Rainer Maria Rilke
René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke
(4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926)
Rilke was a genius who wrote lyric poetry and had a tragic love affair with Merline Klossowska, the mother of the famous artist Balthus
Celebrating 150 years since the birth of Rainer Maria Rilke
Brief Biography
Born in Prague he attended military school from the age of 10 to 15 before a brief spell in a trade school, leaving at the age of 16. After 3 years of tutoring he studied at Prague university from 1895 to 1896 when he moved to Munich.
Here he met and fell in love with Lou Andreas-Salomé who became a lifelong friend and confidante.
He traveled extensively around Europe, in 1900 meetimg and 1901 marrying the sculptor Clara Westhoff, with whom he had a daughter Ruth (1901–1972). Despite his continuing marriage he had numerous affairs.
Eventually settling in Swizerland having met there painter Baladine Klossowska in 1919, with whom he maintained a strong relationship to his death in 1926.
Berg-am-Irchel
The place in Switzerland Rilke made his home