Hölderlin
Among the many remarkable stories of Hölderlin’s life is the tale of Ernst Zimmer, a master carpenter who generously took in the troubled poet into his home and family. An ardent admirer of Hyperion, Zimmer offered sanctuary and care to Hölderlin upon his release from the psychiatric institution. From his room, the poet looked out upon an expansive landscape, for the Neckar River was still wild and its current strong. Neither the Neckar Island with its yet-to-be-planted tree-lined avenue, nor the present-day outlook of Tübingen existed at that time.
The life and work of Friedrich Hölderlin, the poetic genius often considered insane, have been endlessly debated and evaluated over the past two and a half centuries. Much has been romanticized and detached from reality. A tendency prevailed to either idealize Hölderlin as a purely spiritual figure incapable of earthly love or to reduce his profound artistic contributions to mere manifestations of his mental illness. His life, particularly his enigmatic three decades in the Tübingen Tower, has been a subject of intense scrutiny and debate. Questions of sanity, creativity, and societal norms converge in the complex figure of Hölderlin, a man who, precisely because of his outsider status, possessed a profound capacity for existential inquiry. Some critics dismissed Hölderlin’s innovative language as mere evidence of insanity, as exemplified by Dr. Wilhelm Lange’s “word salad” diagnosis (in Hölderlin. Eine Pathographie, Tübingen 1908), while others elevated him to the status of a romantic genius.
A radical thinker and writer, Hölderlin surpassed his contemporaries in his avant-garde approach. His poetry is fundamentally musical, its essence captured in sound, harmony, and rhythm. To truly appreciate Hölderlin, one must engage with the spoken, heard, or sung word, as his work is characterized by intricate rhythms and dynamic tension. The intricate metrics of his verses, often conceived during his walks, reveal a poetic genius of extraordinary depth. Hölderlin is said to have been tirelessly on the move, initially fleeing his intended profession as a pastor, but also in his later years. Already considered mentally confused, he would walk up and down the Neckar for four to five hours every day from early morning, on a narrow path that belonged to the garden of the tower where he lived for the last 36 years of his life. He repeatedly destroyed his footwear in this way. A gifted musician, Hölderlin possessed exceptional skill on the piano, violin, and flute. During his seminary days, his flute virtuosity was such that his teacher, the blind flutist Friedrich Ludwig Dulon (1769–1826), reportedly abandoned his instruction, acknowledging that he had nothing further to impart to the theology student. Hölderlin’s days in the Tübingen Tower were spent in solitude, dedicated to his craft of poetry and music.
Hölderlin’s gait, rhythm, ceaseless movements, and wanderings (e.g., from one tutoring position to another) are juxtaposed with periods of isolation and confinement (e.g., during his treatment at the Tübingen Clinic) in these animations, all set against the backdrop of music, which serves as a comforting melody and rhythm throughout his life and work. Hölderlin suffered in his own time, remained misunderstood – certainly not only due to his mental state – and was even almost forgotten for periods. The diversity and multifaceted nature of the Hölderlin compositions in the 20th century serve as evidence of the poet’s anticipation of avant-garde aesthetics, as he found refuge from his own time within the confines of a tower for decades.
Der Avantgardist Hölderlin dachte und schrieb radikaler als viele seiner Zeitgenossen. Die Essenz seines Werkes besteht in der Musik, in Klang, Harmonie und Rhythmus. Hölderlins Poesie erschließt sich am besten im Prozess des Sprechens, Hörens oder Singens, da sie rhythmisch komplex und spannungsreich aufgebaut ist. Seine Gedichte sind metrische Wunder, die er oftmals im Gehen erfand. Unermüdlich soll Hölderlin in Bewegung gewesen sein, zunächst auf der Flucht vor dem vorgesehenen Beruf als Pfarrer, aber auch noch in seinen späten Jahren. Bereits als geistig verwirrt geltend, lief er täglich von früh an vier bis fünf Stunden am Neckar auf und ab, auf einem schmalen Weg, der zum Garten des Turms gehört, in dem er für die letzten 36 Jahre seines Lebens wohnte. Immer wieder hat er auf diese Weise sein Schuhwerk zerstört. Hölderlin war ein äußerst begabter Musiker. Er spielte Klavier, Geige und Flöte, letztere bereits in seiner Zeit im Stift so virtuos, dass sein Lehrer, der blinde Flötenvirtuose Friedrich Ludwig Dulon (1769–1826), angeblich aufgegeben haben soll, Hölderlin zu unterrichten, weil er dem Studenten der Theologie nichts mehr beibringen konnte. Seine Tage im Tübinger Turm als weltabgewandter Dichter verbrachte Hölderlin dichtend und musizierend.
Auch in den Animationen werden Hölderlins Gang, der Rhythmus, seine unablässigen Bewegungen, seine Wanderungen (z.B. von einer Hauslehrerstelle zur nächsten) im Kontrast zu den Zeiten der Isolation und Fixierung (z.B. während der Behandlung in der Tübinger Klinik) in Bezug zur Musik gesetzt, die sich als tröstender Klang und Rhythmus durch Leben und Werk zieht. Hölderlin litt an seiner eigenen Zeit, blieb unverstanden – sicher nicht nur aufgrund seiner psychischen Verfassung – und er wurde phasenweise sogar fast vergessen. Als Beleg für die Vorwegnahme der Ästhetik der Avantgarde durch den Dichter, der jahrzehntelang in einem Turm Zuflucht vor seiner eigenen Zeit fand, dienen die Vielfalt und Vielgestaltigkeit der Hölderlin-Kompositionen im 20. Jahrhundert.
The captivating essence of Hölderlin, a historical figure interpreted by many celebrated thinkers and artists, lies in his early refusal to become a mere cog in the machinery of a seemingly functional world. Hölderlin defied the prescribed path of a theologian, embodying an extreme sensitivity and vulnerability, yet capable of extraordinary feats. He experienced love and suffering with great intensity, displaying a mercurial nature and the capacity for profound emotions. He experienced love and suffering with great intensity, displaying a capacity for both profound joy and deep sorrow.
Friedrich Hölderlin spent five years immersed in the study of philosophy and theology at the esteemed Tübingen Evangelical Stift (Seminary). While the Stift is a lively and idyllic place today, in Hölderlin’s time it was a rather strict and outdated training center for prospective pastors. Almost immediately after his enrollment, Hölderlin began complaining about the cold, the meager food, and the overall living conditions, pleading with his mother to allow him to switch to studying law. However, his request was denied, primarily due to the high financial costs associated with such a change in course. In 1793, Hölderlin left the Stift, but instead of pursuing a career in the clergy, he opted to work as a tutor for wealthy families.
Susette Gontard (1769-1802) held a unique and profound position in Friedrich Hölderlin’s life, surpassing all his other romantic entanglements. She was not only his intellectual companion but also the inspiration for his literary character Diotima. Despite their deep connection, Susette was already married to another man. Their clandestine love affair could not remain hidden from her husband, a wealthy Frankfurt merchant, and Hölderlin was forced to abruptly leave the Gontard household where he had been employed as a tutor. The love letters Susette Gontard penned for Friedrich Hölderlin, published only in the 20th century, were held close to his heart, tucked away in a hidden compartment of a suitcase that accompanied him throughout his life, even during his years of confinement in a tower. These letters poignantly reveal the immense challenges Hölderlin and Susette faced in maintaining their connection and the profound emotional anguish they endured due to their separation.
One of the most significant events in Hölderlin’s life was his journey on foot from Nürtingen to Bordeaux in the winter of 1801/1802. As a passionate walker, Hölderlin often found inspiration for his poetry while on the move. The Alpine crossing was perilous, and Hölderlin carried a loaded pistol for protection against bandits, revolutionaries, and other dangers. In Bordeaux, he saw the sea for the first time, an experience that deeply affected him.
This period in his life also coincided with the French Revolution, which greatly influenced his thinking.
While Hölderlin was in Bordeaux, his beloved Susette Gontard contracted rubella and passed away at the tender age of thirty-three on June 22, 1802. The exact circumstances surrounding Hölderlin’s learning of his “Diotima’s” death remain unclear, but a letter from his friend Isaac von Sinclair dated June 30, 1802, confirms the news of her passing. Her death left an indelible scar on Hölderlin’s soul, inflicting a pain that would linger forever.
Following his return from Bordeaux in 1802, Hölderlin’s mental state deteriorated significantly. In 1805, his doctor in Homburg issued a report stating that Hölderlin’s condition had worsened to the point of insanity. In September 1806, he was forcibly taken to the new university clinic in Tübingen under the care of Dr. Johann Ferdinand Heinrich Autenrieth. Despite being considered a progressive physician, Autenrieth’s treatment methods proved ineffective and even harmful, resulting in Hölderlin’s mercury poisoning and further exacerbating his personality changes. Hölderlin remained confined and subjected to involuntary treatment for nearly eight months at the clinic.
For the last 36 years of his life, Friedrich Hölderlin retreated from the world, spending his days in seclusion at the Tübingen Tower, where he was cared for by the Zimmer family. He dedicated his time to writing poetry and composing music. Each day, he embarked on long walks along the narrow Neckar River path, often wearing out his shoes. The rhythm of his footsteps is said to have inspired the rhythmic patterns in his poetry.
Much has been written and speculated about Hölderlin’s mental state but the truth remains elusive. Many aspects of his life, particularly his time in the Tübingen Tower, remain shrouded in controversy, sparking debates about normalcy, madness, and artistry. Hölderlin’s nonconformity to the norms of his time made him a keen observer, delving into profound existential questions. Ironically, it was his later poems written during his seclusion in the tower that became a source of inspiration for modern music.
Über seinen Geisteszustand wurde und wird vieles geschrieben und wenig gewusst. Vieles in seiner Lebensgeschichte, und vor allem die Zeit im Tübinger Turm sind umstritten, es tobt ein Streit um Normalität, Wahnsinn und Künstlertum. Hölderlin passte nicht in die Norm der damaligen Gesellschaft und war gerade darum ein scharfsinniger Beobachter, der existentiellen Fragen auf den Grund ging. Doch gerade die späten Turmgedichte wurden zur Inspirationsquelle für die Musik der Moderne.
