Heidedorf (Trans.
The Village on the Moor, 2004). |
| 1873 |
Sketch: Lena Wies and
reminiscences: Von heut
und ehedem.
|
| 1874 |
Storm promoted to the position of Oberamtsrichter (District
Higher Court Judge).
14 September. Death of Storm's father.
Novellen: Viola tricolor
(Trans. Viola tricolor, 1956); Beim
Vetter Christian; Pole
Poppenspäler (Trans. Paul the Puppeteer, 2004);
Waldwinkel.
|
| 1875 |
Novellen: Ein stiller Musikant
(Trans. A Quiet Musician, 2003); Psyche;
Im Nachbarhause links.
Poem: 'Über die Heide' ('Across the Heath'); thoughts on his first
wife Constanze.
|
| 1876 |
Novelle: Aquis submersus
(Trans. Aquis submersus, 1989).
August. Visits oldest son Hans Storm studying medicine in Würzburg. |
| 1877 |
February. Second visit to Würzburg to assist his eldest and difficult
son Hans with his medical exams. Meeting with literary historian
and professor in Straßburg, Erich Schmidt (1853-1913).
|
Begins correspondence with writer Gottfried
Keller (1819-90).
Meine Erinnerungen an Eduard Mörike (My Memories
of Eduard Mörike).
|
Gottfried Keller
(1819-1890) |
|
| 1878 |
Novellen: Carsten
Curator (Trans. Carsten the Trustee, 2009); Renate
(Trans. Renate, 2004). |
| 1879 |
Novellen: Zur 'Wald- und Wasserfreude'
; Im
Brauer-haus; Eekenhof
(Trans. Eekenhof, 1908).
July 28. Death of Storm's mother.
|
| 1880 |
Early retirement. Sells house in Wasserreihe and parents' house.
Leaves Husum for Hademarschen. Builds
"Altersvilla".
Novelle: Die Söhne des Senators
(Trans. The Senator's Sons, 1965).
|
| 1881 |
April 30. Occupies "Altersvilla" in Hademarschen.
Novelle: Der Herr Etatsrat.
Visits daughter Lisbeth in Heiligenhafen. Acquires material for
Novelle Hans und Heinz Kirch (1882).
Visit by Paul Heyse (1830-1914).
|
| 1882 |
Novelle: Hans und Heinz Kirch.
(Trans. Hans and Heinz Kirch, 1999).
Visit by Erich Schmidt (1853-1913).
|
| 1883 |
Novelle: Schweigen.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria confers on Storm the Maximilian Order
for Science and Art.
|
| 1884 |
Novellen: Zur Chronik von Grieshuus
(The Grieshuus Chronicle).
'Es waren zwei Königskinder'
.
May. Visits Berlin. Banquet in his honour. Meets among others
Theodor Fontane and Theodor Mommsen, Alexander von Wussov and Ludwig
Pietsch.
|
| 1885 |
Novellen: John
Riew'; Ein Fest auf Haderslevhuus (Trans. A Festival at Haderslevhuus, 1909). |
| 1886 |
May. Journeys to Weimar. Attends first meeting of newly-founded
Goethe Society.
Novelle: Bötjer Basch.
Beginnings of severe ill-health.
December. Lone death of son Hans in Aschaffenburg. Hans' brother
Ernst attends funeral.
|
| 1887 |
Novelle: Ein Doppelgänger
(John Glückstadt). (Published together with Bötjer
Basch under the title Bei
kleinen Leuten).
Novelle: Ein Bekenntnis.
August. Holiday on Sylt; Fragment: Sylter Novelle.
September 14. Celebrates 70th birthday in Hademarschen. Made freeman
of the town of Husum.
Stomach cancer.
|
| 1888 |
|
February 9. Completes the Novelle: Der
Schimmelreiter (Trans. The Dykemaster, 1996).
Fragment: Der Armesünderglocke.
July 4. Dies of cancer in Hademarschen.
July 7. Laid to rest in family vault in St. Jürgen's cemetery,
Husum.
|
|
|
Theodor Storm
(1817-1888)
|
Sources and Acknowledgements
Freund, Winfried. Theodor Storm. (Stuttgart, 1987).
Fashold, Regina. Theodor Storm. (Leipzig, 1988).
Goldammer, Peter. Theodor Storm. (Leipzig,
1990).
Laage, Karl Ernst. Theodor Storm. Leben und Werk.
(Husum, 1979), 5th edition 1993.
Laage, Karl Ernst, Theodor Storms Welt in Bildern
(Heide, 1987).
Laage, Karl Ernst. Theodor Storm. Eine Biographie
(Heide, 1999).
Vinçon, Hartmut. Storm (Hamburg, 1972).
|
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