Peter Hamm (27 February 1937 – 22 July 2019) was a German poet, author, journalist, editor, and literary critic. He wrote several documentaries, including ones about

Ingeborg Bachmann Ingeborg Bachmann (25 June 1926 – 17 October 1973) was an Austrian poet and author. Biography Bachmann was born in Klagenfurt, in the Austrian state of Carinthia, the daughter of Olga (née Haas) and Matthias Bachmann, a schoolteacher. Her fa ...

and

Peter Handke Peter Handke (; born 6 December 1942) is an Austrian novelist, playwright, translator, poet, film director, and screenwriter. He was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored t ...

. He wrote for the German weekly newspapers ''

Der Spiegel ''Der Spiegel'' (, lit. ''"The Mirror"'') is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of 695,100 copies, it was the largest such publication in Europe in 2011. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...

'' and ''

Die Zeit ''Die Zeit'' (, "The Time") is a German national weekly newspaper published in Hamburg in Germany. The newspaper is generally considered to be among the German newspapers of record and is known for its long and extensive articles. History The ...

'', among others. From 1964 to 2002, Hamm worked as

contributing editor A contributing editor is a newspaper, magazine or online job title that varies in its responsibilities. Often, but not always, a contributing editor is a "high-end" freelancer, consultant, or expert who has proven ability and has readership dra ...

for culture for the broadcaster

Bayerischer Rundfunk Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR; "Bavarian Broadcasting") is a public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, capital city of the Free State of Bavaria in Germany. BR is a member organization of the ARD consortium of public broadcas ...

. He was also a jury member of literary prizes, and critic for a regular literary club of the Swiss television company

Schweizer Fernsehen Schweizer Fernsehen (SF; "Swiss Television") is the German-language division of SRG SSR, in charge of production and distribution of television programmes in Switzerland for German-speaking Switzerland. It has its head office in Zürich. ...

Early life and education

Hamm was born in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

in 1937. His mother died in 1940, and he grew up with her parents in Weingarten,

Oberschwaben Upper Swabia (german: Oberschwaben or ) is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.''Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.'' 19. Auflage. Band 16, 1991, p. 72. The name refers to the area between the Sw ...

, and in several Catholic boarding schools. He dropped out of school at age 14. He worked on a farm and began as an apprentice to be a

bookseller Bookselling is the commercial trading of books which is the retail and distribution end of the publishing process. People who engage in bookselling are called booksellers, bookdealers, bookpeople, bookmen, or bookwomen. The founding of librari ...

, but did not complete it.

Career

His first published poems appeared in the literary magazine ''

Akzente Akzente is a German literary magazine that was founded in 1953 by Walter Höllerer and Hans Bender. From February 1954 to 2014, it appeared every two months in the Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich, with the subtitle "Zeitschrift für Literatur" (Journa ...

'' in 1954 when he was age 17 and in 1956 he was invited to read at the

Gruppe 47 Gruppe 47 (Group 47) was a group of participants in German writers' meetings, invited by Hans Werner Richter between 1947 and 1967. The meetings served the dual goals of literary criticism as well as the promotion of young, unknown authors. In a de ...

. From 1959, he travelled to the GDR several times where he met authors such as

Peter Huchel Peter Huchel (April 3, 1903 – April 30, 1981), born Hellmut Huchel, was a German poet and editor. Life Huchel was born in Lichterfelde (now part of Berlin). From 1923 to 1926, Huchel studied literature and philosophy in Berlin, Freiburg and ...

and

Sarah Kirsch Sarah Kirsch (; 16 April 1935 – 5 May 2013) was a German poet. Biography Sarah Kirsch was originally born Ingrid Bernstein in Limlingerode, Prussian Saxony but had changed her first name to Sarah in order to protest against her father's an ...

. He met

Paul Celan Paul Celan (; ; 23 November 1920 – c. 20 April 1970) was a Romanian-born German-language poet and translator. He was born as Paul Antschel to a Jewish family in Cernăuți (German: Czernowitz), in the then Kingdom of Romania (now Chernivtsi, U ...

in Paris. He studied literature not at universities, but by means of direct communication with authors, including

Nelly Sachs Nelly Sachs (; 10 December 1891 – 12 May 1970) was a German-Swedish poet and playwright. Her experiences resulting from the rise of the Nazis in World War II Europe transformed her into a poignant spokesperson for the grief and yearnings of he ...

, with whom he corresponded. Hamm worked for the publisher from 1959 to 1960. He then was a freelance writer and journalist, publishing literary and music criticism in ''

'' and ''

'', among others. From 1964 to 2002, Hamm worked as ''Kulturredakteur'' (

for culture) for the

. He wrote several television documentaries, including portraits of

Heinrich Böll Heinrich Theodor Böll (; 21 December 1917 – 16 July 1985) was a German writer. Considered one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers, Böll is a recipient of the Georg Büchner Prize (1967) and the Nobel Prize for Literature (1972). ...

and

Martin Walser Martin Walser (; born 24 March 1927) is a German writer. Life Walser was born in Wasserburg am Bodensee, on Lake Constance. His parents were coal merchants, and they also kept an inn next to the train station in Wasserburg. He described the e ...

. Hamm was a member of the

Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung The Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung (in English German Academy for Language and Literature) was founded on 28 August 1949, on the 200th birthday of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt. It is seated in Darmstadt, ...

from 1991, serving as its vice president, and of the

Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste in München (Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts) is an association of renowned personalities in Munich, Bavaria. It was founded by the Free State of Bavaria in 1948, continuing a tradition established in 1808 by ...

from 1996. He was a member of the German section of the Pen Zentrum. He was a jury member of the

Petrarca-Preis Petrarca-Preis was a European literary and translation award named after the Italian Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarca or Petrarch. Founded in 1975 by German art historian and publisher Hubert Burda, it was primarily designed for contemporary ...

, the

Peter-Huchel-Preis Peter-Huchel-Preis is a literature prize awarded in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The Peter Huchel Prize for German-language poetry, donated by the state of Baden-Württemberg and Südwestrundfunk, has been awarded since 1983 for an outstanding lyri ...

and of the monthly

Preis der SWR-Bestenliste Preis der SWR-Bestenliste is a literature prize awarded in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Winners *1978 Gerhard Roth *1979 Ludwig Fels *1980 Otto F. Walter *1981 Peter Weiss *1982 Franz Fühmann *1983 Oskar Pastior *1984 Christa Reinig *1985 ...

, among others. He belonged to the critics team of the monthly '' Literaturclub'' of the

from 1990 to 2014. He received the

Grimme-Preis The Grimme-Preis ("Grimme Award"; prior to 2011: Adolf-Grimme-Preis) is one of the most prestigious German television awards. It is named after the first general director of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Adolf Grimme.Hans Werner Henze Hans Werner Henze (1 July 1926 – 27 October 2012) was a German composer. His large oeuvre of works is extremely varied in style, having been influenced by serialism, atonality, Stravinsky, Italian music, Arabic music and jazz, as well as t ...

Personal life and death

Since the 1970s, Hamm had been the partner of

Marianne Koch Marianne Koch (; born 19 August 1931) is a German actress of the 1950s and 1960s, best known for her appearances in Spaghetti Westerns and adventure films of the 1960s. She later worked as a television host and as a physician. Career Betwee ...

. They lived in

Tutzing Tutzing is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria, Germany, on the west bank of the Starnberger See. Just 40 km south-west of Munich and with good views of the Alps, the town was traditionally a favorite vacation spot for th ...

. Hamm died on 22 July 2019. A cause of death was not given.

Published works

Poetry collections

* ''Sieben Gedichte'', (cover:

HAP Grieshaber Helmut Andreas Paul Grieshaber or HAP Grieshaber (15 February 1909 – 12 May 1981) was a German artist. His preferred medium was large format woodcuts. Biography Grieshaber was born in Rot an der Rot. He went to school in Nagold and later in R ...

). Stierstadt im Taunus (Eremiten-Presse) 1958 * ''Der Balken'', Gedichte. Munich - Vienna (

Carl Hanser Verlag The Carl Hanser Verlag was founded in 1928 by Carl Hanser in Munich and is one of the few medium-sized publishing companies in the German-speaking area still owned by the founding family. History From the very beginning, the publishing house h ...

) 1981 * ''Die verschwindende Welt,'' Gedichte, Hanser 1985 * ''Die verschwindende Welt,'' Gedichte, Frankfurt am Main ( Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag) 1988 * ''Den Traum bewahren'', Gedichte und Essays, editor: Gisela Lindner, Friedrichshafen 1989

Essay collections

* ''Der Wille zur Ohnmacht'', Munich - Vienna (Edition Akzente, Carl Hanser Verlag) 1992 * ''Aus der Gegengeschichte / Lobreden und Liebeserklärungen'', Munich - Vienna n (Edition Akzente Carl Hanser Verlag) 1997 * ''Die Kunst des Unmöglichen oder Jedes Ding hat (mindestens) drei Seiten. Aufsätze zur Literatur.'', Munich - Vienna (Edition Akzente Carl Hanser Verlag) 2007 * ''Pessoas Traum oder: "Sei vielgestaltig wie das Weltall!" Aufsätze zur Literatur.'', Munich - Vienna (Edition Akzente Carl Hanser Verlag) 2012 * ''Ins Freie! Wege, Umwege und Irrwege in der modernen Schweizer Literatur.'', Zürich (

Limmat Verlag Limmat Verlag is a Swiss publishing house, headquartered at ''Quellenstrasse 25'', 8003 Zürich, Switzerland. Founded in 1975 in Zürich, it is specialized in political history. History and publishing fields A group of young historians document ...

) 2014 * ''Peter Handke und kein Ende. Stationen einer Annäherung.''. Wallstein, Göttingen 2017,

Essay

* ''Untröstlichkeit und Trost'' – eulogy for the recipient of the Herbert von Karajan Music Prize,

Alfred Brendel Alfred Brendel KBE (born 5 January 1931) is an Austrian classical pianist, poet, author, composer, and lecturer who is known particularly for his performances of Mozart, Schubert, Schoenberg, and Beethoven.Stephen Plaistow"Brendel, Alfred" ''G ...

, in ''Alfred Brendel zu Ehren'', Warmbronn (Verlag Ulrich Keicher) 2009

Talks as books

/ Peter Hamm: ''Es leben die Illusionen – Gespräche in Chaville und anderswo.'' Göttingen (Wallstein Verlag) 2006 ** French edition: ''Vive les illusions! Entretiens. Traduit de l'allemand par Anne Weber.'' Paris (Christian Bourgois Éditeur) 2008 ** Spanish edition: ''Vivan las ilusiones – Conversaciones en Chaville Y en otros lugares. Traducción de Eustaquio Barjau.'' Valencia (De la Presente Edición: Pre-Textos) 2011 *

Thomas Bernhard Nicolaas Thomas Bernhard (; 9 February 1931 – 12 February 1989) was an Austrian novelist, playwright and poet who explored death, social injustice, and human misery in controversial literature that was deeply pessimistic about modern civilizati ...

/ Peter Hamm: ''Sind Sie gern böse? Ein Nachtgespräch zwischen Thomas Bernhard und Peter Hamm im Hause Bernhard in Ohlsdorf.'' Frankfurt am Main (Suhrkamp-Verlag) 2011 ** Spanish edition: ''?Le gusta ser malvado? Trad. del alemán por Miguel Sáenz.'' Madrid (Alianza Editorial) 2013

As editor

* ''Licht hinterm Eis – Schwedische Lyrik von 1900 – 1957. Auswahl und Übersetzung gemeinsam mit Stig Schönberg von Peter Hamm.'' Stierstadt im Taunis (Verlag Eremiten Presse) 1957 * ''Die Kornblumen und die Städte – Tschechische Poesie unseres Jahrhunderts. Herausgegeben und übertragen gemeinsam mit Elisabeth Borchers von Peter Hamm.'' Stierstadt im Taunus (Verlag Eremiten Presse) 1962 * ''Aussichten – Junge Lyriker des deutschen Sprachraums - vorgestellt von Peter Hamm.'' Munich (Biederstein Verlag) 1966 * ''Welches Tier gehört zu dir? Eine poetische Arche Noah – errichtet von Peter Hamm.'' Munich / Vienna (Carl Hanser Verlag) 1984 * ''Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen blühn – Italien im deutschen Gedicht. Herausgegeben von Peter Hamm.'' Frankfurt am Main (Insel Verlag) 1987 * ''Kritik / von wem / für wen / wie – Eine Selbstdarstellung der Kritik. Herausgegeben von Peter Hamm.'' Munich (Carl Hanser Verlag) 1968 ** Spanish edition: ''Critica de la Critica.'' Barcelona (Barral) 1971 * ''Artur Lundkvist Gedichte'', edited and with an epilogue by Hamm, Cologne – Berlin (Verlag

Kiepenheuer & Witsch Kiepenheuer & Witsch is a German publishing house, established in 1948 by Joseph C. Witsch and on behalf of Gustav Kiepenheuer (who was already terminally ill). The partners initially held respectively 30% and 40% of the company's share capita ...

) 1963 * ''Peter Handke / Hermann Lenz: Briefwechsel. Mit einem Essay von Peter Hamm.'', Frankfurt am Main (Insel Verlag) 2006

TV film

* ''Alfred Brendel, Pianist. Ein Porträt.'', book and direction, 45’. Radio Bremen 1973 * ''Alfred Brendel spielt Schubert.'' TV series in 13 sequences, music and image direction, Radio Bremen (Studio Hamburg) 1976–1977 * ''Heinrich Böll – Nobelpreisträger'', book and direction, 60', from the series ''Nobelpreisträger'', Bavaria Produktionsgesellschaft 1974 * ''Die verbotene Schönheit – der Komponist Hans Werner Henze'', book and direction, 90',

Westdeutscher Rundfunk Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln (''West German Broadcasting Cologne''; WDR, ) is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the conso ...

1976 (

Grimme-Preis The Grimme-Preis ("Grimme Award"; prior to 2011: Adolf-Grimme-Preis) is one of the most prestigious German television awards. It is named after the first general director of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Adolf Grimme. * ''"Der ich unter Menschen nicht leben kann". Auf der Suche nach Ingeborg Bachmann.'', book and direction, 120', Westdeutscher Rundfunk / SWF 1980. * ''"Ich stehe immer noch vor der Tür des Lebens". Robert Walser und die schöne Kunst des Unterliegens.'', book and direction, 120', SWF/WDR 1986

Films

* '' Die Moral der Ruth Halbfass'', script, directed by

Volker Schlöndorff Volker Schlöndorff (; born 31 March 1939 Friday) is a German film director, screenwriter and producer who has worked in Germany, France and the United States. He was a prominent member of the New German Cinema of the late 1960s and early 1970s, ...

, 1972 * ''Übernachtung in Tirol'', script, directed by Schlöndorff, 1973

References

External links

* * Peter Hamm
"Das Zeitliche mit dem Ewigen verwechseln"
(laudatio for

Wulf Kirsten Wulf Kirsten (21 June 1934 – 14 December 2022) was a German poet, novelist, and publisher. He is known for his nature poetry and his essays on the history and culture of Saxony. The son of a stonemason, Kirsten was born in Klipphausen, Meisse ...

, in German)

Evangelische Akademie Tutzing The ' (Protestant Academy of Tutzing) is an education and conference center in Tutzing, Bavaria, run by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria. It was founded in 1947. The main building is Schloss Tutzing on Lake Starnberg. The academy awards ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamm, Peter 1937 births 2019 deaths Writers from Munich German poets German literary critics Bayerischer Rundfunk people