Writer, pedagogue, author of novels about the habitants of Lower Silesia, associated with the Nazis.
Hermann Stehr came from a nonaffluent family. His father, Robert Stehr, was a locksmith and mother, Teresa Faber, a teacher. Later Hermann Stehr also took this career up. Initially, He worked in a school located In Dzbanów (close to Bard Śląski), shortly however, he became a leader of the school in Paszków (close to Polanica Zdrój). There, he started a family and began his literary career. After twelve years he moved to another school In Podgórze (Wałbrzych). The next place he moved to, from 1915, was Cieplice Śląskie (Jelenia Góra). Popularity of written at that time (1918) novel ‘Der Heiligenhof’ guaranteed him material stability and since then, he could have afforded living solely from writing. At the beginning of Weimar Republic, he was involved In German Democratic Party’s activities. In 1926 he moved to Szklarska Poręba. He was the founder of Prussian Academy of Arts (Preußische Akademie der Künste). He sympathized with, popular in 20’s and 30’s, ideas of ‘Blut und Boden’ (blood and land) with nationalist and, at the same time, rustic features. He gave voice to his affection for nationalism by signing, so called, ‘Aufruf der Kulturschaffenden’ (Appeal of the Creators of Culture) which endorsed Hitler as the premier and president of Germany. He tried to justify the murder of Ernst Rohm in the Press. After some time has passed, he resigned from devoting in political actions. He passed away In Szklarska Poręba. He was buried In Bystrzyca Kłodzka and his grave remained to this very day.
Hermann Stehr, however, is known primarily as a literary Man. The characters of his works were mostly Silesian peasants and workers. More than 30 volumes of his novels, dramas, and collections of poetry appeared in print. Works from the initial period of his generativity are determined as naturalistic, nevertheless in further time at the end of his life, motive of ‘searching the God’ appears. For this reason, some of the researchers of German literature count Stehr among, so called, escapists which means creators who did not relinquished Germany after Hitler’s death, but withdrawn from public life and touched on the subjects that are ‘detached from reality.’ Nowadays, such attitude could be referred to as ‘internal emigration.’ In appreciation of his literary contribution, He was awarded with doctorate honoris causa by the University of Wroclaw. Stehr also became the honorary citizen of Bystrzyca Kłodzka and Szklarska Poręba.
Many of the Stehr’s unpublished Works can be found In Hermann Stehr’s Archive (Hermann Stehr-Archiv) In Literature Archive (Literatur Archiv) In Marbach AM Neckar and In City and National Library (Stadt- und Landesbibliothek) In Dortmund.
Der Schlesier legt sich schlafen wie ein Vlame, springt wie ein draufgängerischer Franke in den Tag, arbeitet wie ein Pole und verliert sich, von einem sentimentalen Böhmen oder Wenden an der Linken, von einem verträumten Thüringer an der Rechten geführt, durch den Abend in die Nacht. Der Charakter der Schlesier ist wie eine Volksversammlung, die erregt debattiert, aber keine Resolution faßt...
Silesian man sleeps like a Fleming, during the day he acts like a cheeky Frank, works like a Pol during the evening he throw himself into darkness of the night with company of Sentimental Czech or Sorbian by his left side, to his right side there is dreamy man from Thuringia. From character point of view Silesian man looks like people’s assembly that is debating but in the end going nowhere.
Das Riesengebirge
Ihr Berge seid des Landes Geist, das leicht
zu euren Füßen bunte Wogen schlägt.
Was seiner Täler Sehnsucht nie erreicht,
das faßt ihr groß zusammen. Schimmernd legt
ihr an des Himmels blauen Toren nieder
des Landes Stolz und Traum der Märchenlieder.
Aus sumpf´gen Iserwälder wogt es auf
und steigt in immer kühnrer Felsenflucht,
bis sich zu jähem Höhensturz der Lauf
zusammenballt in riesenhafter Wucht.
Die Koppe steht, des Trotzes letztes Ahnen,
hoch übern Ringen arme Taltitanen.
Es schauen diesem Kampf aus Tiefen zu
der Teiche unergründlich schwarze Augen.
Sie sind bestellt, das Stürmen und die Ruh
in ihren rätselhaften Grund zu saugen.
Und wer recht lauscht, hört manchmal tief erschrocken
das Zauberklingen von versunk´nen Glocken.
Dann drehen sich im Silbermondenglanz
die Elfen auf dem weiten Riesenplan,
und, in dem Haar des Glühwurms Lichterkranz,
aus sieben Gründen Zwergenzüge nah'n.
Versteinte Orgelbälge fangen an zu pfauchen
und Wallenlieder hört man traumhaft hauchen.
Verjagt sind lange aus der Niederung
die Märchen durch der Hämmer Erzgedröhn.
Sie flohn hierher und weben, immer jung,
tiefsinn´ger Weisheit zauberhaft Getön.
Und alle, die im Herzen rein geblieben,
sehn ihre Schleier um die Felsen stieben.