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This walk through the hometown of Hermann Hesse will point out all sites linked to him and his family.
A written information leaflet on the walk is available in various languages at the cashiers of the Hermann Hesse Centre and at the Calw Tourist Office.
The town as a literary museum - locations linked to Hermann Hesse in Calw
For an overview of Hermann Hesse sites click here to download (130 KB).
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1. Marktplatz 6: Birthplace of Hermann Hesse who was born in the right-hand flat on the second floor on Monday, 02 July 1877, at 6:30 p.m.. At the time, the house was both the residence and home of the trading company of Emil Dreiß (1830 - 1880); in 1882 it became the textile business of Traugott Schiler (1855 - 1919), later the textile business of Friedrich Daur; today it is the home of the fashion store Schaber.
Hesse's parents, Johannes and Marie Hesse, lived there with their children from their marriage in 1874 until the family's move to Basle in 1881. From 1873 - 1881 Johannes Hesse was an assistant of Hermann Gundert in the Calw Publishing House.
On 15 August 1875 Hesse's elder sister Adele was born here. After his birth on 02 July 1877, Hermann Hesse was christened in the building by his grandfather Hermann Gundert on 03 August 1877. Hesse's younger brother and his sisters were also born in this building: Paul (born 14 July 1878, died 17 December 1878), Gertrud (born 06 August 1879, died 30 March 30 1880) and Marie, called Marulla (born 27 November 1880, who was also christened here on 28 December 1880).
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2. Marktplatz: Town Hall: The town hall was built in 1454. After its destruction in 1634 it was rebuilt in 1672. After again being destroyed in 1726 it was reconstructed to its present form from 1726 - 1730. In 1929 the facade was renovated. The market hall, i.e. the area beneath the arches, once hosted the town market, especially the booths of the bakers and butchers. Two large fountains, presumably built in 1586 and adorned with the heraldic lions of Calw bearing the coat of arms of the state of Wurttemberg and the town of Calw are located on the Market Place at the focal points of an ellipse. Both the Town Hall and its market hall are mentioned in Hesse's stories: 'Eine Fussreise im Herbst' and 'Schon ist die Jugend'.
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3. Salzgasse: Salzkasten ('Salt Chest'): The building was originally built in 1696. In 1722 it was named according to its function: the 'salt house' (it also accommodated the town recording office, as the salt trade was the privilege of the town). During Hesse's school years a class of the 'Latin school' (the former grammar school) was housed there. The Salzgasse is mentioned by the name of 'Hirschengasse' in the story 'Die Verlobung' which recalls the engagement of Hesse's parents.
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4. Kirchplatz 3: Corner of Schulgasse and Zwinger: Former principal's office of the Real-Lyceum, the Calw 'Latin School' (the former grammar school) which Hesse attended from July 1886 until February 1890. At the time, form 2 which was attended by Hesse was taught in the Town Hall. For an insight on Hesse's school experience refer - among others - to 'Demian', 'Das Glasperlenspiel' (The Glass Bead Game), and, above all, to 'Unterm Rad' (Beneath the wheel).
From 1871 until July 1872, Hesse's mother was the first female teacher to teach English to upper forms at a 'Realschule' (Secondary Modern School) in Wurttemberg.
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5. Marktplatz: Municipal Church: The Municipal Church was first documented in 1262. After being destroyed in 1634 and 1692 it was rebuilt around 1700 on the original foundations with a Welsh tower. After various alterations it was partly demolished in 1886 and reconstructed in 1888 with a steeple. The Protestant Municipal Church is mentioned in several of Hesse's stories, e.g. 'Aus Kinderzeiten', 'Eine Flussreise im Herbst', 'Schon ist die Jugend', 'Die Verlobung', 'Kinderseele'.
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6. Marktplatz 16: Superintendent's Office: Since 1698 this has been the seat of the Protestant town superintendent. In his story 'Vierter Lebenslauf des Josef Knecht' which was not published until 1965, Hesse describes the house as a 'special part' (Spezialat) of the administration of the religious order.
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7. Marktplatz 30: Schuz House: Built in 1813 by the ducal court architect R. F. H. Fischer on the site of the 16th century 'Latin school' (the former grammar school) and the later 'Obervogtei' ( ~ today's District Administrator's Office). Since 1982 this has been the home of the Calw Art Gallery. Since 1990 it has also hosted the Hermann Hesse Museum.
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8. Inselgasse: There once was an island between the river Nagold and one of its branches over which the road has since been built; this island was the site of the 'Schill- & Wagner'sche Deckenfabrik' (Schill & Wagner Blanket Factory) which, in 1895, became the 'Vereinigte Decken- und Tuchfabriken AG Calw' (United Blanket and Textile Mills Calw). This is where the Italians lived who found work building the railway around 1870. Also refer to Hesse's story 'Hans Dierlamms Lehrzeit'. On 01 July 1895 a tornado raged here which was described by Hesse in his story 'Der Zyklon'.
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9. Bruhl: The former festival site and playground of the town was adorned with three rows of linden trees. The area plays a part in the story 'Der Lateinschuler', in 'Eine Fussreise im Herbst' and, above all, in 'Der Zyklon' where it is described as 'once being quiet and forgotten'.
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10. Hirsauer Straße: Cemetery: Since 1618 this has been the graveyard of the town of Calw. Beside the lower wall is located the communal grave of the Schill family. Members of the Hesse and the Gundert families, who were related in marriage to the Schills, are also buried in this grave: Hesse's mother, Marie, Gundert by birth, widowed Isenberg (18 October 1842 - 24 April 1902); Hesse's maternal grandfather Hermann Gundert, PhD, from 1836 until 1859 missionary in East India (04 February 1814 - 24 April 1893); Hesse's grandmother on his mother's side Julie Gundert, nee Dubois (01 October 1809 - 18 September 1885); his great-aunt, Uranie Dubois (15 January 1806 - 15 January 1885), who had lived in Calw since 1872; his uncle and aunt, Friedrich Gundert (07 March 1847 - 15 July 1925) and Emma Gundert, nee Heermann (04 July 1848 - 01 October 1918); his aunt was a member of the Schill family
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11. Bischofstraße 70: The public house was renovated and extended around 1870 by Georg Thudium (1854 - 1892) and a skittle alley was added. The large hall became renowned in the town as a place for meeting and lectures. - The public house is mentioned in 'Eine Fußreise im Herbst' as 'Schwabischer Hof am Bruhl' and as 'Bayerischer Hof' in the story 'Die Heimkehr'.
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12. Bischofstraße 52: Stone House: It was built in South Tyrolean style in 1694 by the theologian and long-time preceptor of the Calw Latin School (former grammar school), Johann Martin Schill (1675 - 1751). Christoph Friedrich Oetinger, who often visited the Schill's house during his years in Hirsau, referred to the preceptor in his autobiography as an 'unusual man' whose life 'revolved around God' and who 'was very introverted' and 'followed the impressions of his soul'. - Hesse's uncle, Friedrich Gundert, managing director of the Calw Publishing House and head of the Calw church choir, was a great admirer of Johann Sebastian Bach. On his marriage to Emma Heermann, last heiress to the Schill house, one of the 'oldest' and 'most beautiful' houses of the town became a house of music. The Stone House is the main scene of events in the story 'Schon ist die Jugend' and the reminiscences 'Herr Claaßen'.
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13. Bischofstraße 48: Vischer House / Vischer Palace: The house was built between 1787 and 1791 by the ducal court architect R. F: H. Fischer for the 'Rafting and Timber Trading Company'. It was the birthplace of Emilie Vischer (1799 - 1881) who later got married to the poet Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862). - From 1964 - 1990 this was Calw's commemoration centre to Hesse. It still houses the Town Archives.
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14. Weinsteg: As far back as in the Middle Ages this crossing of the river Nagold had been referred to as 'Weinsteg' (German for 'wine footbridge'). In 1863, the former bridge was replaced by a narrow iron construction. It plays a part in the chase after Polly, the escaped parrot, in the story 'Aus Kinderzeiten'.
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15. Lederstraße 32: Andrea House: This was originally the wool storage of the Calw Cloth Manufacturing and Trading Company. It later became the Protestant parish hall and was named after Johann Valentin Andrea (1587 - 1654), superintendent of Calw and later court preacher of Stuttgart. -
On the opposite of the house, in 'Biergasse', Hermann Hesse's brother Hans became an apprentice salesman to Johannes Hinderer (born in 1869) in October 1896. In the story 'Ein Knabenstreich' the character 'Samuel Leukardt, known as the 'Sammetwedel', had his shop there.
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16. Lederstraße 24: This house belonged to the Staudenmeyer family and the Hesses lived here on the second floor from September 1889 until June 1893. Today these are the business premises of the company 'Flory'. - The house of the municipal court clerk Emil Staudenmeyer (1857 - 1926) was the scene of the 'fig theft' in the story 'Kinderseele'.
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17. Marktstraße 4 - 6: In the late 1880s, the junction of the Market Place with Marktstraße was the site of Mrs. Haas' fruit stall, the toyshop of Jakob Jenisch (1851 - 1939) and the workshop of the coppersmith Heinrich Kirn (1841 - 1911). - Refer to the story 'Unterbrochene Schulstunde'.
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18. Georgenaum: 'A propagation centre for true and varied national education, founded as an institution for the encouragement of trade and industry, art and knowledge for the public benefit' by Consul General Emil von Georgii-Georgenau (1828 - 1902). It was officially opened in May 1871. - This is where Johannes Hesse held his missionary lectures. Today, painting and drawing lessons are held here, and concerts are performed by the choir and the church choral group. Portraits of famous Calw citizens are also on display here.
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19. Am Schießberg 9: Hermann Hesse Grammar School. This was the site of the town's former hospital and poorhouse. - Refer to the story 'In der alten Sonne'.
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20. Metzgergasse: Beside the supporting wall opposite the youth hostel would have been the public house of Philipp Manz frequented by the beneficiaries of the hospital in Hesse's story 'In der alten Sonne'. - The 'Metzgergasse' is referred to as 'Josef-Knecht-Gasse' in 'The Glass Bead Game'. - Hesse's grandfather, Hermann Gundert, and his family lived here before moving into the building of the Calw Publishing House.
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21. Badstraße: House and metal workshop of the locksmith Gottlob Mohr (born in 1843) and his sons Gottlob (born in 1872), August (born in 1874) and Hermann (1879 - 1889) who was known as 'Mohrle' in the story 'Erlebnis aus der Knabenzeit'. Hesse's grandfather, Hermann Gundert, and his son Paul both held Gottfried Mohr senior in high esteem.
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22. Hermann Hesse Square and 23. Nikolaus Bridge:
The oldest stone bridge across the river Nagold which carries the chapel of St. Nikolaus on its central pillar is Calw's most important landmark. The bridge was built around 1400, renovated in 1863/64 and 1926 when the chapel was adorned with a new tower. The small square on the West side of the bridge was Hesse's 'most favourite place in the whole town' and he wrote that 'even the Cathedral square in Florence was nothing compared to it'. In 1920 and by decision of the town council, the fountain situated in the small square was named 'Hermann Hesse Fountain'. It was later moved to the vicinity of the Bruhl but returned to its original position during the town redevelopment in the 1970s. In the meantime, the square has been named after Hesse and today is known as 'Hermann Hesse Square'.
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24. The River Nagold: At the end of the 19th century there were small islands both above and below the Nikolaus Bridge and this was where the children and young people of the town used to swim. The 'Obere Muhle' (upper mill), birthplace of the former town physician and later Lord Mayor of Freiburg / Saxony Ulrich Rulein (1465 - 1523), was once situated at the weir where the electric power station has been built. Opposite the lower island stood the 'Mittlere Muhle' (central mill), next to which was a workshop of the Perrot tower-clock factory. The 'Stellfalle' (a partial weir) upstream was necessary for the rafters to achieve the required speed to pass under the bridge.
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25. Junction Nikolaus Bridge / Bischofstraße: Until 1692 this was the site of the town hospital. In 1791 the Town Mayor Hasenmayer built a town house here which later became the residence and trading company of the Reichert family. As far back as in 1723, the town house opposite of it, at Bahnhofstraße 2, built by the ducal court architect R. F. H. Fischer, accommodated one of the best inns of the region, the 'Waldhorn'. Ludwig Uhland stayed here in 1812 (his future wife, Emilie Vischer, was first mentioned in his diary in 1814), as did Hermann Hesse in 1931. - Refer to the story 'Hans Amstein'.
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26. Bahnhofstraße 1: Giebenrath House, today's 'Alte Post'. The baker and innkeeper Heinrich Giebenrath (1853 - 1939) was the direct neighbour of the Gunderts who lived at Bischofstraße 4. The name 'Giebenrath' is mentioned in the stories 'Garibaldi', 'Der Hausierer' and, above all, in 'Beneath the Wheel'.
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27. Bahnhofstraße 20: Mechanical workshop of Heinrich Perrot (1864 to 1949), son of Johann Immanuel Perrot (1835 - 1898). This is where Hermann Hesse worked as an apprentice machinist from June 1894 until the middle of September 1895. - Refer to the story 'Aus der Werkstatt'. - In the foreword to the collection of works 'Gerbersau' Hesse describes a walk from the former train station to the town centre. Refer to 'Beneath the Wheel', 'Hans Dierlamms Lehrzeit', 'Das erste Abenteuer' and 'Schon ist die Jugend'.
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28. Bischofstraße 4: From 1854 - 1929 this was the seat of the Calw Publishing House which had been founded in Mottlingen near Calw in 1836. Hesse's grandfather Hermann Gundert and both of his parents worked there between 1862 and 1905. From 1862 until 1893 this was the official residence of Hermann Gundert and his family. From 1886 - 1889 and from 1893 - 1905 the Hesses lived there with their children and this is the house which Hesse refers to as his 'real parental home' 'where his grandfather's library' was situated. This is where the descriptions on the lives of 'Boccaccio' (1903/1904) and 'Franz von Assisi' and the story 'Beneath the Wheel' (1903/1904) were completed. The building which today houses the 'Drogeriemarkt Muller' (Muller Drugstore) has almost totally lost its original appearance. Only the garden house, the veranda facing the hillside and the railway tracks have remained unchanged.
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29. Bischofsbrunnen (Bischof-Fountain) in the Central Bus Station (ZOB).
This fountain was originally a well in a neighbouring cellar from which Hesse as a child used to fetch drinking water in a grey-blue jug from Stuttgart for his father when he was 'sick of tap-water from the kitchen'. Hesse referred to his father as an 'an ascetic gentleman who was nevertheless a gourmet of the simple things'.
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30. Hirsau, Wildbader Straße 2: Feldweg House in Hirsau; this is today the 'Kloster Hirsau Hotel'. Walks on the 'Wiesenweg' along the river Nagold to Hirsau were traditionally part of a typical Sunday for the Hesse family. Final destination of these excursions was the home of Georg Heinrich Feldweg, inspector of roadworks (1812 - 1895), whose daughter Johanna Beate (1855 - 1935) was married in her second marriage to Hesse's uncle David Gundert (1850 - 1945), wholesale bookseller of the Calw Publishing House in Stuttgart and founder and head of the D. Gundert Publishing House in Stuttgart.
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Many places in and around Calw have been described in Hesse's works in such detail that the reader has no difficulty in finding them even after almost a century.
At this point, we would especially like to thank Siegfried Greiner for his vivid commentary 'Hermann Hesse. Jugend in Calw' (published by Thorbecke in Sigmaringen in 1981) which was gratefully used for reference.
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