Poems Without Frontiers

Hauptmann was born, as one of three sons, to an innkeeper in Ober-Salzbrunn and was the elder brother of the poet and novelist, Gerhardt. He suffered from poor health, however, which necessitated his being educated at the village school; but, from age 13, he was able to attend secondary school at Breslau. He then attended university at Jena where he studied natural science and obtained a doctorate. His first poetry dates from that time.

In 1883, he journeyed through Italy but resumed further studies in Zurich. He married Martha Thienemann, daughter of a well to do wool trader, in the following year, his brother Georg having already married a sister, Adele Thienemann, in 1881 (and Gerhardt married another sister, Marie, in 1885).

With this new found financial support he resumed studies in Zurich until, in 1889, he moved to Berlin before settling with Gerhardt, from 1891, in Schreiberhau, Riesengebirge, where he concentrated on art collecting and literary endeavours which included several novels and dramas.

Martha sought divorce proceedings in 1908 whereupon he married Maria Rohne, an artist, who bore a daughter, Monone.

Many of his works have been set to music by Berg, Reger, Teichmüller and Wolff.