May 2002 - Nr. 5
"Hesse Year" Kicks Off in German Capital
TWIG - A new exhibition on world religions opened in Berlin Thursday evening (April 18), the first in a series of German events honouring the writer Hermann Hesse. Throughout 2002, the 125th anniversary of Hesse’s birth will be celebrated in Berlin, in his native town, Calw (Baden-Wuerttemberg), and in many other European cities, with a focus on his role as a champion of tolerance and international understanding.
The exhibit "World Religions - World Peace - World Ethos," on display at Baden-Wuerttemberg state offices in Berlin, presents symbols of major religions and ethnic traditions, with an emphasis on the common thread that binds them, one of the central themes in Hesse’s works. Drawing from the vast spectrum of historic objects in Berlin museums, the exhibit includes Hindu reliefs and statues, a representation of the Buddha, a Tibetan reliquary, Chinese genealogical tables, Islamic artworks and a Lutheran Bible, along with commentary by noted theologian Hans Kueng of the University of Tuebingen.
Two more exhibitions paying tribute to the Nobel Prize-winning author are scheduled to open in the German capital next month, with a series of lectures, concerts, and film screenings rounding out the anniversary year. Festivities in Calw begin with a birthday celebration July 2, followed by a two-month series of readings, theatre performances, concerts and film presentations. Highlights include a 48-hour marathon reading of Hesse’s works and the world premiere of a tone poem based on the celebrated novel Siddharta, performed by the Wuerttemberg Philharmonic. Also scheduled is a guest performance by the rock group Steppenwolf, named for the best-selling novel published by Hesse in 1927.
Germany’s most widely read author is being feted beyond Europe’s borders as well. His anniversary was heralded in November 2001 with a ceremony in the Indian city of Talasseri, where the author’s grandfather, Hermann Gundert, worked as a linguist and scholar.
