“Germany possesses in Stehr an artist with profound powers of portrayal. There are no precursors to his special style.” – Gerhart Hauptmann
“Stehr has been bestowed with the highest that mortals can be gifted with. He has come to fruition.” – Hermann Bahr
“I don’t know what you love so in us Scandinavians, since you have your Hermann Stehr anyway.” – Knut Hamsun
“I have, since I read Stehr, experienced something. And one more word: great, great, great. And one more: awe.” – Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Hermann Stehr has a large catalogue of works previously untranslated into English — over 30 novels and novellas — all of which are in the public domain in the major English-speaking nations of the British Commonwealth (ie. the author died over 70 years ago) and most of which are in the public domain in the United States (ie. they were published before 1923).
He was recipient of a number of literary prizes during his lifetime, a founding member of the Prussian Literary Academy (1926), and nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times (1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936), but is little known in the English-speaking world.
His masterpiece, Der Heiligenhof, had a print run of over 150,000 copies between the wars and is a significant work in its own right. In addition, his 1914 story “Der Schimmer des Assistenten” is considered by some to be an early work of surrealism.
Hermann Stehr’s Literary Prizes:
- the Bauernfeld Prize (1910),
- the Fastenrath Prize (1919),
- the Schiller Prize (1919),
- the Rathenau Prize (1930),
- the Wartburg Rose (1932),
- the Goethe Medal for Art and Science (1932), and
- the Goethe Prize of Frankfurt-am-Main (1933).
Works published by K A Nitz:
Note: click on the titles to see further details and samples.
Published in 2012:
Stehr, Hermann. The Engraver. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, May 2012. ISBN: 978-0-473-21205-6.
A translation of Der Graveur (first published 1897 in Neue Rundschau, then in 1898 in Auf Leben und Tod).
Stehr, Hermann. Meicke, the Devil. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, May 2012. ISBN: 978-0-473-21362-6.
Translations of Meicke, der Teufel (first published 1898 in Auf Leben und Tod), “Der Inspektor” (first published Schlesische Dichterbuch, 1902), and an excerpt from Hermann Stehr’s contribution to Mit Gerhart Hauptmann: Erinnerungen und Bekenntnisse aus seinem Freundeskreis (first published 1922).
Stehr, Hermann. The Shingle Maker and Other Tales. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, June 2012. ISBN: 978-0-473-21589-7.
Translations of Der Schindelmacher (first published 1899), “Gerichtet” (first published in Gemittlichen Schläsinger, 1901), and “Der Besuch” (first published in Jugend, no. 15, 1922).
Stehr, Hermann. Leonore Griebel. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, September 2012. ISBN: 978-0-473-22014-3.
A translation of Leonore Griebel (first published 1900).
Stehr, Hermann. The Buried God. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, April 2013. ISBN: 978-0-473-22798-2.
A translation of Der begrabene Gott (first published 1905).
Published in 2013:
Stehr, Hermann. The Shimmer of the Assistant and Other Tales. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, May 2013. ISBN: 978-0-473-24249-7.
Translations of “Der Schimmer des Assistenten” (first published 1914), “Die Großmutter” (first published 1914), “Der letzte Akt” (first published 1913), and “Der Geist des Vaters” (first published 1917).
Stehr, Hermann. The Twilight and Other Tales. Lower Hutt: K A Nitz, June 2013. ISBN: 978-0-473-24447-7.
Translations of “Das Abendrot” (first published 1901), “Das letzte Kind” (first published 1903), “Die Geschichte vom Rauschen” (first published 1902), and “Der Schatten” (first published 1905).
Published in 2014:
Stehr, Hermann. Three Nights. Wellington: K A Nitz, July 2014. ISBN: 978-0-473-28161-8.
A translation of Drei Nächte (first published 1909).
Stehr, Hermann. Stories from the Mandel House. Wellington: K A Nitz, July 2014. ISBN: 978-0-473-28165-6.
A translation of Geschichten aus dem Mandelhaus (first published 1913).
Stehr, Hermann. The Runaway Heart and Other Tales. Wellington: K A Nitz, July 2014. ISBN: 978-0-473-28163-2.
Translations of “Das entlaufene Herz” (first published 1913), “Wendelin Heinelt” (first published 1909), “Das Feuer” (first published 1919), “Das Gotschdorfer Weib” (first published 1916), and “Der Feuersamen” (first published 1907).
Stehr, Hermann. The Crows. Wellington: K A Nitz, August 2014. ISBN: 978-0-473-28167-0.
A translation of Die Krähen (first published 1921).
Stehr, Hermann. Gudnatz, the Grafter. Wellington: K A Nitz, August 2014. ISBN: 978-0-473-28178-6.
A translation of Gudnatz (first published 1921).
Published in 2017:
Stehr, Hermann. The Blessed Farm. Albany, New Zealand: K A Nitz, June 2017. ISBN: 978-0-473-39813-2.
A translation of Der Heiligenhof (first published in two volumes 1918-19).
Published in 2020:
Stehr, Hermann. The Account of Peter Brindeisener. Auckland, New Zealand: K A Nitz, November 2020. ISBN: 978-0-473-54493-5.
A translation of Peter Brindeisener (first published 1924).
K A Nitz Publishing 