Frankfurt on the Oder, birthplace of poet Heinrich von Kleist

By Merle Schmalenbach Nov 8, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Frankfurt on the Oder, Germany - Much-travelled German poet and novelist Heinrich von Kleist was born in Frankfurt on the Oder in 1777 but never felt at home in the eastern German city on the Polish border from an early age.

'This is no residence of joy anymore' the young writer wrote at the age of 15 following the death of his mother. Visitors to Germany's less well-known Frankfurt today can't help but notice the countless flags with Kleist quotations as the city marks the 200th anniversary of his death, which falls on November 21. There are also lectures, plays and even Kleist cakes to be sampled, as well as a guided tour of the city starting at the Kleist museum.

The museum was established in 1969 in the building of the former garrison school, which was constructed in 1777 by Martin Friedrich Knoblauch, and is currently the location for an exhibition entitled 'Kleist: Crisis and Experiment.' Unfortunately, the exhibition does not include any of Kleist's personal possessions.

'Not even one of Kleist's snuff tobacco tins has survived,' says librarian and city tour guide Hans-Juergen Rehfeld.

Kleist was born on October 18, 1777, and came from a long line of nobility. He was baptised in the 13th century garrison church where today a concert hall stands. Kleist's birth place, which was situated a few minutes away on Oderstrasse, was destroyed in 1945 when virtually the entire centre of Frankfurt was razed to the ground.

However, there is a commemorative plaque on the gable end of the block of flats that were constructed at the location after the Second World War. 'Wealthy citizens, merchants and members of the university once lived here,' says Rehfeld.

There is a 'Kleist-WG' exhibition here made up of artworks created by schoolchildren and exploring Kleist's tendency towards doubt and self-destruction. Kleist's parents died at a young age and he became a soldier at the age of 15 before leaving service in 1799 to study at Frankfurt University. However, the writer failed to complete his studies and instead began wandering across half of Europe.

Kleist's house was once within view of St Mary's church where a memorial to the writer was erected by the city authorities in the 1970s. The memorial shows a figure with its feet in stone and face hidden. The gestures represent longing and pain, emotions that Kleist suffered throughout his life and right up until his death in Berlin in 1811.