This online portal is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media upon a decision of the German Bundestag.
The Kleist Year 2011
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Welcome to the new Heinrich von Kleist website
Looking behind the Scenes
How is the major Kleist exhibition evolving? How many people are working on it, and what are their professions? What difficult challenges face the makers of this exhibition?
We will be making intermittent reports on the planning and realisation of the major exhibition about Heinrich von Kleist and in the process, we will take a concrete look “over the shoulder” of one of the people involved. more
Kleist Prize Winner 2010
© Paulus Ponizak
The winner of the Kleist Prize 2010 has been chosen: Ferdinand von Schirach, author and criminal defence lawyer.The prize is awarded by the Heinrich von Kleist Society. Ferdinand von Schirach, born in Munich in 1964, is a well-known criminal defence lawyer in Berlin. In 2009, he made the best-received German literature debut of the year with his volume of stories “Verbrechen”, published by Piper-Verlag. more
From the Kleist Museum’s treasure trove
Heinrich von Kleist wrote this New Year’s greeting for his half-sister Ulrike in 1800. It is possible to see his original handwriting on the document. To the homepage of the Kleist Museums.
© Kleist-Museum
Transcription
Wunsch am Neuen Jahre 1800 für Ulrike von Kleist.
Amphibion Du, das in zwei Elementen stets lebet,
Schwanke nicht länger und wähle Dir endlich ein sichres Geschlecht.
Schwimmen und fliegen geht nicht zugleich, drum verlasse das Wasser,
Versuch es einmal in der Luft, schüttle die Schwingen und fleuch!
H. K.
Translation
New Year’s wishes for Ulrike von Kleist, 1800.
Amphibian, ever at ease in two elements,
cease your wavering, make plain your chosen species.
To swim and fly is beyond our means; abandon the water,
take to the air, brandish your wings and soar!
H. K.