Ernst Herbeck
Encyclopedia
Ernst Herbeck was a German
poet
. In 1940, at the age of 20, Herbeck was committed to the national mental hospital
in Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) where he spent almost his entire life, writing thousands of poems, until his death on 11 September 1991.
, Lower Austria
, where at the age of 20 whilst working as an unskilled worker in a munitions factory
, began displaying signs of schizophrenia
.
He was first committed in 1940, but at times his condition would improve momentarily. In October 1944 he was even called into military service
only to be discharged in March 1945.
A year after the end of the war Herbeck was committed indefinitely.
After fifteen years in an institution Herbeck began writing poetry, often referred to as naive, his poetry is notable for its brevity and peculiar turn of phrase.
The titles of many of his poems are the names of animals that were offered to him by his psychiatrist
Leo Navratil
as exercises.
Two years before his death Herbeck gave over 1,000 of his handwritten sheets to the Austrian national library as donation.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. In 1940, at the age of 20, Herbeck was committed to the national mental hospital
Mental Hospital
Mental hospital may refer to:*Psychiatric hospital*hospital in Nepal named Mental Hospital...
in Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) where he spent almost his entire life, writing thousands of poems, until his death on 11 September 1991.
Life
Herbeck grew up in StockerauStockerau
Stockerau is a town in the district of Korneuburg in Lower Austria, Austria.Leisure facilities are various: wellness centre, sports centre with three gyms, judo and table tennis gym, skittle alley and football stadium...
, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
, where at the age of 20 whilst working as an unskilled worker in a munitions factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
, began displaying signs of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
.
He was first committed in 1940, but at times his condition would improve momentarily. In October 1944 he was even called into military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
only to be discharged in March 1945.
A year after the end of the war Herbeck was committed indefinitely.
After fifteen years in an institution Herbeck began writing poetry, often referred to as naive, his poetry is notable for its brevity and peculiar turn of phrase.
The titles of many of his poems are the names of animals that were offered to him by his psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Leo Navratil
Leo Navratil
Leo Navratil was an Austrian psychiatrist and author.He worked in the hospital in Gugging. He called the works, paintings, and texts of his patients "Zustandsgebundene Kunst" . To Navratil, patients make only in the acute stage of their mental illness artistically relevant works...
as exercises.
Two years before his death Herbeck gave over 1,000 of his handwritten sheets to the Austrian national library as donation.
External links
- http://www.fascicle.com/issue02/translations/herbeck1.htmTwelve Poems by Ernst Herbeck, Translated by Gary SullivanGary SullivanGary Sullivan may refer to:*Gary Sullivan , electrical engineer*Gary Sullivan , American radio host*Gary Sullivan , Australian rugby league footballer*Gary Sullivan , American soccer player...
] - Ernst Herbeck blog with poems in German and in English translation by Gary Sullivan